About three weeks before the end of the spring 2018 semester, the Syracuse University community was rocked by the release of videos showing people in the Theta Tau engineering fraternity house using racial and ethnic slurs and miming the sexual assault of a person with disabilities.

The videos, which led to the fraternity’s permanent expulsion from SU, circulated nationally and sparked days of campus-wide protests and open forums.

Here’s a timeline of the major events between Theta Tau’s initial suspension and the start of the fall 2018 semester: 

April 18, 2018: SU suspends Theta Tau

Chancellor Kent Syverud sent a campus-wide email announcing the suspension of SU’s chapter of the Theta Tau engineering fraternity. The decision came after the university confirmed the fraternity was involved in the creation of online videos Syverud at the time called “extremely racist, anti-semitic, homophobic, sexist, and hostile to people with disabilities.”

In recordings obtained by The Daily Orange showing the videos, which were filmed in Theta Tau’s house, a person forces another person to his knees and asks him to repeat an “oath” including racial slurs.

“I solemnly swear to always have hatred in my heart for the n*ggers, sp*cs and most importantly the f*ckin’ k*kes,” the person on his knees repeats.

The university held an open forum for SU community members in Hendricks Chapel, and protestors gathered outside Syverud’s house and demanded that the university release the videos. The hashtag “#WheresTheVideoSU” began to circulate on Twitter.

The D.O. publishes recording of Theta Tau video

The D.O. released a recording of one of the videos.

April 19, 2018 or April 20, 2018: SU chapter of Theta Tau says video depicts a ‘satirical sketch’

SU’s chapter of Theta Tau published a statement on its website apologizing for the video. The statement said Theta Tau’s prospective members write and act out a skit each semester to “roast” the fraternity’s current members.

The chapter also said in the statement that the video depicted a “satirical sketch” of an “uneducated, racist, homophobic, misogynist, sexist, ableist and intolerant person.” 

April 21, 2018: SU community members stage sit-in at Schine Student Center over videos

About 100 SU students filled the Schine Student Center atrium as families of newly accepted students attended an admitted students event.

The protesters chanted, “Don’t commit to SU ‘til SU commits to you.” Some held signs that read, “ACCEPTED STUDENTS This University doesn’t ACCEPT you,” and “How About a Student-Led Tour of Campus Discrimination.”

SU permanently expels its Theta Tau chapter

Syverud announced the permanent expulsion of the Theta Tau fraternity chapter in a video three days after the Greek organization’s initial suspension.

The chancellor said the expulsion followed “immediate action” taken by the university within two hours of receiving and authenticating the video.

The D.O. releases second Theta Tau video

The D.O. released a recording of a second video showing people in Theta Tau’s house miming the sexual assault of a person with disabilities.

In the recording, a person sits in a rolling chair while another person says, “He’s drooling out of his mouth, because he’s retarded in a wheelchair.”

April 22, 2018: Complaints filed against 18 people present at Theta Tau event

SU’s Department of Public Safety and Student Affairs office announced that it had filed complaints against 18 people involved in the creation of the Theta Tau videos.

The 18 individuals were removed from academic participation out of an “abundance of caution” and concern for the university community, said DPS Chief Bobby Maldonado.

April 25, 2018: 4 prospective members, 1 brother of Theta Tau file lawsuit against SU

Four prospective members and one current brother of Theta Tau filed a lawsuit against SU, claiming the university rushed to label them as “criminals” in an attempt to “malign the students personally” to salvage SU’s reputation, according to court documents.

The students are seeking more than $1 million in damages each.

Greek letters were removed from Theta Tau’s house on Harrison Street. Alexandra Moreo | Senior Staff Photographer

April 30, 2018: University holds forum for disability community

At the forum, faculty and students with disabilities expressed dissatisfaction with the physical accessibility of buildings and spaces on campus.

May 9, 2018: Conduct hearing begins for students involved in the Theta Tau videos

The student conduct hearing for SU students facing charges for involvement in the creation of the Theta Tau videos was held in the College of Law’s Melanie Gray Ceremonial Courtroom.

According to court documents, the students charged by the university were accused of multiple policy violations including physical harm, harassment beyond protected free speech and sexual abuse or harassment.

Lawyers and students were among the roughly 25 people who gathered in the College of Law prior to the hearing. PAUL SCHLESINGER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

June 8, 2018: SU suspends students involved in Theta Tau videos

SU suspended 15 of the students connected to the Theta Tau videos for up to two years.

Eighteen students were initially charged with Code of Student Conduct violations, but at least two students accepted university-sponsored punishments before the conduct hearing began.

June 14, 2018: SU announces Greek life review consultants

Dolan Evanovich, SU’s senior vice president for enrollment and the student experience, announced that the university hired Dave Westol and Karyn Nishimura Sneath, external consultants, to help conduct a “top to bottom” review of SU’s Greek life policies and culture.

Aug. 13, 2018: SU Greek Life survey opens for undergraduate students

SU sent a survey to all undergraduate students to gauge student satisfaction and thoughts on Greek life.

Syracuse University just sent this Greek life survey to all undergrads, asking, among other things, whether Greek organizations have a positive impact on the university: pic.twitter.com/7lLzlIjJzK

— Jordan Muller (@jordanmuller18) August 13, 2018

The survey includes questions about whether Greek organizations have a positive impact on the university, whether students feel comfortable interacting with Greek organizations and their members and whether students feel Greek organizations promote the health and well-being of their members.

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Published on August 21, 2018 at 1:00 pm