SU suspended 2 fraternities last month. What does that mean?
Molly Gibbs | Senior Staff Photographer
Crow and Sigma Chi, which is awaiting the results of a conduct investigation, are both unrecognized.
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Syracuse University has suspended two fraternities in the past month, with one suspended officially and the other on an interim basis.
The university placed its chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity on interim suspension Feb. 12 for violating public health directives. Three days later, the university suspended the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity, known as Crow, after conduct proceedings found that the fraternity violated the Code of Student Conduct.
SU now has 16 unrecognized Greek organizations that students aren’t allowed to associate with. Crow and Sigma Chi, which is awaiting the results of a conduct investigation, are both unrecognized.
As the university’s number of recognized chapters continues to decrease, here’s what happens when a fraternity or sorority is suspended:
How do fraternities get suspended?
The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs can suspend its recognition of a fraternity or sorority on an interim basis for incidents of misconduct, criminal activity or fiscal default, according to FASA’s policy for recognition of fraternal organizations.
FASA can suspend a Greek organization if it finds that the organization, members of the organization, a resident living on land the organization owns or a guest of the organization is responsible for misconduct, the policy states.
If a fraternity or sorority is suspended, the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities will investigate and try the organization in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct to determine whether to revoke its recognition, according to FASA’s policy.
What happens if a fraternity is suspended?
If OSRR revokes a fraternity or sorority’s recognized status, the organization is often barred from reapplying for a set period of time, with exceptions in extenuating circumstances.
Unrecognized fraternities or sororities don’t have access to assistance from FASA or other university resources. The university doesn’t monitor their recruitment process, either.
If the university finds evidence that an organization is functioning “underground,” it can extend the fraternity or sorority’s suspension period by a year for each violation. And students who affiliate themselves with an unrecognized student organization could face university disciplinary sanctions up to suspension or expulsion.
Why have SU fraternities been suspended in the past?
The university suspended its chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity for violating the student code of conduct, as well as public health directives. Although the fraternity is still under investigation, its suspension came following an early-February surge in COVID-19 cases.
During the surge, SU found that members of the Greek community hosted at least three parties in off-campus neighborhoods over a period of six days. Those parties were the source of at least 20 COVID-19 cases among SU students.
More stories about Greek life at SU this semester:
- SU suspends Alpha Chi Rho fraternity after code of conduct violations
- Syracuse University suspends Sigma Chi fraternity as cases surge from parties
- How Greek life’s virtual recruitment panned out this year
The university also suspended its Zeta Beta Tau fraternity chapter in July for violating public health orders and the university’s Code of Student Conduct.
The fraternity is no longer allowed to operate on campus after violating social distancing guidelines and participating in behavior that was “reckless and selfish,” a university spokesperson said.
SU has also suspended multiple other fraternities for violating the Student Code of Conduct.
In November 2019, the university suspended Crow after members and guests allegedly shouted a racist slur at a Black woman. In October, an appeals board overturned that suspension, which was eventually reimposed by a university official. SU suspended the fraternity again in February for unrelated violations of the Code of Student Conduct.
Published on March 3, 2021 at 10:30 pm
Contact Richard: rcperrin@syr.edu | @richardperrins2
