Ohio State University suspended the activities of most of its fraternities on Thursday, joining the growing list of schools that have cracked down on Greek life.
The university said all chapters of the Interfraternity Council (IFC) must hold off on recruitment and stop all social activities until further notice. The school is investigating more than a quarter of its IFC chapters for possible violations of the Code of Student Conduct.
A spokesman for the university told the student newspaper, The Lantern, that most of those 11 investigations involve hazing and alcohol.
“The university will not tolerate behavior that puts the health and safety of students at risk,” Ryan Lovell, the senior director of sorority and fraternity life, said in a letter to chapter presidents. “This proactive step is being taken so that the IFC community takes a pause to reflect and create individual, actionable strategies for the future.”
Several universities have taken action against Greek organizations in recent months amid concerns over hazing and alcohol — including some troubling incidents that turned deadly.
This month, Florida State University and Texas State University suspended all fraternity activities following the deaths of pledges. Last week, the University of Michigan put a hold on Greek life amid multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, hazing and drug use.
Drew Cooper, the president of the IFC at Ohio State, said the council plans to work toward a solution.
“The health and safety of members of the Ohio State community is our top priority,” Cooper said in a statement. “We commit to collaborating with parents, the University, chapters, and their national or international headquarters to advance safety and accountability in our Ohio State fraternity system. We will continue to advocate for the advancement of tangible solutions to the problems that exist within our community.”
Ohio State is one of the largest universities in the country, with more than 45,000 undergraduate students.