Indiana University’s student-run Interfraternity Council has voted to suspend all Greek life activities, joining the growing list of schools that have cracked down on Greek life at universities, the school announced Monday.
The council “unanimously voted to temporarily suspend fraternity social and new member activities,” said Lori Reesor, IU’s Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students.
“I commend these student leaders for their efforts and look forward to working with them to create a safer environment for all IU students,” Reesor said on Twitter.
The council’s decision will remain in effect until at least mid-spring, IU Student Association President Dan Niersbach said on Twitter. He reiterated that Greek life social functions were temporarily suspended, and all new member activities would be restricted.
“Now is the time to create real change in our Greek system and address the culture it creates,” Niersbach said. “The IU Greek community will be safer and stronger.”
The Sigma Nu fraternity’s national office suspended the IU chapter’s charter in October following hazing and alcohol violations, NBC affiliate WTHR reported. The Delta Tau Delta fraternity chapter at IU was also suspended by its national office in January for multiple hazing reports.
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Nine additional fraternity chapters have been put on probation for the 2017-2018 school year for violations including endangering others, misconduct and noncompliance with IU’s Greek Organization Agreement, the school’s student newspaper, The Indiana Daily Student, reported.
“We are looking forward to working with our partners on campus as well as national headquarters and alumni to achieve our common goal of creating a sustainable environment for all our chapters to excel in future endeavors,” IU Interfraternity Council President Andrew Cowie said in a statement to The Daily Student.
The IU Interfraternity Council’s announcement arrived two weeks after Texas State University suspended all fraternity activities in the wake of a 20-year-old pledge’s suspected alcohol-related death.
A few days later, Ohio State University suspended all Greek life activities pending 11 investigations involving hazing and alcohol that span across a quarter of the school’s IFC chapters. The University of Michigan also cracked down on Greek life after allegations of sexual misconduct, hazing and drug use surfaced earlier this month.
Additionally, charges have been filed against 17 former Penn State University fraternity members after the alcohol-related death of a 19-year-old Beta Theta Pi pledge, Timothy Piazza, in February.