SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah has booted Sigma Nu fraternity from its campus over hazing and what the school called "egregious" violations of policies.
Sigma Nu was notified on May 19 that it would no longer be recognized as a fraternity by the school and will not be allowed to allowed to operate as a University of Utah affiliate for at least six years.
The fraternity is the third since 2002 to have lost its recognition by the university.
In a letter from Vice President for Student Affairs Lori McDonald, Sigma Nu's updated status was "due to a pattern of hazing new recruits and 'egregious' violations of university policies and rules and Sigma Nu’s own national fraternity policies," along with alcohol-related violations and destruction of property.
Among the fraternity's incidents shared by the school:
- Coerced consumption of alcohol and unregistered parties
- Required chores and cleanup of chapter facility, sometimes in the early hours of the morning and after fraternity parties
- Encouraged the purchase and use of illegal substances to meet new member interview requirements
- Blindfolded and transported new members to an exotic dance club for pledge interviews
- Coerced participation of new members in initiation weekend activities at chapter home, including blindfolding, requiring memorization of songs and member information, cleaning, and staying overnight on basement floor
The university claimed that alumni of the fraternity also participated in the violations which met the school's three qualifications to be considered hazing: subtle, harassment and violent.
“I do not have confidence the Sigma Nu chapter will follow the university’s directions, policies, or the terms of a suspension, and therefore, termination of the university recognition of the chapter is warranted,” McDonald wrote in the letter.
Sigma Nu will not be allowed to reapply for university recognition until 2031, a date chosen so that all current fraternity members will have graduated.
