UB's chapter of Sigma Chi Omega, the fraternity featured on the MTV reality series "Fraternity Life," has been suspended from the university on allegations of hazing.
According to Dennis Black, vice president of Student Affairs, shortly after the airing of the show, letters and e-mails flooded the university, prompting the administration to look into the initiation rituals of the fraternity.
"The campus approach has always been whenever there's an allegation or concern about possible hazing, they call a timeout in the group's activities," said Black.
According to Black, Sigma Chi Omega will be suspended until an investigation into the alleged hazing is conducted. No charges have been filed against any of the members of the fraternity.
The university's formal definition of hazing is "any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on or off fraternity premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, ridicule or impairment of academic efforts."
A recent episode of the series featured, among other things, scenes of the pledge class lined against a wall while members of the fraternity barked reprimands at them for not appearing at the library that day.
"Obviously whatever is portrayed on TV took place months ago, but the groups are active in recruiting and will be pledging new members," Black said.
The decision to suspend the fraternity was made at the beginning of spring break; many of the members were out of town, however, making it hard to inform them of the suspension.
"Obviously, we had a notification issue," he said.
On Monday, Pamela Stephens-Jackson, university liaison for the Office of Greek Affairs, said a letter to the fraternity was sent during spring break but that she could not comment further until the fraternity had received the letter.
Tuesday afternoon Colin Healy, president of the fraternity, said he was unclear on the details.
"I just know that there's a letter," said Healy, who said he was picking the letter up Tuesday night but could not be reached for further comment by midnight Tuesday.
According to Black, administrators will conduct interviews with anyone who might have information about the alleged hazing to see if a threat had been posed to any of the students.
"They haven't been tried, convicted or executed, or anything," he said, but added that if the investigation uncovers hazing, members could be brought before the Student-Wide Judiciary.
Delta Xi Omega, the sorority featured on MTV's "Sorority Life 2," has not been suspended.
Black said it is the university's duty to investigate all allegations, especially in light of several recent situations involving Greek organizations in New York State.
Sigma Chi Omega's suspension comes after two brothers of a different organization at Alfred University admitted to hazing and beating one of their brothers, who committed suicide in February, and after the death of a pledge in Plattsburg's Psi Epsilon Chi fraternity, which had been suspended for underage drinking.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
