Sigma Nu Fraternity, Inc. has suspended the charter of its LSU chapter.
Dean of Students Kevin Price said in an e-mail the suspension took effect Tuesday.
The e-mail said the Office of the Dean of Students has been investigating allegations of hazing against the University chapter of Sigma Nu since fall of 2003.
The organization’s national headquarters also conducted its own investigation to allegations made against the chapter.
The e-mail did not list any specific acts of hazing.
“We have compared the basic findings of our respective investigations and found them to be quite similar,” Victor Felts, assistant dean of students and director of Greeks Affairs, said in the e-mail.
The Interfraternity Council’s hazing policy defines hazing as “any instance of physical abuse, psychological abuse, or improper obligations, requirements, or time restrictions associated with or involving new members or their activities or associated with or involving any improper continuing obligation for membership.”
In the same e-mail, Brad Beachman, executive director of Sigma Nu, said Sigma Nu does not tolerate hazing. The organization is committed to brotherhood and “hazing has no place in a Sigma Nu chapter.”
Price said in the e-mail that the University supports the national organization’s decision.
Neither Price, Felts nor Beachman commented on the specifics of the suspension.
Sigma Nu may begin to re-colonize in the fall of 2006.
The University also currently is investigating two other Greek organizations.
The Reveille reported in November that the University was investigating Delta Gamma Sorority and Kappa Alpha Order for possible hazing violations.
Felts declined to comment on the nature of the investigations because they are ongoing.
Larry Iese, executive director of Kappa Alpha Order’s national office, said the University’s chapter of KA is facing allegations of hazing.
“I think they are serious allegations that we need to deal with appropriately,” Iese said.
He said he could not comment on the specifics of the allegations until the University’s investigation is completed, but he said the University has yet to prove some of the allegations.
Price also said he could not comment on the specifics of the hazing allegations against KA.
A meeting to discuss the allegations was held on campus Tuesday, he said. Also, KA’s national office has been working closely with the University to look into the allegations.
Iese said he has had telephone conversations with Price, Felts and local alumni advisers discussing the chapter and the investigation.
He said it is tough to state what penalty KA will receive if the allegations are found to be true.
A representative of Delta Gamma Fraternity’s national office said they could not provide a comment at this time, but they will be able to discuss the investigation once a decision concerning the sorority is made.
Price said they will be made aware of a discussion once everything is done to accommodate the investigation process. Neither the president of Delta Gamma nor the president of Kappa Alpha Order could be reached before press time.