Another University of Iowa fraternity suspended, this one for ‘hazing’

IOWA CITY — Another University of Iowa fraternity has been suspended — but this time not by UI officials but by its international headquarters.

Last week, the executive committee of the Sigma Chi International Fraternity suspended its UI chapter for “an indefinite period” due to “accountability issues within the chapter.”

Issues, according to a March 1 letter the headquarters sent the UI chapter, included “events related to hazing within its preparation for brotherhood pledge education program and its members’ disregard for risk management policies put in place by the university and international fraternity.”

“The (executive committee) was left with no other option than to close the chapter,” according to the letter, reporting the committee voted on the suspension Feb. 21.

The letter didn’t go into detail on the hazing allegations — although the UI Sigma Chi chapter has been in trouble with the campus in every year since at least 2017 for alcohol and conduct violations; non-compliance with the university’s arrest policy; holding prohibited events; or hosting impermissible and illegal tailgates.

History of violations

In 2017, a Sigma Chi freshman died from alcohol poisoning during an out-of-town formal event — a tragedy that prompted sweeping changes across the UI Greek system, including restrictions on when and how chapters can hold social events.

The following academic year, the university suspended nearly a dozen fraternities for suspected violations of its alcohol and events policies — including Sigma Chi, which was levied a long list of sanctions, including to remain alcohol free until spring 2020.

But continued violations — including an unregistered social event in March 2020 — kept it on some form of probation through May 2021. And violations only months later in December put it back on probation through the end of 2022.

The March 1 suspension letter from its headquarters in Illinois suggested intentions to eventually resurrect a UI Sigma Chi chapter, although officials said, “We have not, at this time, produced a timetable for doing so.”

“As you can surely understand, we want to be certain that our next effort to establish a Sigma Chi presence at the university will create an environment that supports the character development of every man who ultimately joins the fraternity,” according to the letter. “Most importantly, we will partner with the university to ensure that all future members of the chapter can be successful in their endeavors.

“Therefore, we will periodically evaluate the university environment and the state of its Greek-letter community to determine the earliest possibility for a return to campus.”

The Sigma Chi suspension comes just weeks after UI suspended its Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity for at least four years for a string of misconduct and campus violations.

The Sigma Chi and Pi Kappa Alpha suspensions bring the total number of suspended UI fraternities presently to eight.

‘Ideals and values’

Details of how headquarters for those other suspended chapters are handling their stalled UI organizations haven’t been made public. But Sigma Chi in its letter warned against any use of its brand, images, and trademarks.

“The members’ rights and the chapter to use Sigma Chi’s protected marks are now rescinded,” according to the letter. “If the chapter or any of its current undergraduate members engage in any activity that is conceived of as a Sigma Chi activity, the international fraternity will be compelled to pursue the maximum remedies afforded to us, including potentially taking legal action against those responsible.”

Sigma Chi will pursue additional remedies and permanent suspensions should any “underground activity take place that creates the perception that members of the chapter are engaged in fraternal activities under a different name or banner.”

In an official “media statement,” the headquarters said its UI chapter members have been moved to a “suspended active status” and, as such, are unable to participate in “anything that could be conceived of as a Sigma Chi activity.”

UI officials have accused members of the suspended Phi Delta Theta fraternity of continuing to operate in some capacity — including involvement in impermissible tailgates.

“Please know that it is heartbreaking when the fraternity loses a chapter,” according to the Sigma Chi suspension letter. “But the severity of these circumstances made our decision.”

The UI chapter of Sigma Chi in spring 2021, according to the most recent data published on the university’s Fraternity and Sorority Life website, had 87 total members — including 15 new members.

That total made it the fourth largest fraternity of the 17 UI chapters.

Sigma Chi nationally — founded in 1855 — has undergraduate chapters at 234 universities and colleges and more than 355,000 all-time members.

“The international fraternity expects members to conduct themselves in a way that aligns with the fraternity’s ideals and values,” Sigma Chi’s international president Tim Sanderson said in a statement. “It’s disappointing when our members’ actions necessitate a chapter closure, but this was the right thing for us to do.

“We look forward to eventually returning to campus and partnering once again with the University of Iowa.”

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com