The University of Vermont has banned Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity for five years for violating the terms of an interim suspension in November for a drinking incident.
Pat Brown, director of Student Life, said that frat members refused to cooperate with the police investigation and started recruiting new members in January in violation of the interim suspension, Burlington Free Press reports.
The non-discriminatory Jewish Fraternity was suspended following allegations of drinking and hazing violations in November. Several frat members were admitted to the Fletcher Allen Health Care due for excessive alcohol consumption. The chapter was banned from engaging in any kind of activities during the period of interim suspension.
Brown said that by breaching the no-activity ban, the chapter faced a five-year sanction under established regulations. Meanwhile, the police investigation is ongoing.
Another UVM sorority, Tri Delta, was suspended late last year following a drinking incident at a party in Charlotte. A UVM police investigation found the chapter was not responsible for the incident and therefore, it was reinstated to the campus in January.
Recently, Penn State University Altoona officials suspended its Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity pending internal campus investigation into the death of one of its members.
Marquise Braham jumped to death from the top of the Marriott Long Island Hotel in Nassau County, N.Y., Friday night. Based on photos and notes on the deceased fraternity brother's phone, Braham's family claimed that his death was the result of severe hazing during the initiation process. Rich Braham, Braham's father, said that his 18-year-old son was also involved in hazing fraternity pledges, which made him feel guilty for his actions.
"He felt a lot of guilt and shame about what he's done and what he's seen," family spokesman Mike Paul said. "He felt he couldn't stop it."
