The University of Connecticut has banned Kappa Kappa Gamma chapter from the campus following severe hazing allegations. The school cancelled the sorority's registration and recognition Wednesday, and ordered its members to vacate the campus house by May 15.
"UConn has zero tolerance for hazing and all similarly harmful behaviors, and repeatedly makes those expectations clear to all student leaders in Greek life and other organizations," school spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said, Miami Herald reports. The decision has reduced the number of fraternities and sororities to 33 with more than 2,300 participants.
Elizabeth Baily, the national vice president of Kappa Kappa Gamma, said that banning an entire chapter from campus "for the poor decisions made by a few individuals at an unsanctioned event is wrong."
The sorority considers the ban an extreme form of punishment and the officials plan to appeal the ban following the completion of UConn final exams and before the university's deadline on May 14. If the punishment is upheld, the sorority can once again has to apply for membership in four years.
Hillary Holt, UConn sophomore and Kappa Kappa Gamma member, said that she was compelled to perform embarrassing acts during a Sigma Alpha Epsilon's off-campus event, March 6.
Holt was forced to drink alcohol until she fell unconscious and made to "sizzle like bacon" on the floor of the fraternity. The next day, her blood-alcohol level was thrice the legal limit of 0.08.
Ten people have lost their lives since 2006 in hazing incidents at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Bloomberg reports. The national chapter has promised to ban hazing at its events to prevent harm to its recruits and reputation.
Besides the Kappa Kappa Gamma chapter, the UConn officials are also looking into allegations against three other Greek organisations including Delta Zeta, Delta Gamma and Sigma Chi, Huffington Post reports. The three fraternities were temporarily suspended in April.
