This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Syracuse University announced on Saturday that it has permanently expelled a fraternity over an offensive video that members say was intended as satire.

The controversy continued, however, with the emergence of more video showing a simulated sexual assault of a disabled person.

Chancellor Kent Syverud called the original Theta Tau video “racist, antisemitic, homophobic, ableist and sexist”. He said disciplinary action against the individual students involved could include suspension or expulsion.

Syracuse frat house apologizes for 'racist, sexist and antisemitic' video Read more

The video showed a group of men laughing at performances punctuated by racist language against blacks, Jews and Hispanics and simulated sex acts. Some students contend the video illustrates larger issues of racism and sexism at the university.

The Syracuse chapter of Theta Tau, a national engineering fraternity, apologized for the video on Friday and said its members believe racism “has no place on a university campus”.

It said: “Each semester our new members are given the opportunity to write and act out a skit, in order to roast the active brothers. This event was never intended to be centered around racism or hate. This year, one of these brothers is a conservative Republican, and the new members roasted him by playing the part of a racist conservative character.”

The statement went on: “It was a satirical sketch of an uneducated, racist, homophobic, misogynist, sexist, ableist and intolerant person. The young man playing the part of this character nor the young man being roasted do not hold any of the horrible views espoused as a part of that sketch.”

The fraternity did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the chapter’s expulsion on Saturday.

Syverud said that in addition to expelling the Theta Tau chapter, university official “have begun a top-to-bottom review of our entire Greek system”.

Campus newspaper the Daily Orange posted the new video on Saturday, after Theta Tau’s expulsion. The clip appeared to stem from the same event.

Syverud called the latest clip “appalling and disgusting”. He and other administrators would gather with students to discuss the matter on Sunday evening, he said.