ASU chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon closed by national office after hazing violations

Rachel Leingang | The Republic | azcentral.com

The Arizona State University chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon was closed by its national office after several hazing incidents at the fraternity over multiple years, the national organization said.

The national organization said it conducted an investigation into "recent hazing allegations," according to a press release from Sigma Phi Epsilon's headquarters.

The organization determined the chapter had violated hazing policies. The decision to disband ASU's chapter was made by the fraternity's national board of directors, the press release said.

Heather Kirk, a spokeswoman for the Sigma Phi Epsilon national organization, said the hazing behavior included "requiring newer members to conduct chores, participate in calisthenics, purchase items for older members and carry tobacco products."

The organization noted that this was just the most recent investigation into the ASU chapter, which it said has been under investigation for hazing "several times" in the past five years.

After each investigation, the organization's staff at headquarters worked with the chapter and ASU to address problems and get rid of hazing.

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"Yet, in the investigation this fall, the fraternity staff confirmed that members continued to make repeated decisions to violate member safety policies and hazing behaviors existed in the chapter," the press release said.

The closure was first reported by ASU's student newspaper, the State Press, earlier this week.

Sigma Phi Epsilon's CEO, Brian Warren, said the fraternity's purpose is to develop men who "make a difference in their communities."

“We provide education, resources and mentoring to guide our students to create a positive environment and foster a culture of dignity and respect," Warren said in the press release. "When they fail to live up to our values and expectations, the fraternity must hold our chapters and individuals accountable for their poor decisions.”

The ASU chapter had 69 members as of the most recent annual Greek report from ASU, less than half the number the chapter had six years ago.

ASU had not received any complaints about Sigma Phi Epsilon related to these incidents, and the university didn’t conduct its own investigation, university spokeswoman Katie Paquet said.

The university will look for any violations of university policies, like the student code of conduct, Paquet said, but the fraternity has no pending conduct violations.

The university received notice at the end of October that the fraternity's headquarters would conduct the investigation.

The local chapter did not respond to requests for comment.

Other incidents in previous years

Sigma Phi Epsilon's ASU chapter had a few high-profile incidents earlier this decade.

In 2013, two women, one a student and one a 17-year-old prospective student, were severely burned after a male student poured alcohol onto a bonfire, causing the fire to flare up, at a Sigma Phi Epsilon party.

That same year, a 19-year-old student believed to be a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon was beaten and left unconscious in an elevator at an off-campus apartment. The student was allegedly beaten by members of a different fraternity.

ASU's fraternities and sororities moved off-campus earlier in the decade after the former Greek Row on Alpha Drive was razed. Now, there's a Greek housing community, called the Greek Leadership Village, where organizations have dorm-style accommodations and meeting spaces.

Reporters Richard Ruelas and Anne Ryman contributed to this story.

Reach reporter Rachel Leingang by email at rachel.leingang@gannett.com or by phone at 602-444-8157, or find her on Twitter and Facebook.

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