College suspends fraternities over multiple misconduct reports in new term

College suspends fraternities over multiple misconduct reports in new term The dean of students at the University of Arizona said there had been reports of ‘physical assault, drugs and alcohol, hazing and creating unsafe environments for our students’ - Bookmark Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in The University of Arizona has suspended all fraternity activities following multiple reports of misconduct — even after chapters received a warning at the start of the school year. Chrissy Lieberman, the dean of students, told the university’s fraternities and sororities in a letter Monday that she was putting all 21 interfraternity council chapters on “interim activities suspension” amid an influx of misconduct reports. “The number of cases under investigation and the severity of the concerns is egregious,” Lieberman wrote, without sharing the new allegations against the chapters. Several fraternities were found responsible for code of conduct violations last spring, and remain on disciplinary status or are currently under investigation, she added. “The alleged behaviors range from physical assault, drugs and alcohol, hazing and creating unsafe environments for our students,” Lieberman wrote in the letter, obtained by 13 News. “Some cases are also under criminal investigations.” The letter notes that interfraternity council chapter presidents met with the university’s president, Suresh Garimella, on August 27, and he “made clear that the behaviors reported last semester were unacceptable.” During the meeting, Garimella told the fraternity presidents to “step up and be accountable for the men in their chapters,” Lieberman wrote, noting that they were told the university would be “forced to act” if they didn’t meet this expectation. Despite the warning, Lieberman said in the letter that her office has been inundated with reports and is “at capacity” for the number of cases they can investigate, leading to the suspension. “Seven weeks into the fall semester, the Dean of Students Office is already investigating multiple reports of misconduct involving nearly half of our 21 Interfraternity Council chapters,” the letter said. During the suspension, fraternities are prohibited from hosting, attending, participating in or sponsoring any organizational activities, the letter said. Club business meetings are allowed during the suspension. “As you know, the value of the Greek experience is under scrutiny nationwide,” Lieberman wrote. Her message seemed to allude to the recent bombshell case out of Ithaca, New York, where a Cornell University student known as Jane Doe sued the institution, seven men, and other university-affiliated individuals, claiming she was drugged and sexually assaulted at a fraternity party in October 2024. All of the men named have denied any wrongdoing and no one has been criminally charged. The case has sparked international outrage, large-scale protests on Cornell’s campus and renewed conversations about sexual assault on college campuses. At the University of Arizona, chapter advisors for the fraternities are required to meet with Lieberman. Once they attend the mandatory meetings, chapters in good standing can resume operations as normal. The school has been plagued with several recent incidents involving its fraternities. Last month, the school placed the Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity chapter on activities suspension, citing reports of hazing during the fall 2025 semester. That hazing allegedly involved new members being forced to drink large amounts of alcohol and swallow live goldfish, 13 News reported. The Dean of Students Office is investigating the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity after a member assaulted another student at the fraternity’s house, according to the report. Another frat, Delta Chi, is also being investigated for several allegations, including holding an unregistered event with alcohol during which a member allegedly assaulted another student. Officials are also investigating a report of a potential drug overdose involving a member, and hazing activities that involve alcohol, calisthenics, degradation and yelling. The Independent has contacted the University of Arizona’s Dean of Students Office for more information. Fraternities in the state have been under serious scrutiny recently, especially after the leader of Delta Tau Delta at Northern Arizona University, Carter Eslick, was sentenced to two months in jail and three years of supervised probation last week after admitting to a felony haze charge that resulted in the death of 18-year-old Colin Daniel Martinez earlier this year.