Say goodbye to the hazers at Missouri

[hoosier]

Sat, Oct. 19, 2002
Mo. Fraternity Suspended for Hazing


COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - A fraternity at the University of Missouri-Columbia was suspended for four years for violating the school's anti-hazing policy.

Sigma Chi was already on probation for a previous hazing incident when pledges complained in early September about their treatment by active members.

The fraternity will be able to seek reinstatement in July 2004 under the punishment announced Friday by Cathy Scroggs, the university's interim vice chancellor for student affairs. Scroggs upheld a decision issued earlier by Greek Life coordinator Chris Linder.

"We simply cannot allow the kind of activity that Sigma Chi members were engaging in to go unpunished, and we want to send a clear message that the mental and physical well being of our students is our top priority," Scroggs said.

An investigation by Linder found that, among other things, pledges were made to sit for up to two hours with pillowcases over their heads while fraternity members yelled insults and poured alcohol on them.

Other fraternity members' actions included making pledges shave without shaving cream, keeping pledges awake by pounding on their doors, blowing horns and breaking beer bottles, and making pledges clean up bins of trash that had been tossed into halls.

The suspension bars Sigma Chi from taking part in certain events as a student organization, including Homecoming and Greek Week.