Has anyone heard of this fraternity?

[ladygreek]

U of M frat suspended in hazing case
The University of Minnesota has suspended a fraternity on the St. Paul campus for hazing.
Mary Jane Smetanka, Star Tribune

The FarmHouse Fraternity, which has had a chapter on the St. Paul campus since 1931, is suspended as a registered student organization through spring semester 2007. The university and the fraternity's international organization are investigating, and if the hazing was severe enough, the chapter could be closed.

Two fraternity members who had been hazed complained to U officials on Feb. 23.

"It appears to be a pattern of behaviors in how new members were treated during their initiation, over a period of months," said Jerry Rinehart, university vice provost for student affairs. "Students were put in physically dangerous positions, and there was emotional degradation associated with that. We're very fortunate no physical harm was done and we could intervene."

The fraternity prohibits alcohol and its 25 to 30 members are cooperating with the investigation, Rinehart said. In fact, leaders of the fraternity acknowledged that the behavior had been going on "but didn't know how to stop this tradition. There was recognition that they can't get where they want to go without stopping this."

Over the next two weeks, about 15 residents of the house will be interviewed, Rinehart said. Appropriate sanctions for students will be proposed, and students have the right to appeal those through the student judicial system.

If the violations are bad enough, either the university or FarmHouse Fraternity International could close the chapter. For now, Rinehart said, the chapter is prohibited until the end of spring semester 2007 from participating in Interfraternity Council recruitment events or sending mass mailings through the university. It also will not be able to sponsor or participate in social events.