Indiana University Interfraternity Council fraternities in good standing with the university will be able to resume activities Dec.1, after being barred earlier this month from holding events.
IU spokesperson Mark Bode said in an email the university notified fraternities "in good standing and not under investigation" on Nov. 20 that they could resume "all activities" on Dec. 1
The prohibition on students requesting to break their residence hall contracts to move into fraternity houses is also lifted for “all fraternities,” including those under investigation, Bode said. Students seeking to do so must end their contracts by Dec. 14.
The suspension came after a series of fraternities faced disciplinary measures from the university after alleged hazing incidents. Four IFC frats are on cease-and-desist orders for hazing:
- Alpha Epsilon Pi
- Chi Phi
- Phi Kappa Psi
- Tau Epsilon Phi
Additionally, Beta Theta Pi is on disciplinary probation, for alleged hazing, alcohol, non-compliance with Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life policies and sexual harassment. Sigma Alpha Epsilon is also on disciplinary probation until Dec. 31 for alleged hazing, non-compliance with OSFL policies and dishonest conduct.
Sigma Phi Epsilon is on an interim directive that went into effect Oct. 31, for allegedly endangering others. Sigma Chi was placed on suspension June 13 for alleged dishonest conduct, endangering others, hazing and physical abuse.
IFC frats on voluntary resolution agreements include:
- Delta Tau Delta, from Oct. 27 to Dec. 8
- Lambda Chi Alpha, from Nov. 10 to Dec. 12
- Phi Gamma Delta, from Oct. 10 to March 22
- Pi Kappa Phi, from Oct. 16 to March 13
- Sigma Pi, from Nov. 11 to Feb. 8
- Tau Epsilon Phi, from Nov. 11 to Jan. 16
In the Nov. 14 letter notifying the IU IFC, which represents 27 of IU’s fraternities, of the restrictions, Vice Chancellor for Student Life Lamar Hylton wrote “the risk is too high to continue this arrangement.”
“The severity of these restrictions reflects the seriousness of the misconduct allegations we have received,” Hylton wrote in the initial letter. “Indiana University will not tolerate activities that put our students in harm’s way or defy the law and our core values.”
The suspension followed the IU IFC and Panhellenic Council’s decision to pause events for nearly three weeks in March, intended to address health and safety concerns.
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a national First Amendment advocacy organization, criticized the university for instating a blanket event ban that impacted fraternities not accused of wrongdoing.
In a letter sent to the university Nov. 21, after IU notified fraternities in good standing that events could continue, FIRE condemned the decision to curtail IFC fraternity events on campus.
“Indiana University did the right thing in removing the restrictions on fraternities in good standing, but doing the right thing now does not excuse the university, which infringed the rights of groups and students,” FIRE Program Officer Dominic Coletti said Nov. 26 in an emailed statement. “IU cannot sanction groups without actual evidence of wrongdoing, and our letter calls on them to acknowledge as much publicly.”
The IFC did not respond to request for comment by time of publication.
