Five sororities are now being investigated by UB for various allegations including hazing incidents that may have occurred in the past two weeks.
The Student Life Office and Greek Affairs officials received comments from individuals that support the allegations, which forced them to suspend all activities of each organization.
According to Assistant Director for Greek Affairs Pam Stephens-Jackson the allegations have validity and are not "hogwash."
"Our standard practice is if we have an allegation that may have some validity and not just pie in the sky stuff or retaliation of any sort, then we suspend the organization like in the Alpha Phi case," Stephens-Jackson said.
When a sorority is suspended, they are accused of the actions but not convicted. Alpha Phi was the first sorority accused of hazing activities on Feb. 28, which forced UB to immediately suspend the group from campus until the case was investigated.
Stephens-Jackson gave the sorority a chance to respond to the allegations with an early March 1 deadline, but Alpha Phi's did not respond. Instead, the national organization has informed UB that they will take the their fully-allotted time to respond to the charges.
"After the charges have been filed it all depends on the way the organization responds," Stephens-Jackson said.
Although there have been unconfirmed rumors of a raid on an Alpha Phi residence in University Heights, there was no preemptive action planned according to Stephens-Jackson. Buffalo Police did, however, respond to an incident at the house.
"There was a member of a student organization who was over 21and a noise complaint was filed by one of their neighbors this past Tuesday and police went to her house," Stephens-Jackson said. "A student just happened to have friends over and was in a sorority but the incident had nothing to do with sororities."
The other four sororities were suspended as of March 6 for separate allegations according to Stephens-Jackson. The cases are all being handled separately.
"We have had the same stance about hazing all along," she said. "The information in these cases is more tangible in these particular occurrences."
Each of the organizations that are suspended belongs to the Panhellenic Council. The council is the governing body for local and national social sororities at UB and strives to promote good scholarship, philanthropic services, deep friendship, and the empowerment of women on campus according to the Greek Life Web site.
UB does not have any official sorority houses according to Stephens-Jackson, so to be able to catch sororities in the process of hazing is almost impossible.
"There's 30 to 50 people on a sorority roster which means a lot of addresses. Some of the members may live together but I don't have time to go to all those houses," she said. "I have no way of knowing when they are going to do something unless it is an official activity, and there is no way in hell they are going to do something then."
Alpha Phi now faces charges with the school or possibly the Buffalo Police if the allegations are found to have endangered the life of an individual. In the past, on-campus fraternities have been charged with hazing and were forced to face a penalty with the school.
"Two years ago a fraternity was charged with hazing and they had to coordinate a program against hazing," Stephens-Jackson said. "They actually made a video which we show at new member orientation. All new members must attend orientation and they are educated on hazing."
Hazing has been a priority for UB for many years. The campus faced much criticism for its policy after MTV produced two shows depicting Greek Life four years ago. The fraternity depicted in the show was suspended after the airing and kicked off campus, but in recent years has been allowed back on.
The policy for hazing as defined by Greek Affairs is any intentional action taken or situation created, whether on or off Greek premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule.
Alpha Phi is a national chartered sorority that has been in business since 1872. According to a statement from Linda Schnetzer, director of Collegiate Membership for Alpha Phi, they will be investigating this incident at UB.
"Alpha Phi investigates every hazing allegation that comes into our office and we cooperate with any of our university partners to prevent hazing," Schnetzer said. "We do not have enough facts to comment on this situation. We do have a very strong policy against hazing. If we determine that a violation has occurred, we will address it.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
