Westminster College fraternity has its activities suspended

Sigma Chi International finds violations, including hazing, on Fulton college campus

Sigma Chi brothers who started out the semester living in this house on Westminster Avenue in Fulton will never be able to live in the fraternity house again. The Sigma Chi International Fraternity has suspended activities at its Delta Tau chapter at Westminster College for the rest of the spring semester. New members will be able to move in when the fall semester starts.
Sigma Chi brothers who started out the semester living in this house on Westminster Avenue in Fulton will never be able to live in the fraternity house again. The Sigma Chi International Fraternity has suspended activities at its Delta Tau chapter at Westminster College for the rest of the spring semester. New members will be able to move in when the fall semester starts.

The Sigma Chi International Fraternity has suspended activities at its Delta Tau chapter at Westminster College for the rest of the spring semester.

University spokesman Rob Crouse, referencing information from International, said the chapter's activities have been suspended due to violations of academic performance, failures in chapter leadership and hazing. The Sigma Chi International Fraternity launched an investigation after allegations were raised from within the brotherhood, Crouse said. He did not have any further information on the specifics of the allegations.

The college has not yet taken any action regarding the situation, but Crouse added Westminster is reviewing the Sigma Chi International report to see if the brothers violated any of the college's policies. Those findings could launch a separate investigation conducted by Westminster.

"The college has no tolerance for hazing," Crouse said.

According to the Westminster student handbook, the college must investigate reports of hazing. An individual student found in violation of the hazing policy will "receive a sanction ranging from warning to expulsion." Sanctions for groups, teams and organizations found responsible for hazing range from "warning to restrictions on competitions or social activities to removal of institutional recognition."

The Fulton Sun reached out to the International Chapter, but was unable to make contact by press time. The organization did release a statement on its website.

"There have been repeated violations at the chapter that directly conflict with the Fraternity's core values, which required a full review and examination of the undergraduate membership," the release states.

According to the release, Sigma Chi has removed all current undergraduate members from involvement with the chapter and "will make a strong, committed effort to recruit a new group of potential members on campus."

"We will search diligently to find young men on campus who are interested in developing their leadership potential and who can identify with and proudly live our core values in Sigma Chi," International President Michael Greenberg said in the release. "We are determined to make every effort to remain at Westminster, but our membership there must be fully committed to our fraternal values and continually strive to be better leaders on campus and in our community."

Crouse said the Sigma Chi house will be closed for the remainder of the spring semester. No one can live in the house during that time, and about 20 fraternity brothers are moving out. The college is assisting the young men with alternative, on-campus housing.

Those 20 or so Sigma Chi brothers will never be able to live in the fraternity house again, but new members will be able to move in when the fall semester starts, Crouse said.

He added that the Greek Life experience is typically a positive one for Westminster College students, enriching their college career. Crouse said this situation will hopefully be a learning experience not only for Sigma Chi, but also for the other fraternities at the college.