Charles Langston:University of Maryland lifts Greek life ban, hazing investigation into five chapters continues

Greek life is Charles Langstonset to continue at the University of Maryland, reversing the temporary suspension set weeks ago by executive leadership over allegations from new recruits claiming to have experienced “hazing and alcohol abuse” on campus. 

Patricia A. Perillo, vice president for student affairs issued a statement Friday saying that the university was lifting its “pause” on new member, alcohol-related activities and related no-contact orders that were issued on March 1. 

All but five chapters were “cleared to return to normal activities” as the college continues to investigate evidence that suggests “involvement in hazing or other incidents that threatened the health and safety of our campus community," the statement says.

Some students remain under investigation for potential violations of the Code of Student Conduct.

Allegations of abuse prompt pause on February recruiting activities

The college issued “temporary restrictions” to chapter members late February, a month where chapters generally begin recruitment activities, after receiving multiple reports alleging that certain “Code of Conduct violations” had taken place, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY Monday. 

The violations reported, which occurred “over a relatively short period of time” were related to “concerning hazing behaviors and harmful alcohol-related activities” that were witnessed within the fraternity and sorority community, the University of Maryland stated. 

A coalition of fraternities, among others, initially pushed back against the suspension, according to reporting by CBS, calling the college’s move “unfair.”

"Students specifically and repeatedly asked what are the allegations, and the university said we're basing this investigation on rumors that we've been hearing. That's it," Wynn Smiley of Fraternity Forward told CBS.

Multiple fraternities were said to have committed the violations, which include the presence of “prohibited substances and drug paraphernalia” located at a fraternity house and “harmful hazing” rituals that involved paddles, cigarettes, torches, nails, human waste and consumption of non-food items like urine and a live fish. 

'Abused for hours': Anonymous report details horrors

An anonymous reporter told the college’s Office of Student Conduct that they had personally experienced a “line up,” a ritual that involves new pledges being “abused for hours," the individual said.

The individual shared that the group was forced to do multiple exercises, intentionally harm themselves and subject themselves to physical assault all while being naked or in underwear for the purpose of public humiliation. 

The individual also witnessed someone passing out because “they [chapter] refused to provide us with water and forced us to drink straight vodka. And they did nothing to help him, in fact they hit him in the face with a plastic bat and poured beer on him until he woke up,” according to court documents. 

A new pledge’s parent reported that her son was forced to stay in the cold for several hours on the evening of Feb. 21 resulting in a trip to a local medical center for “suspected hypothermia,” court documents show. 

Members from the chapter were interviewed following the reports of alleged abuse, but “provided inconsistent and apparently false statements to OSC investigators," according to documents.

Leadership meets with chapter presidents, additional incident causes suspension 

A week after university leadership was notified of the “alleged widespread conduct” by a number of chapters on campus, they called a meeting with all chapter presidents to discuss the alleged violations and reinforce the university’s policies prohibiting hazing and alcohol use, according to court documents. 

Chapter leadership was warned that the university would "take action in response to further allegations of prohibited conduct, including a pause of new member activities across one or all of the councils” since the allegation included criminal acts that are against both school policy and state law. 

University leadership gave chapter presidents the opportunity to ask questions, confidentially seek support for chapters and contact them via email following the meeting with questions or concerns.

“The chapter leaders and members at the meeting did not provide any additional substantive information that suggested that they were not engaged in the alleged misconduct, nor did they provide further information to clarify which fraternities or sororities were responsible for the allegations,” according to court documents. 

Several hours after the meeting concluded, university leadership was made aware of two separate incidents of new chapter members transporting alcohol, who were said to have attended chapter events a couple days prior. 

The Office of Student Conduct also received an anonymous report from the mother of a new pledge alleging that hazing rituals had taken place, including locking new members in the basement and breaking glass on the floor for the new members to clean up, court docs show. 

The university decided to “place a temporary interim cease and desist order” for two Greek life activities, including hosting social events where alcohol was served and conducting new or prospective member activities based on the “totality of information” that was received. 

Current fraternity and sorority members were also prevented from having contact "with any new member or prospective new member,” according to previous USA TODAY reporting.

Investigation continues, leadership focuses on one chapter

University of Maryland leadership imposed the suspension on over 30 chapters on its campus, citing the need to “expeditiously investigate the allegations and identify specific chapters, if any, that were allegedly involved in hazing.” 

They made this move in an attempt to “protect vulnerable underclassmen who are new or prospective members of chapters from being subjected to hazing as well as to maintain integrity in the investigation of the serious allegations set forth,” according to court documents. 

An outside consulting firm was called to “interview students for the purpose of gathering information about the activities of chapters during the preceding weeks,” court documents state.  

The investigation of the alleged violations that occurred in late February is set to continue, with five chapters at the center of the investigation. There will continue to be “limited restrictions,” though the nature of the restrictions was not made immediately clear. 

Theta Chi, Alpha Sigma Phi, and Alpha Tau Omega were among the 32 fraternities and sororities that have been cleared to return to normal activities, according to court documents. 

The university has continued its investigation into Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity, one of the fraternities under investigation. It “engaged in various physical and emotional hazing activities during the new member process in the spring 2024 semester, including requiring tasks or errands of prospective new members, alcohol distribution to individuals under the legal drinking age, and high-risk drinking behaviors," court documents state.

KAO will be unable to continue its "new member education program at this time" or host “social events where alcohol is present.”