Delta Gamma Fraternity has been suspended from campus for at least two academic years for violating the university’s hazing and alcohol policies. The allegations first came to light in February, resulting in the Dean of Students Office issuing the chapter a cease and desist on Feb. 27 and placing the organization under investigation.
However, it was not the university that issued the decision to suspend the sorority but the Delta Gamma national organization. The national Delta Gamma Fraternity Council voted unanimously to suspend the chapter for at least two years because of the findings of the UM-led investigation, according to a press release issued March 27.
The national office also said that the UM investigation was related to allegations of “hazing, harassment, alcohol distribution, forced alcohol consumption and delegated travel with unknown male students to locations” during Big/Little Reveal Feb. 16. The chapter pled responsible to the allegations March 21.
“Delta Gamma does not and will not tolerate hazing behavior,” national Delta Gamma President Stacia Rudge Skoog said in the press release. “It is our responsibility to uphold the values and standards of Delta Gamma among all of our members and chapters. Beta Tau violated Fraternity and University policies, which left us no choice but to close the chapter. It was important for us to partner with the University throughout this investigation.”
The students involved in the incidents may still face individual charges and disciplinary action from the university, Delta Gamma national said. The following statement was issued March 27 by Vice President for Student Affairs Patricia Whitely:
“Following an investigation into alleged hazing involving the Delta Gamma Chapter at the University of Miami, the Dean of Students Office issued a cease functions order to the chapter and shared information from the investigation with the Delta Gamma Fraternity national office. The Delta Gamma Fraternity has officially notified the University that it is suspending operations of the chapter for a period of no less than two academic years. The University of Miami values its partnership with the Delta Gamma Fraternity and supports the decision to close the chapter at this time.”
A UM spokesperson said the university’s only comment regarding the suspension of DG’s chapter would be Whitely’s statement.
Senior Associate Dean of Students Steven Priepke sent an email to all members of Greek Life on March 29. In the email he addressed the suspension and rumors surrounding disciplinary action taken against the students involved in the hazing.
Multiple sources, including self-identified alumni members of DG, have approached The Miami Hurricane with statements that a member of the organization leaked videos of alleged hazing to the administration.
In the email, Priepke said he could “state with 100 percent certainty that the investigation and its outcome has had nothing to do with information from any other student organization.”
The message was seemingly in response to persistent allegations that another sorority sent the incriminating videos of DG to administration.
“Spreading rumors without fact and allowing those rumors to hurt others is not congruent with the values of any Greek organization. Please stop,” the email read.
The Miami Hurricane reached out multiple times to UM’s Delta Gamma chapter president Emily Gerstein, Panhellenic president Abby Washer and members of Delta Gamma, but they could not be reached for comment.
More information on the cease and desist and allegations can be found here.
This story will updated as more information becomes available.