Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, also known as Pike, has been suspended from campus for four years.
The national headquarters for the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity said in a press release the Gamma Omega chapter lost its charter for “violations of university and fraternity risk awareness policies.”
The more than 50 active members of Pike have been granted alumni status. The fraternity will be able to petition the Interfraternity Council in fall 2016 for possible reinstatement to campus. If granted, they will be allowed to return to campus no earlier than spring 2017.
“The University of Miami values our partnership with the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity,” said Patricia Whitely, vice president for student affairs, in a press release.
Both the national headquarters of Pike and UM administration did not provide any details about the latest violations and declined further comment beyond the statements released.
Senior Mike McLaughlin, president of Pike, said he was disappointed with the decision.
“They have a misconstrued idea of the kind of people that we are based of our past,” he said.
This is not the first time Pike has been suspended from campus.
According to a previous report published in The Miami Hurricane, the fraternity was suspended in 2005 for 30 days because of alleged violations of the international fraternity policy and the university code of conduct, as well as financial delinquency to the national fraternity. In 2009, the fraternity was again investigated for an unregistered event at a private residence.
Most recently, in 2011, Pike was suspended for hosting an unauthorized off-campus party during Labor Day weekend and the initiation of ineligible members, according to a previous report in The Miami Hurricane.
In the wake of the investigation, national Pike officers conducted a membership review and more than half of the fraternity was not invited back. This was their first semester going through the official recruitment process, since the 2011 suspension.
In all aforementioned three cases, the fraternity was reinstated.
Social chair Alec Goldberg said this semester, Pike raised more than $30,000 in philanthropy.
“The total morale of the frat was the best it’s ever been,” he said. “It’s very unfortunate that it has to happen at this time.”
Still, McLaughlin is optimistic about the future of the Pike.
“We really believe everything happens for a reason,” he said.