Spring Break
Fraternity suspected of hazing
Kevin Robillard
Issue date: 10/25/07 Section: News
The ZBT fraternity is being investigated by both its national organization and the university in connection with an alleged hazing incident.
Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Director Mike Hayes said his office received an anonymous complaint about the incident, which is being investigated by the Office of Student Conduct.
At the same time, Zeta Beta Tau's national organization said that it is conducting its own investigation but declined to specify whether it potentially involved hazing or if anyone was reported injured.
Hayes confirmed the incident is being investigated as hazing. He said his office receives four or five complaints similar to this one a semester and many of them turn out to be either an individual act or nothing at all.
The details of the incident, which has been the subject of rumors in the media-shy Greek community, remain sketchy.
ZBT's executive director Jonathan Yulish and Hayes both declined to give specifics about the incident, citing ongoing investigations. Nor would they pinpoint the date of the incident, though Yulish said it happened within the last two weeks.
"We need to let our process take place," Yulish said.
Yulish said the investigation of ZBT should be completed by Friday, and the organization will release a statement then. The investigation is being carried out by a member of the fraternity who previously worked as a high school principal and now works in Greek life at the University of Colorado, he said.
The president of the university's ZBT chapter, Jonathan Jacobs, declined to comment, referring all questions to the national organization.
Yulish said that ZBT will cooperate with the university's investigation.
Hazing is illegal in the state of Maryland, and depending on the findings of the two investigations, the fraternity could face stiff penalties. Yulish said possible sanctions range from issuing a warning to shutting down the chapter.
Hayes said that the penalties the university could issue ZBT would ultimately be decided by the Office of Student Conduct and would depend on whether an individual or the fraternity as a whole is deemed responsible for the incident.
Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Director Mike Hayes said his office received an anonymous complaint about the incident, which is being investigated by the Office of Student Conduct.
At the same time, Zeta Beta Tau's national organization said that it is conducting its own investigation but declined to specify whether it potentially involved hazing or if anyone was reported injured.
Hayes confirmed the incident is being investigated as hazing. He said his office receives four or five complaints similar to this one a semester and many of them turn out to be either an individual act or nothing at all.
The details of the incident, which has been the subject of rumors in the media-shy Greek community, remain sketchy.
ZBT's executive director Jonathan Yulish and Hayes both declined to give specifics about the incident, citing ongoing investigations. Nor would they pinpoint the date of the incident, though Yulish said it happened within the last two weeks.
"We need to let our process take place," Yulish said.
Yulish said the investigation of ZBT should be completed by Friday, and the organization will release a statement then. The investigation is being carried out by a member of the fraternity who previously worked as a high school principal and now works in Greek life at the University of Colorado, he said.
The president of the university's ZBT chapter, Jonathan Jacobs, declined to comment, referring all questions to the national organization.
Yulish said that ZBT will cooperate with the university's investigation.
Hazing is illegal in the state of Maryland, and depending on the findings of the two investigations, the fraternity could face stiff penalties. Yulish said possible sanctions range from issuing a warning to shutting down the chapter.
Hayes said that the penalties the university could issue ZBT would ultimately be decided by the Office of Student Conduct and would depend on whether an individual or the fraternity as a whole is deemed responsible for the incident.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 28
Dan
posted 10/25/07 @ 3:33 PM EST
Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life at Maryland are infamous for making up stories and lying. They often set up scenarios and claim they had an "anonymous tip". (Continued…)
Barack Obama
posted 10/25/07 @ 7:50 PM EST
If you don't want to get hazed, don't join up! No one forced the little homo who cried to his mommy to join the Zany Bagel Throwers.
sara
posted 10/25/07 @ 7:55 PM EST
hey, person who is obviously NOT barack obama, but is too scared to expose their real homophobic identity, are we still using using "homo" in such an uncalled-for way? grow up. (Continued…)
concerned greek
posted 10/25/07 @ 10:46 PM EST
To the first commenter, I agree 100%. Supple and his spies spend their days looking for any reason to get a fraternity in trouble, and these aren't anonymous accusations, it's a well known fact in the Greek Community. (Continued…)
The Captain
posted 10/26/07 @ 12:56 AM EST
Matt Supple is an out of control psychopath who loves trying to ruin lives because he can't face the reality of his own miserable existence.
john
posted 10/26/07 @ 2:14 AM EST
funny, the anti-supple posters claim that frats get kicked off for having facebook pics of people drinking during homecoming, but can they name one instance of that actually occuring? the reason frats get kicked off is b/c they coerce naive, easily impressed, desperate-for-friends freshmen to become alcohlic, chauvinistic, lazy "frat guys. (Continued…)
john
posted 10/26/07 @ 3:56 AM EST
regarding my previous comments and the respone by jake: i was not trying to stereotype all frats, i was only commenting on the frats that have gotten kicked off of campus. (Continued…)
Alpha
posted 10/26/07 @ 7:35 AM EST
The banter among Greek and non-Greek is distracting from the original comment with which I would agree. I am an alumni (BTW, John, I was one of those frat guys you like to bash, and now I'm a successful attorney). (Continued…)
Chris Isley
posted 10/26/07 @ 8:34 AM EST
I laughed when i read the article's title: FRATERNITY SUSPECTED OF HAZING
.....WHAT??! ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? *HAZING*??
jimbo
posted 10/26/07 @ 8:45 AM EST
I was an UG back when they were first booted out in 91 and recall the incident, I guess they should not have let them back in.
Hazing is pathetic any way you slice it, and yes I was in a fraternity so I know what i am talking about. (Continued…)
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