University Of Michigan Chapter Of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Expelled After Hazing Charges

The University of Michigan's chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon has been expelled after hazing allegations, the Michigan Daily reports. The fraternity had previously been on suspension since early Feb.

The Daily has more:

The fraternity's suspension came after an e-mail was sent to the University's Office of Greek Life from a parent who disclosed various hazing activities -- like forcing fraternity pledges to perform physical tests on while members shouted and threw tennis balls at them -- her son was forced to endure as an SAE pledge.

On March 7, the national organization made public its choice to maintain the University chapter -- though it will be kept under "colony status" starting in the fall, according to the press release.

According to e-mails obtained by the Detroit Free Press, pledges were subject to a number of alleged abuses:

The e-mail said, "Brothers shot Airsoft guns, threw eggs, poked and tripped them with broomsticks, poured buckets of flour on them."

The e-mail said the next night was entertainment: "Brothers taking hockey slap-shots at the pledge class using tennis balls as hockey pucks" and "brothers violently kicking pledges in the groin to ensure that they were wearing athletic support cups."

Further allegations detail how pledges were were forced to drink "drink regurgitated water with goldfish in it," the Free Press reports.

The fraternity may redevelop next year, although current members may be subject to further discipline from the university.

Cornell University last week rescinded recognition of its chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon after the death of a student.

Comments

[Thomas Mendoza]

03:03 PM on 03/24/2011

I get the hazing, really and how it varies, but this is just making airsoft look bad. It can cause damage if misused. There's a lot of info about that here: http://www.airsplat.com/airsoft-info.htm.

[pfz]

04:57 PM on 03/22/2011

I bet that kid is pretty popular right now. Seems pretty tame.

[MaximusDTX]

05:30 PM on 03/21/2011

Isn't that nice, even though this "fraternity" were pretty much abusing their pledges, they still get colony status from the national. Thats all that matters, whether its a national group or not, cause it comes down to insurance. If anything goes wrong the school doesnt have to cough up the money in case of a lawsuit. I joined a fraternity when i was in college and we got kicked off after I graduated with no hope of return because we were not a national group (Nationals are allowed to be reinstated). Why, because we held a pledge event outside of the campus at a brothers house, and we didnt do anything remotely close to what these clowns were doing. Yet they will get another chance to cause trouble in the fall because the only members who will get disciplined would be the pledge master and whoever was on the pledge committee . Once again, money talks.

[Mystic01]

01:30 PM on 03/21/2011

So what's going to happen with the Mud Bowl at Homecoming now?

[akrazyrunner]

01:25 PM on 03/21/2011

They took the bar, the whole ffffing bar

[BlingDizzle]

05:01 PM on 03/22/2011

Brilliant

[markopolio]

12:42 PM on 03/21/2011

SAE has been messin up as of late

[haval2]

12:06 PM on 03/21/2011

Sigma Alpha Epsilon going to the lions...er, the dogs it seems ...two chapters cited in Huffo...both in trouble.

[No death panels]

11:50 AM on 03/21/2011

Another one bites the dust. Good riddance.

[PTAOfficerforObama]

11:18 AM on 03/21/2011

Michigan's Greek system has been ever thus. I was there in the late 70's and 80's. Seems like nothing changes...

[reasonshouldrule]

11:27 AM on 03/21/2011

Agree. This kind of both childish and sadistic behavior happens all too often.

I'm retired faculty from UM, and it never really seemed to me that the Greeks were all that relevant here.

[jh61]

12:44 PM on 03/21/2011

If they aren't that relevant, what's the problem?

[HockeyMom]

10:35 AM on 03/21/2011

Our own little Taliban right here in Michigan.

Gotta learn them up right.

[adavis23]

02:39 PM on 03/21/2011

Yes, comparing fraternity men, to say, the southern Michigan militia who wanted to murder police is a completely reasonable comparison.

[HockeyMom]

03:38 PM on 03/21/2011

What do you have when a fraternity, the Taliban and the Michigan militia are all mentioned in one conversation.

Answer: A conversation about men who think to highly of themselves and need their tail feathers clipped.

[paulwl]

10:25 AM on 03/21/2011

That's the problem now, PARENTS getting too involved in a 'Grown off-spring's' life when clearly he CHOSE them!

[chimom3]

03:10 PM on 03/24/2011

You don't have kids, do you? An 18 year old freshman is not a grown up. I'd sure as h*ll protect my son from deadly abuse.

[mataylor16]

09:48 AM on 03/21/2011

Where there are people in power, there will be tyrants. Just here, you pay for it.

[macgyver51]

09:13 AM on 03/21/2011

Yeah this comes as no surprise to a immature and irresponsible system that colleges have allowed to exist for far too long. Paying to live with a bunch of people in hopes that the money and some Greek letters will bring them brother/sisterhood. Grow up and make friends on your own.

[adavis23]

02:43 PM on 03/21/2011

People join all sorts of organizations, such as student religious or political organizations, for a variety of reasons. Typically, the main reason is to network.

[Marc Phillips]

09:09 AM on 03/21/2011

What, you don't want to pay for friends that abuse you the first month? I'm 20-year-old and have yet to see any advantage to my friends who joined a fraternity. You would also be surprised to hear some of the things sororities do; they fly under the radar since many are psychological and physical forms of abuse.

[MG Metiva]

09:43 AM on 03/21/2011

The Fraternities and Sorotities need to be shut down!

[Samuel Fratams]

01:06 PM on 03/21/2011

Geed.