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SU’s Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity suspended after hazing investigation

Jordan Muller | Asst. News Editor

An investigation into hazing at the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity began in December.

UPDATED: April 15, 2018 at 10:04 p.m.

Syracuse University suspended its chapter of the Sigma Alpha Mu, “Sammy,” fraternity after a months-long investigation into hazing.

SU’s Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs publicly posted the fraternity’s suspension on its website last week. Sammy is the third SU fraternity suspended for Code of Student Conduct violations during the 2017-18 academic year.  

“Syracuse University has a zero tolerance policy for hazing and is committed to fostering a safe and healthy community,” a university spokesperson said in a statement Friday. “We take violations of our Code of Student Conduct seriously and any behavior contrary to our values and community standards is met with swift action.”

An alleged hazing incident occurred at Sammy in mid-December 2017 and was reported to SU’s Department of Public Safety two days later, according to crime logs. But specific details of Sammy’s violations, and the length of the suspension, are unknown.



Bradley Bostwick, Sammy’s president and a sophomore in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, did not respond to multiple requests for comment on this story. A phone call to Sammy’s national office Friday afternoon went unreturned.

“Due to the sometimes sensitive nature of cases, and to maintain students’ privacy, we do not share specifics of sanctions,” the spokesperson said.

Sammy is now one of nine Greek organizations currently banned from operating at SU, according to FASA’s website. SU suspended three of those organizations during the 2017-18 academic year.  

The SU chapter of Delta Tau Delta was suspended in fall 2017 for conduct violations that included hazing. SU suspended Alpha Epsilon Pi in February 2018 for conduct that threatened the safety of a student participating in the new member process.

The Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity was supposed to be suspended for conduct violations related to hazing, but the decision was appealed in January, its president said. DKE is now on disciplinary and social probation.

According to FASA, the following fraternities are being disciplined for code of conduct violations:

  • DKE is on disciplinary probation through December 2019, and social probation through December 2018, for conduct violations related to hazing.
  • The Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity is on disciplinary probation through March 2019, and on social probation through May 2018. The nature of the conduct violations is currently unclear.
  • The Sigma Chi fraternity is on disciplinary reprimand through September 2018. The nature of the conduct violations is currently unclear.
  • The Zeta Beta Tau fraternity is on disciplinary reprimand through December 2018. The nature of the conduct violations is currently unclear.
  • The Psi Upsilon fraternity is on disciplinary reprimand through October 2018, and social probation through May 2018. The nature of the conduct violations is currently unclear.

The Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha sorority is currently under investigation for policy violations, according to FASA’s website. Alicia Torres, SIA’s president and a junior in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, declined to comment on the investigation.

Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional business fraternity, is also being investigated for policy violations. Alexandra Goodnough, AKP’s president and a junior in Whitman, did not respond to a request for comment on this story.

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