Ohio U reinstates three sororities due to lack of evidence
Ohio University closed investigations into three sororities — Delta Zeta, Chi Omega and Pi Beta Phi — and the organizations have since been fully reinstated because of a lack of evidence, a university spokesperson said.
Several Interfraternity Council fraternities have also regained active status and may resume new member education, excluding Lambda Chi Alpha, Beta Theta Pi, Phi Kappa Psi and Sigma Chi, according to Ariel Tarosky, director of Fraternity and Sorority Life.
Those four fraternities are the only Greek life organizations that still remain under cease and desist orders, following the university modifying its restrictions for many of the organizations under investigation in late October.
Lambda Chi Alpha and Phi Kappa Psi had what many considered to be the most severe allegations. Both are alleged to have participated in “hell week,” where members were left in a basement unable to bathe, sleep at home and do homework and were only allowed to leave to go to class.
Lambda Chi Alpha reportedly threw a party while under investigation, which was a direct violation of its suspension terms.
Sigma Chi is alleged to have forced pledges to do exercises, such as wall sits, while members attempted to kick their legs out from underneath them. Members allegedly had to care for a weighted dummy named “Butch,” and the organization allegedly hired strippers from Columbus to come perform for new members.
Beta Theta Pi members allegedly carried trunks “full of drugs” out of the fraternity house in response to unsubstantiated rumors of the Athens City Police Department raiding Greek life houses. It was also alleged that members were forced to consume excessive amounts of alcohol and clean the houses of active fraternity members.
Beta Theta Pi is also alleged to have locked members in rooms until they mentally broke down, then leaving them blindfolded in a locked basement for days. New members were also allegedly woken up at 4 a.m. and forced run five miles around campus.
