The University Record, December 13, 1999 By Julie Peterson
News and Information Services
A first-year LS&A student who was pledging Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) fraternity was shot in the groin area Dec. 5 during a hazing ritual. The student was treated at University Hospital.
A criminal investigation is being conducted by the Ann Arbor Police Department.
“Acts of hazing are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said Royster Harper, interim vice president for student affairs. “Our policies clearly state—and Greek organizations are aware—that we will not permit this type of activity on campus.
“Sanctions may be imposed at a variety of levels, including by the Greek Activities Review Panel and the Interfraternity Council, through the national organization, and as part of the Code of Student Conduct,” Harper explained last week.
The AEPi chapter was suspended immediately by the national organization, pending an investigation. Officials from the national organization were on campus last week and will work with University officials to determine any further action, with a decision likely to be made in January.
A major factor in extending the review process is to ensure that students, whom officials want to interview, are able to focus on their studies and upcoming final examinations, said John Mountz, Greek life adviser.
In the interim, Mountz said, the fraternity remains on suspension and is prohibited from holding any meetings or activities, other than those associated with this issue.
The fraternity’s national executive vice president, Sidney Dunn, said the organization “shares the University of Michigan’s stance on hazing. Hazing is an abhorrent practice and completely inconsistent with the values of our fraternity.”
The local chapter of AEPi already had been serving a social probation, which had been imposed by the Interfraternity Council, for alcohol violations. The probation began Nov. 14 and was to run through March 14, 2000.
The last time a hazing was reported that resulted in serious injury to a student was in 1994, involving a Sigma Phi Epsilon pledge who was forced to consume alcohol and was taken to the hospital with alcohol poisoning.
The Greek Activities Review Panel and the national organization imposed a number of harsh sanctions on Sigma Phi Epsilon as a result of that incident. The chapter felt it could not abide by the sanctions and voluntarily relinquished its charter. The chapter re-formed in 1997 with an entirely new group of students.
