Sigma Nu’s national leadership announced Wednesday it will suspend the charter of the fraternity’s Beta chapter at the University. The University terminated its Fraternal Organization Agreement with Sigma Nu April 17.
A Sigma Nu press release said the decision “followed confirmation of violations of the Fraternity’s law, policies and principles, related to alcohol misuse and hazing, as well as violations of the policies of the University of Virginia.”
The University investigated the chapter earlier this semester after reports cited misconduct in the new member education process, commonly known as the pledging.
“The violations that made charter suspension necessary were in direct opposition to the accomplished history of the Beta Chapter and its dedicated alumni,” Sigma Nu Executive Director Brad Beacham said in the press release. “Such misconduct is incompatible with Sigma Nu Fraternity’s mission to develop ethical leaders and undermines the academic mission of the University of Virginia. We will immediately begin work with alumni leaders and University officials to restore Sigma Nu’s legacy of honor at UVa by recolonizing the historic Beta Chapter. We are grateful for our strong partnership with the University and look forward to rebuilding the Beta Chapter.”
Sigma Nu joins the University’s chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha — the Alpha chapter — which had its charter suspended by the international organization earlier in April.
That suspension, according to an April 10 press release, was due to the chapter’s “failure to uphold the mission and values of the Fraternity combined with a lack of meaningful engagement with Fraternity Ritual or program,” citing a violation of hazing standards.
Justin Buck, the executive vice president for the Pi Kappa Alpha national organization, said in the press release that it was “disheartening when any chapter falls silent, but perhaps no more difficult decision has been made by the Supreme Council than the suspension of the Fraternity’s first chapter.”
Both Pi Kappa Alpha and Sigma Nu have a long-standing ties with the University. Pi Kappa Alpha was established in 1868 and is one of just two fraternities to be founded at the University. Just two years later in 1870, the Beta Chapter Sigma Nu joined the University. Sigma Nu Fraternity was originally founded in 1869 at Virginia Military Institute as an anti-hazing fraternity.
The University will not entertain applications for new FOA agreements from either fraternity until May 1, 2016 at the earliest.
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