The Office of the Dean of Students announced Thursday it is terminating its Fraternal Organization Agreement with Sigma Nu effective immediately.
The decision was brought to leadership of the fraternity following investigations into misconduct during the “new member education” period, or the pledging process.
The Office of the Dean of Students terminated Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity’s FOA April 9, also following investigations of misconduct during the pledging process.
A statement from ODOS indicates the termination of an FOA means the organization will lose “access to University benefits including the ability to reserve space in University buildings … participate in new member recruitment activities … and to receive support services from the Fraternity & Sorority Life unit in the Office of the Dean of Students.”
While the PIKA international chapter has already suspended the local chapter’s charter, Sigma Nu’s national leadership will consider the status of the University chapter’s charter April 28.
Both fraternities lease their properties through companies independent of the University, and residents will be allowed to remain in the property until the end of the leasing agreement. In each case, the future use of the property has yet to be determined.
“The decision to terminate the Fraternal Organization Agreement is not one that the University arrived at quickly,” read both announcements. “The University remains committed to providing a vibrant and thriving fraternity and sorority community that offers undergraduate students an impactful, values-based fraternal experience.”
The University will not consider an application for a new FOA until May 1, 2016.