St. Anthony Hall, Kappa Sigma, Zeta Psi, Delta Kappa Epsilon and Chi Phi fraternities have been found guilty and sanctioned by the University Judiciary Committee for various violations of the University’s 12 Standards of Conduct, per UJC’s Spring 2022 report. The business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi was also found guilty of two counts of hazing.
UJC is a student-run organization responsible for investigating and trying alleged violations of the University's Standards of Conduct, which lists 12 prohibited behaviors aimed at facilitating a community of safety and trust. Thanks to the pandemic, the group has seen an increase in cases.
Per the report, St. Anthony Hall was found guilty of violating Standard 2, which prohibits conduct that intentionally or recklessly endangered the health or safety of any person on University property, as well as violating SEC-045 — the University policy that outlined gathering restrictions, masking guidelines and other public health regulations throughout the pandemic — by providing food and beverages at an event. Last spring, the fraternity was found guilty of breaking the Standards of Conduct, meaning this violation triggered a suspension in abeyance.
The fraternity was suspended for one semester, effective from Aug. 23 to Dec. 16. Additional sanctions include a full-body reflective meeting, required essays by fraternity leadership and the creation of a leadership transition document.
Kappa Sigma Fraternity pled guilty and was found guilty of violating Standards 2 and 6, as well as violating Standard 9, which prevents substantial damage to University-owned or leased property, any property in the city of Charlottesville or Albemarle County or property of a University student, employee, faculty member or visitor. The fraternity was suspended until Nov. 6 — also the result of a suspension in abeyance which they received spring 2021 — and will face social probation until Dec. 16. Additional sanctions include meeting with a dean, a leadership transition document and the creation of a responsibility liaison role.
Also found guilty of violating Standards 2, 6 and 9, Zeta Psi pled guilty to the charges of serving food to potential new members, as well as rendering property damage to a local business. The fraternity had previously received a one semester suspension in abeyance for breaking Standard 6 in spring 2021. Sanctions issued this semester include a suspension until Sept. 11 — triggered by the spring 2021 sanction in abeyance — and social suspension until Oct. 11.
Delta Kappa Epsilon also pled guilty to breaking Standards 2 and 6 by providing food and drinks at rush events. The fraternity will be required to create a leadership transition document, complete reflective essays and communicate news of the trial to members, alumni and national organizations.
Chi Phi received social probation from June 1 to Sept. 15 after pleading guilty to violations of Standards 2 and 6. Due to throwing bottles and serving food to potential new members, the fraternity’s sanctions also include the completion of a community restoration project in Charlottesville, bylaw changes and reflective essays.
These violations come after the University repeatedly denied that members of Greek organizations participated in activities that contributed to an increase in COVID-19 cases over a year ago in January 2021. An investigation by The Cavalier Daily demonstrated clear violations of public health guidelines by members of Greek organizations, and a later report released by UJC in March confirmed that cases had been brought against 11 fraternities and three sororities for violations of public health guidelines during the pandemic.
Cases by Greek chapters were not the only organizational cases adjudicated by UJC this semester, however. After misleading new members to believe that certain events were mandatory to join, the business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi pled guilty to two counts of violating Standard 6 and STU-005, which prohibits hazing.
The business fraternity will be on probation until Jan. 13, and is required to collaborate with the Gordie Center, an organization on Grounds that aims to prevent hazing.
UJC also finalized six cases against individual students this spring, all of whom are undergraduates. Three of the six are first years, one is a third year and two are fourth years. All six are male. The UJC does not release further details related to individual student cases to protect privacy.
The data also does not include cases which have been accepted but have not yet been adjudicated or cases undergoing the appeal process — the UJC docket includes eight pending cases as of May 1 which are not reported.
CORRECTION: This article has been updated to reflect that Zeta Psi and Kappa Sigma received suspensions in abeyance in spring 2021 — their violations this semester triggered these sanctions.
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