Members of the Greek community are speaking out against the
accusations that they have faced over the past month and a half,
saying many of the allegations were without merit.
One organization, the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity, recently
received a temporary suspension by its national chapter during the
University investigation.
Three weeks ago University administrators announced they were
investigating seven fraternities and sororities for alleged hazing
incidents.
The suspension caused ZBT to revert from chapter to colony
status. Under colony status, the fraternity relies more on the
national chapter and lacks independence.
With regard to the process of investigation, ZBT President and
LSA sophomore Joshua Banschick offered insight on what his chapter
went through.
“(The investigation) was organized, it was enduring
— hopefully it’s over,” he said.
At the onset of the investigation, Banschick said he received an
e-mail from the Office of Student Conflict Resolution and from his
national chapter regarding allegations.
“Most of the allegations were baseless claims about things
that never occurred,” Banschick said.
The University got its information regarding the hazing
allegations when resident advisors familiar with the Greek system
brought forward some of the reports from pledges living in
residence halls.
Along with OSCR, the body within the University that enforces
the Statement of Students Rights and Responsibilities, four other
exploratory bodies have been working simultaneously. These include
the Ann Arbor Police Department, the Department of Public Safety,
the Greek system’s Anti-Hazing Taskforce and the national
chapters of the fraternities and sororities in question, Dean of
Students Sue Eklund said.
After the investigation was established, OSCR then performed a
round of questioning with new members, Banschick said.
While OSCR investigated the validity of the allegations, the
national chapter temporarily suspended ZBT, Banschick said.
Two other organizations were suspended by their national
chapters, and there are no reports as to whether their suspensions
have been lifted.
However, these fraternities may not necessarily undergo the same
consequences as ZBT because each national chapter sets its own
parameters of suspension, Interfraternity Council spokesman Alan
Lovi said.
As soon as ZBT officials received the initial e-mail from OSCR,
OSCR did a round of questioning with new members, Banschick
said.
Eklund described the process, which also proceeded for all the
other houses under investigation, as “asking new members in
for an interview, as well as officers (of the fraternity or
sorority) and witnesses, which often lead to other people being
called in for interviews.”
After meeting with OSCR, Banschick said he met with Lt. Chris
Heatley from AAPD.
Banschick described the atmosphere of his meeting with the AAPD
as good, but emphasized the difficulty of the circumstances.
“It’s a weird situation we are put in because we
find we have to defend ourselves for something we never
did.”
Banschick said the fraternity is dealing with the situation as
best as possible.
The allegations and investigative process have set the
fraternity back, but has not stopped it from doing what they want
to do, he said.
“Three new members are running for IFC board positions,
which is something that hasn’t happened in over a
decade.”
Banschick said that he and his fraternity have learned a lesson
and hope that they have strengthened their ties with University
administration.
The University has not suspended any fraternities or sororities,
but its investigation has not yet been completed, Eklund said.
“We are hopeful that around Thanksgiving, whether before
or after, we will be able to offer resolutions through the Office
of Student Conflict Resolution,” Eklund said.