The University of Arizona is temporarily barring all of its fraternities from hosting and participating in events, citing multiple investigations that have overwhelmed officials.
Nine fraternities at UA are either under active investigation or facing sanctions, nearly half of the 21 fraternities in the Interfraternity Council, the local governing body for fraternities at UA. The five facing active investigations are Delta Chi, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Sigma Tau Gamma, Zeta Beta Tau and Zeta Psi.
All council chapters have been placed on an interim activities suspension until each fraternity's adviser meets with Chrissy Lieberman, UA's dean of students. Appointments ranged from Oct. 6 to Oct. 12.
Lieberman detailed the severity of the issue in a letter
to the fraternity and sorority community on Oct. 5, calling the number and severity of the investigations "egregious."
"The Dean of Students is at capacity for the number of organizational cases our staff can reasonably investigate at one time," Lieberman wrote, adding that each investigation involves a fraternity.
The allegations of misconduct include physical assault, drug and alcohol use, hazing and creating an unsafe environment. Some allegations have been referred for criminal investigation.
All five chapters under investigation were already under some level of an interim suspension as of Oct. 5 as a result. The investigations were launched within the last eight days.
President Suresh Garimella met with fraternity council presidents on Aug. 27 to discuss behavior reported last semester that resulted in several fraternities being placed on suspension, according to the letter. Garimella told chapter leaders that they would be held accountable for the men in their chapters.
Lieberman thanked those who have reported misconduct and said her office would do its part to hold each chapter accountable for its actions, even though it would take time to complete the investigations.
The move at UA comes on the heels of a national reckoning over Greek life organizations in response to an alleged sexual assault at a Cornell University fraternity in 2024. A university spokesperson did not specify whether that investigation influenced leadership's decision to place a temporary activities suspension at UA as investigations continue, but the recent news was alluded to in Lieberman's letter.
"As you know, the value of the Greek experience is under scrutiny nationwide," Lieberman wrote. "It is time for the University of Arizona Greek community to step up and set an example for good."
Helen Rummel covers state politics and higher education for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at hrummel@azcentral.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @helenrummel.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: All UA fraternities restricted amid assault, hazing allegations
