The student-run Intrafraternity Council at the University of Michigan has suspended all Greek Life social functions, reports the Detroit Free Press, as it begins dealing with multiple sexual assault allegations, wild parties and hazing incidents.The decision was made at a Thursday meeting of the IFC, which included several presidents of U-M fraternities.
Michigan Daily, the student newspaper, attended the meeting and was the first to report on the ban.
“The allegations include: claims of sexual misconduct cases involving fraternity brothers, six incidents of reported hazing, more than 30 hospital transports for students during the weekend of the football game against Michigan State as well as seven called during Halloween weekend, an unauthorized ‘Champagne and Shackles’ event — in which dates at a party are handcuffed to one another until the two people finish a full bottle of champagne — which transpired this past weekend, multiple allegations of drugging members in undisclosed fraternity chapters and three specific hazing allegations reported this week where fraternity members were put in alleged near-death situations,”the Daily reported.
IFC confirmed the move Thursday night and Executive Vice President Alec Mayhan said in a statement that social events are a privilege that the Greek community does not deserve at this time, and that they are working on a plan to start changing fraternity policies.
University of Michigan fraternities have been in hot water before. In 2015, after reports of wild fraternity parties surfaced, President Mark Schlissel asked Greek life to look at reforming itself. He acknowledged the benefit of Greek Life as a community, but asked them to “moderate” their risky behavior for the sake of the future of their community.
They are also not the only Greek Life community facing backlash this week. Earlier in the week, Florida State University’s president banned all fraternities and sororities from their campus after a student died at a house party last Friday.