West Virginia University on Tuesday permanently suspended Phi Gamma Delta from campus after completing an investigation into a hazing incident from October.
Ron Justice, the director of Student Organization Services at WVU, said the hazing incident involved fraternity members forcing pledges to drink alcohol.
“We had a reported allegation of hazing that involved alcohol, and immediately we did interviews with individuals who were present,” Justice said. “We found that it warranted the charges of hazing.
“Working with the national office and the alumni, we made a decision to place an indefinite suspension on the chapter, which means the chapter will be closing at WVU,” Justice said.
The fraternity was already on probation after an alcohol-related problem was reported nearly a year ago.
“As a result of that and the behavior this time, there was concern that they did not want to put this chapter at any greater risk,” Justice said.
The decision means members of the fraternity, known as FIJI, will have to move out of the Belmar Avenue house before the end of the semester. There are 23 students in the privately owned house. Six of those students are set to graduate this year, Justice said. The Phi Gamma Delta alumni board made the decision to require charter members to move out of the house.
The suspension is for an indefinite period. Justice said the fraternity could come back to WVU in the future, but he said it will not be any time soon.
“With an incident like this, it will be a while before they return to campus,” he said.
The Phi Gamma Delta national office will meet in January and could impose further penalties, Justice said. He also said that individuals could face disciplinary action, but those names could not be released due to privacy laws.
WVU will help students find housing by the end of the semester, Justice said.