The University of Wisconsin Committee on Student Organizations suspended the Sigma Chi fraternity Monday for the duration of an investigation of an alleged alcohol-related incident that occurred April 2.
The suspension forbids the fraternity chapter from holding events and reserving space on campus, according to CSO bylaws. The chapter and/or individual members could face sanctions if found responsible for the incident.
UW spokesperson John Lucas said the incident continued into the early hours of April 3, but could offer no further information.
“There has been a complaint filed, and right now we are following our code to follow through with the complaint,” CSO Chair Sol Grosskopf said. “As of now, we have kicked it up to the Office of the Dean of Students to go further with the investigation.”
According to the Student Organization Office’s website, investigations are usually concluded within 10 days.
Greek program adviser Jeff Benson told The Badger Herald at a meeting in March that investigators are assigned from ODOS to CSO cases.
“They contact the organization in question, set up a meeting and ask a number of questions,” Benson said. “They also can contact complainants and anyone else who might have information on the case.”
After concluding the investigation, Benson said officers report their findings to CSO, which then deliberates whether to hold a hearing, encourage a mutual resolution or dismiss the case.
While Grosskopf said CSO hopes to wrap the case up by the end of the semester, the organization will be able to pick up the case in the fall if they are granted an extension by the dean of students.
Once the case is concluded, the suspension will be lifted or the appropriate sanctions will be enforced. Grosskopf said sanctions are decided on a case-by-case basis, so past actions taken by CSO are not indicative of possible outcomes for the Sigma Chi case.
Grosskopf confirmed CSO operates under the principle of preponderance of evidence, which is a threshold lower than a United States court. If members of CSO feel there is a 51 percent chance the organization is guilty, they can declare them so and take disciplinary action.
The April 2 incident coincided with Derby Days, an annual weeklong fundraiser hosted by the fraternity. The event involved various competitions hosted by Sigma Chi and five campus sororities.
April 2 was the fraternity’s “Derby Dub Night, Wisconsin’s Best Dance Sorority” event, which involved skits performed by sororities in the basement of the Sigma Chi house.
Derby Days, which was sponsored by several bars, involved several events throughout the week that took place at bars around the campus area.
Lucas added the suspension had nothing to do with the allegations of sexual assault at the Sigma Chi house published in The Badger Herald last month.
“This doesn’t have a bearing on anything [the Herald] has reported on in the past,” Lucas said.
Sigma Chi President Andrew Thalhimer did not return several phone calls as of press time.
– Kevin Bargnes contributed to this report
