University of Kentucky fraternity suspended after COVID-19, alcohol violations
A University of Kentucky fraternity has been suspended from campus for two years after a student conduct hearing found that members violated university policies related to COVID-19 guidelines and alcohol misuse.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity members were found to have violated the university policies after a Nov. 9 student disciplinary hearing, UK spokesperson Jay Blanton said. The university’s internal appeals board upheld the hearing’s finding on Dec. 4. Students who violate the university’s COVID-19 guidelines written into its Student Code of Conduct this year can face punishment.
The university opted for the two-year suspension because the fraternity’s members had violated the student code of conduct more than once in recent years, Blanton said. As part of the suspension, the fraternity will not be able to have official meetings or events and Sigma Alpha Epsilon will no longer be able to use their on-campus house.
Students who live in the fraternity’s house on Rose Lane will have to be moved out by Jan. 24, a letter sent to residents of the house stated.
It’s unclear what specific events led to the university investigating the fraternity. The UK Police Department’s crime log shows two instances this past semester where underaged persons were reported for possessing alcohol at the fraternity house address. In late August, nine people were reported for allegedly possessing or consuming alcohol underage. In late October, a single person was reported for alleged underage alcohol possession.
Those alcohol-related reports were Campus Security Authority reports. Those types of reports are not made by police and may have been generated by a university employee, other students or even a community member using the university’s Office of Student Conduct reporting function.
Along with the alcohol misuse and COVID-19 guidline-related violations, Blanton said fraternity members also had a Failure to Comply conduct violation. According to the Student Code of Conduct, the violation occurs when a student deliberately does not comply with directives given by a UK official.
Two other UK fraternities — Pi Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Phi — are currently on disciplinary probation until fall 2021 for alcohol misuse and failing to follow UK’s COVID-19 guidelines, the university’s Office of Student Conduct website shows. According to the office, the disciplinary probation means that the fraternities are “not in good standing” with the university and subsequent violations could lead to more severe punishments.
Delta Sigma Phi’s fraternity house address also has multiple underage alcohol-possession-related reports on the university police’s crime log.
This story was originally published December 8, 2020 at 3:16 PM.