Cal Poly Pomona has sanctioned two fraternities that were found to have engaged in hazing in recent years.
Alpha Sigma Lambda and Zeta Phi Rho have been suspended through the end of spring quarter 2014, and their return to campus is predicated on meeting several conditions, says Susan Ashe, the university¿s director of judicial affairs.
¿Their return is not assumed,¿ Ashe says. ¿We will weigh the current members¿ individual and collective behavior. If the fraternities return, their members will need to complete educational workshops on hazing designed for the Greek community at Cal Poly Pomona.¿
If they return, both fraternities will be prohibited from recruiting new members until the end of spring 2016 at the earliest, and they will be on probation through at least spring 2019.
Doug Freer, vice president for student affairs, says it is important to hold fraternities and sororities to the highest standards and to let the campus community know if and when they fall short.
¿As I have said many times, Greek organizations play an important role in student life at Cal Poly Pomona, and they have a long record of community service and campus pride,¿ Freer says. ¿However, we have made it crystal clear on many occasions that we have a zero-tolerance policy toward hazing and we will take immediate action when it occurs. The safety of our students must be our highest priority, and we owe it to both current and future members of the Greek system.¿
Last fall, all 27 Greek organizations on campus were placed on temporary probation, pending the completion of a hazing audit by their national or regional leadership in partnership with the Office of Student Life & Cultural Centers. All were fully reinstated after it was determined that their members had been educated about hazing and the university's policies.
Incidents of hazing involving Alpha Sigma Lambda date back to fall 2006 and include requiring new members to perform duties or engage in activities not assigned to or required of other members; requiring tasks to be performed as a form of punishment; engaging in public stunts and scavenger hunts; and blindfolding pledges and driving them to undisclosed locations, where they had to return on their own.
Incidents of hazing involving Zeta Phi Rho date back to fall 2005 and include physical training such as drills, sprints, push-ups and sit-ups; a requirement that new members perform duties or engage in activities not assigned to or required of other members; and physical activity as a form of punishment.
National Hazing Prevention Week will be observed on campus starting Oct. 24 with ¿Hazed and Confused,¿ a keynote presentation by Erle Morring. The former student at Auburn University was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity when two of its pledges died.