Fraternity headquarters comments on hazing allegations
The international headquarters of a U of A fraternity has commented on allegations of hazing within the Alberta chapter.
Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) headquarters based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, released a statement Thursday after the U of A's newspaper The Gateway reported alleged accounts of hazing within the fraternity.
In Thursday's article from The Gateway, an anonymous alumnus reports that the fraternity forces recruits to eat their own vomit, closes them in a plywood box, and described his experience as traumatic and abusive.
The fraternity's policy states that "no chapter, student or alumnus shall conduct nor condone hazing activities." They define hazing as "any action taken or situation created, intentionally or otherwise to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule."
The Alberta chapter of DKE is expected to abide by the fraternity's policy on hazing. The headquarters will be investigating these allegations with internal processes and "will take whatever steps we believe are necessary once that investigation is complete."
On Thursday, U of A vice-provost and dean of students Frank Robinson stated that the university would be conducting its own investigation and "any sanctions that come as a result of campus securities investigation would be potentially either for an individual or the entire fraternity."
The statement from DKE headquarters refers to their Alberta chapter as an important part of the U of A community, saying their members have benefited from the fraternity's lessons, fellowship and leadership.
