National Fraternity Suspends SMU Chapter For At Least 5 Years
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A fraternity at a North Texas university has been suspended from campus for a minimum of five years. The national office for Lambda Chi Alpha suspended operations of its Southern Methodist University chapter on March 14, the Monday after spring break.
As returning students found out that they had to move, they also found vague details as to why.
SMU administrators say the action wasn't taken by the university, but decided by the national fraternity. A spokesperson cited operational and new member incidents that violated the fraternity's oaths and rules.
Former Lambda Chi Alpha President Victor Beck made a statement in an op-ed piece for the SMU daily campus newspaper. In the detailed column Beck says he's angry, upset and disappointed.
Part of his column spoke of hopes for the future now dashed.
"Our goal was a program for the betterment of the lives of our Associate Members now and in the future, as well as to provide a leading example for a new day at SMU in Greek Life. We were on the last leg of our changes and wish that the National Fraternity had allowed us to complete the course before evaluating our success or failure. Our chapter could have been the posterchild for what a non-hazing, drug-free and values-based fraternity should look like, both for Lambda Chi Alpha and SMU. That is what has disappointed us all more than anything; the fact that we were not able to finish what we set out to accomplish."
Some of the changes made in 2015 included a zero tolerance policy for both drugs in the fraternity house and hazing. Beck was president at the time and said then that, "Fraternities should and can be a place for young men to develop into mature men without all of the childish and dangerous activities than demean and even traumatize their new members."
An SMU spokesperson said the university has made available alternative living arrangements for students who lived in the fraternity house, and is also offering other resources to help students with the transition.
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