Penn State suspends two fraternities for hazing

Pennsylvania State University this week indefinitely suspended one of its fraternities for “widespread and pervasive hazing” over several years, the school said in a press release.

The Psi chapter of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity can’t request to have the suspension lifted before fall of 2028, the university said Wednesday. The fraternity previously got in trouble for hazing in 2018.

It’s the second suspension for hazing that Penn State handed out to a fraternity this month. Earlier, the university announced that the Delta Theta chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity would be suspended through fall 2027, also for hazing.

» READ MORE: Hulu series planned on death of Penn State fraternity pledge Tim Piazza

The university did not provide details on what the hazing entailed.

“We hold the health and safety of students as our highest priority and take all allegations of hazing seriously,” Andrea Dowhower, interim vice president for student affairs, said in announcing the Delta Theta suspension Oct. 3. “It is disappointing and concerning when, despite the legal obligations and educational efforts, groups violate our expectations.”

Penn State several years ago instituted widespread reforms following the 2017 death of student Tim Piazza following a booze-fueled fraternity party. Piazza was a sophomore engineering major from Lebanon, N.J., when he began to pledge the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He died after falling down stairs during a pledge-night party that included a drinking gauntlet as part of a hazing ritual. Piazza languished on a couch for nearly 12 hours before anyone called for help.

» READ MORE: Penn State frat death raises questions for grieving parents

Dozens of fraternity members were charged in connection with his death, which also led to lawsuits. More than 20 Beta Theta Pi members entered pleas to charges including hazing, conspiracy to commit hazing, and furnishing alcohol to minors.

The case drew national attention as video surveillance from the fraternity house on the night Piazza was fatally injured was played in court, showing Piazza and others moving through and chugging alcohol.

After Piazza’s death, Penn State cracked down on Greek life including greater monitoring and a public scorecard on performance. The university also opened the Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform and new anti-hazing laws were passed. Piazza’s parents, Jim and Evelyn, have joined parents nationwide to push for changes.

Last October, former WarnerMedia and NBC executive Robert Greenblatt said he was working on a television series about the case, called Death at Penn State, which would air on Hulu.

Penn State is today home to 40 fraternities and 29 sororities. Last academic year, one fraternity, Delta Sigma Iota, was suspended during the fall 2022 semester for hazing, alcohol and/or drug, and other university policy violations, a university spokesperson said.

A suspension means that the chapter is no longer recognized as a student organization and has no privileges. It may not be involved in any university activities or events.