ANN ARBOR, MI - The University of Michigan is investigating allegations of sexual misconduct and hazing outlined by members of the university's Interfraternity Council after it suspended all social activities and new member pledge terms Thursday, Nov. 9.
UM Spokesperson Kim Broekhuizen said UM is working with the IFC and leaders in the Greek Life community to create a safe environment for all students on the UM campus.
"The university is actively and vigorously investigating these reports," Broekhuizen said Friday. "The first concern is the safety of our students.
"IFC leaders took action last night, on their own, recognizing it was the right thing to do," she added. "They are halting social activities and new member education efforts for the rest of fall semester. IFC leaders are now focused on a chapter-by-chapter assessment and charting a safer path forward for their community."
The IFC - the local governing body for National Interfraternity Conference fraternity chapters at UM - outlined several disturbing incidents that have taken place in fraternities across campus during the meeting Thursday, which was attended and first reported by The Michigan Daily.
Those allegations include: "claims of sexual misconduct cases involving fraternity brothers, six incidents of reported hazing, more than 30 hospital transports for students during the weekend of the football game against Michigan State as well as seven called during Halloween weekend, an unauthorized "Champagne and Shackles" event -- in which dates at a party are handcuffed to one another until the two people finish a full bottle of champagne -- which transpired this past weekend, multiple allegations of drugging members in undisclosed fraternity chapters and three specific hazing allegations reported this week where fraternity members were put in alleged near-death situations," the Michigan Daily reported.
The suspension includes a ban on social events like mixers and date parties, hazing activities with new pledges -- including lineups -- and general brotherhood meetings involving alcohol, the Daily reported.
Any potential calls to law enforcement related to these allegations would be made to the Ann Arbor Police Department, because the fraternity houses at UM are considered to be off campus.
AAPD Det. Lt. Matthew Lige was not able to comment Friday on specific allegations outlined by the IFC but he said the department "is aware of some of the allegations presented by the IFC."
"As warranted, we are investigating," Lige said.
UM's Department of Public Safety and Security has authority to respond to incidents and do patrol areas around fraternity houses. Spokesperson Diane Brown said, however, that its primary role is to provide education and awareness to those associated with Greek Life upon their request.
"Investigations would be handled by the AAPD," Brown said. "Our role is to assist in presentations (to Greek Life) to bring awareness and education. We do a lot of patrolling in the areas were fraternities are located because they are adjacent to campus, where things like burglaries and other incidents are located. Our officers are doing patrols, but wouldn't be the first responders to service."
Thursday evening, IFC Executive Vice President Alec Mayhan released a statement on behalf of the council, noting that it proposed the plan of action to the chapter presidents so that it could take proactive steps through self-governance to improve the Greek commmunity.
"As an Interfraternity Council community, we believe in holding our members to a high standard at the University of Michigan," Mayhan said in a statement. "It has come to our attention that some members of the Interfraternity Council community have not been living up to these standards."
Members of the IFC were not available for additional comment regarding the allegations.
The suspension of social activity comes at a time when Greek life has been in the national spotlight. Earlier this week, Florida State University indefinitely suspended all fraternities and sororities days after the death of a fraternity pledge who had attended a party.
UM's fraternities have been under scrutiny in recent years for incidents that received the attention of the public.
In January 2015, six UM Greek organizations involved in vandalizing two northern Michigan ski resorts during weekend trips were been suspended by their national chapters.
The organizations included the fraternities Sigma Alpha Mu, Pi Kappa Alpha and Chi Psi, while the sororities were Sigma Delta Tau, Delta Gamma and Alpha Phi. Sigma Alpha Mu was dismissed by UM and is no longer recognized by the school.
More than 200 members of Sigma Alpha Mu and Sigma Delta Tau booked about 40 rooms at Treetops Resorts in Gaylord and caused in excess of $50,000 in damages, including broken doors and furniture, holes in drywall, broken fixtures and soiled carpet.
Pi Kappa Alpha, Chi Psi, Delta Gamma and Alpha Phi rented 12 condo units at Boyne Highlands ski resort in Harbor Springs and caused more than $25,000 in damages to the units. Officials at the resort said the damage was similar to what the groups caused at Treetops.