ABC News: The University of Georgia has paused pledging for one of its fraternities amid an investigation into alleged hazing off-campus.
The university said it is conducting a review of the Sigma Chi fraternity “following a third-party complaint.” The Athens-Clarke County Police Department said it is also investigating the reported incident.
The university received an email complaint from an Athens-based professional on Aug. 12 that reported “’gross student misconduct and abuse’ in reference to ‘hazing by male Greek Life leaders,’” a University of Georgia Police Department complaint stated.
The complainant reported that “incoming freshmen were punched and forced to drink copious amounts of alcohol beyond their capacity” from Aug. 9 to Aug. 10, the complaint stated.
One of two fraternities cited in the complaint has been allowed to resume activities following a “thorough review,” university spokesperson Rod Guajardo said.
A review into the other fraternity, Sigma Chi, is ongoing, with all potential new member activity currently paused, Guajardo said.
“Pausing all potential new member activity for an individual organization while a review is conducted is standard operating procedure,” Guajardo said in a statement.
The complaint was referred to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department because the fraternity is located off-campus, the school said.
A spokesperson for the Athens-Clarke County Police Department confirmed to ABC News it is investigating the incident, but that no further details are available at this time.
ABC News has reached out to the Sigma Chi headquarters for comment and has not yet received a response.
Hazing is against federal law. Georgia also has an anti-hazing law that deems hazing a misdemeanor of a high or aggravated nature that is punishable by up to one year in jail.
“Students and organizations are prohibited from participating in, condoning, encouraging, requiring, or allowing opportunity for hazing,” UGA states on its website.
