This past Friday, a fraternity with a 70-year history at the University of Miami was shut down following the release of a video and report from the campus newspaper about vile and illegal behavior. Sigma Phi Epsilon, or SigEp as it’s commonly called, was filmed chanting about raping and killing women at a recent party, NBC Miami reports. Witnesses reported seeing a “white powder” in some drinks, with several women vomiting or losing consciousness in ways consistent with spiked drinks.
“If this was a party that was being hosted where alcohol and drugs were being provided to those that were underage, that too is a crime under Florida law,” said renowned hazing lawyer and anti-hazing advocate Michael Levine said to NBC. “These students are not above the law; this cannot be chalked up to ‘kids being kids’ and throwing a party.”
Whether or not the members or officers of SigEp will face academic consequences remains to be seen. It’s been our firm’s stance that it’s not enough to suspend a fraternity—real change comes from real consequences. “Those responsible must be held accountable. Unless and until they are, these incidents will continue to happen on campuses across the country,” added Michael Levine.