GREEK LIFE/U-M
jews d
in
the
U-M Jewish
Fraternity Shuttered
Zeta Beta Tau’s charter revoked
because of hazing allegations.
STACY GITTLEMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
F
or the second time in a decade, the
national headquarters of Zeta Beta
Tau (ZBT), the nation’s first Jewish
fraternity, on Jan. 9 shuttered its chapter
at the University of Michigan and revoked
its charter, citing hazing allegations.
With a history of hazing violations
that date back to 2000, when a pledge
was burned by bleach, the U-M ZBT
chapter has been kicked off campus
multiple times.
ZBT was removed from the
Interfraternity Council (IFC) in 2006. Its
chapter charter was revoked in 2012 by
14
January 18 • 2018
jn
its headquarters, but it rejoined the IFC in
2016 as it was just starting to re-colonize
with about 85 affiliated students when its
charter was revoked.
The ZBT national statement read:
“The ZBT governing body, the Supreme
Council, voted to remove recogni-
tion from the colony at the University
of Michigan. Prior to doing so, ZBT
International staff worked with the
University’s Office of Greek Life and
Division of Student Life for several months
to investigate and conduct an exhaustive
membership review. Through the course
of this investigation, it became clear that
members were violating various fraternity
policies, including those which prohibit
hazing.”
On Jan. 9, The Michigan Daily reported
that it received a statement from the
Michigan Chapter of ZBT that indicates
the brothers were blindsided by the
shuttering.
“We were given sanctions and a reha-
bilitation plan by the normal IFC process
and the university. We were fully willing
to abide by those; then we were blindsid-
ed by this decision from ZBT national,”
the statement read. “The reasoning we
were given was minimal and was certain-
ly a culmination of unreasonable ongoing
frustration between national and us.”
The Jewish News made repeated
attempts to contact current ZBT bothers
and alumni, but all went unanswered.
When the Jewish News contacted ZBT
headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind., for
further clarification on the hazing viola-
tions, asking if any student’s health had
been jeopardized and about the living
conditions in the house where the broth-
ers were living, ZBT sent an email back
saying they would “not be providing fur-
ther interviews.”
The sudden decision to shutter the
chapter, coupled with the cloaked
response when asked for further explana-
tion at the national level, is consistent
with a similar lack of explanation, com-
munication or accountability by the IFC
at the university level.
As a whole, Greek life at U-M, which
involves more than one-fifth of the
undergraduate population, has been
under recent scrutiny. This academic
year has been plagued with allegations
of sexual harassment and debauchery at
its parties, leading to hazing and dozens
of hospitalizations due to alcohol-related
incidents.
On Nov. 16, following the IFC’s resolu-
tion to suspend all social activities as a
result of the allegations but with little
public follow-through on how it would
prevent such illicit activity in the future,
The Michigan Daily editorial board wrote
in an editorial:
“We understand the need for discre-
tion to complete their ongoing investiga-
tion. However, we believe that behavior
serious enough to warrant the extreme
response of suspending social events, at
the very least, deserves a public expla-
nation. We call on the IFC to be more
transparent, admit mistakes and readily
disclose how they plan to reform.”
The editorial further censured the IFC,
saying:
“By not being transparent about the
allegations … the Interfraternity Council
has opened the entirety of Greek life to
rumor and speculation … We are hesi-
tant to believe the IFC is serious about
remedying these troubling problems
within the community.” •