Dean of Students Laura 

Blake Jones called out the 
Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity 
at the University of Michi-
gan in a message to MLive 
published Dec. 17. Blake 
Jones said “several gen-
erations” took part in haz-
ing activities at the Theta 
chapter and the fraterni-
ty’s national headquarters 
turned a “blind eye” to haz-
ing.

On. Nov. 7, the University 

terminated the fraternity 
for hazing infractions with 
opportunity for recoloni-
zation after five calendar 
years. The IFC released a 
statement saying the Coun-
cil supported the Univer-
sity’s 
decision 
following 

the Student Organization 
Advancement and Recogni-
tion review conducted by 
the Greek Activities Review 
Panel.

Alpha Sigma Phi disasso-

ciated from the University 
and Interfraternity Coun-
cil in September, opting 
instead to join the newly 
formed Ann Arbor Inter-
fraternity 
Council. 
The 

fraternity cited new zon-
ing codes implemented by 
City Council as the reason 
for the change. According 
to the Office of Greek Life, 
fraternities must answer to 
the University regardless of 
governance.

“These sanctions result 

from a Hazing Response 
Team 
investigation 
that 

found 
substantial 
evi-

dence of dangerous recur-
ring practices within Alpha 
Sigma Phi’s new member 
process, including forced 
alcohol 
consumption 
and 

violent physical hazing,” the 
IFC wrote in the statement.

Nicole 
Banks, 
interim 

director of Greek Life and 
assistant dean of students, 
did not respond to The Dai-
ly’s request for comment. 
Kim Broekhuizen, associate 
director of the University’s 
Office of Public Affairs, 
said in an email that disaf-
filiation does not mean the 
chapter will not be held 
accountable.

“The 
general 
practice 

of a minimum suspension 

for five years allows time 
for the current students to 
matriculate from U-M and 
for the headquarters to put 
greater support in place for 
the chapter to operate effec-
tively following a closure 
for cause, to ensure that 
the same challenges do not 
recur,” Broekhuizen wrote. 
“The University investigat-
ed complaints against Alpha 
Sigma Phi that occurred 
while the chapter was an 
active member of the Inter-
fraternity Council. Alpha 
Sigma Phi’s intention to 
disaffiliate voluntarily did 
not absolve the chapter of 
accountability for its behav-
ior.”

The suspension from the 

IFC came before an MLive 
article published Dec. 5 
disclosing the results of a 

Freedom of Information Act 
request regarding the fra-
ternity’s closure. Text mes-
sages and emails between 
members of Alpha Sigma 
Phi described a “40-yard 
dash,” during which mem-
bers would allegedly run 
on pledges’ backs during 
the chapter’s “Hell Week.” 
The 
fraternity 
brothers 

described the event taking 
place and a student being 
injured.

“We had people run our 

backs during our hell week,” 
an Alpha Sigma Phi member 
wrote in a group message 
obtained through the FOIA 
request. “That doesn’t mean 
it’s a tradition or a (good) 
idea, but it means (it’s) 
become normalized by us.”

The 
University 
of 

Michigan has agreed to a 
$300,000 
settlement 
after 

former employee, Amy J. 
Wang, 
claimed 
she 
was 

wrongfully terminated by the 
school. Through an attorney, 
the University signed the 
settlement on Dec. 3, which 
was later released to MLive 
after a public records request.

According to the lawsuit, 

associate 
vice 
president 

of 
finance 
Nancy 
Hobbs, 

who was Wang’s boss, had 
asked Wang to “fraudulently 
misrepresent” the role of 
another employee to federal 
immigration officials. Wang’s 
complaint arose because the 
employee, who was working 
at the University through a 
North American Free Trade 
Agreement program allowing 
temporary work visas, was 
in a permanent managerial 
role despite restrictions in 
the 
program’s 
regulations 

prohibiting such a position.

Wang claimed when she 

refused to lie about the 
employee’s status she was 

michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Thursday, January 10, 2019

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©2018 The Michigan Daily

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michigandaily.com

For more stories and coverage, visit

ACADEMICS

ALEX HARRING
Daily Staff Reporter 

ACADEMICS

ZAYNA SYED 

Daily Staff Reporter

DESIGN BY MICHELLE FAN

Dean: ‘generations’ of Alpha Sigma Phi 
brothers took part in hazing activities
National headquarters disputes characterizations of the chapter while 
IFC and University stand by the disciplinary sanctions imposed in the fall

University
settle suit 
for $300k

ADMINISTRATION

U-M denies liability for 
wrongful termination 
of a former employee

AMARA SHAIKH

Daily News Editor

See ME/NA, Page 3A

Follow The Daily on
Instagram: 
@michigandaily

See LAWSUIT, Page 3A

See HAZING, Page 3A

ME/NA
boxes now 
included in
Rackham 
2019 apps

Inside: 

The Best of 2018 B-Side

University Towers, a student 

apartment building on South 
Forest Avenue, was received a 
noncompliance notice from the 
city early this week threatening 
fines of more than $200 should 
they continue to fail to comply 
with municipal regulations.

The 
notice 
informed 

University Towers it had failed 
“to correct violations within 
the 
time 
limits 
specified” 

in addition to a “failure to 
obtain a current certificate or 
compliance with the city of 
Ann Arbor.” 

The warning invokes the 

City of Ann Arbor Housing 
Code, which reads, “No person 
shall lease or otherwise make 
a dwelling or rooming unit 
available for occupancy if a 
certificate of compliance is 
not in effect for the unit.” 
Ann Arbor’s Rental Housing 

Services 
office 
conducts 

inspections of residential units 
every 30 months and issues 
certificates of compliance for 
each property that passes the 
evaluation.

The notice posted on the 

doors to University Towers 
declared “all tenants have the 
right to put their rent money 
in escrow for all unregistered 
rental 
units 
and/or 
those 

posted as non-compliant” and 
listed Jan. 10 as the follow-up 
date for the violation. Failure 
to comply by that date could 
result in ticketing of University 
Towers.

When reached by phone, a 

receptionist from University 
Towers who did not identify 
herself said she had no comment 
on the matter at the time, 
but a manager may be able to 
comment at a later date. At the 
time of publication, The Daily 
was unable to reach a manager 

U Towers
violates City 
housing code

Ceremony ushers in new class 
of Washtenaw Commissioners

See TOWERS, Page 3A

RUCHITA IYER/Daily

The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners celebrated swearing in District 2 Commissioner Sue Think at the Washtenaw County Administration Building 
Wednesday evening.

Student apartment building issued 
warning for disobeying regulations

OLIVIA TAUBER
Daily Staff Reporter

Democrats control every seat on the Board after sweeping November elections

Elected officials and local 

residents celebrated the swear-
ing in of the new class of county 
commissioners at the Washt-
enaw County Administration 
Building on Tuesday night. 
Four incumbents and four new 

members, all Democrats, of-
ficially assumed their roles on 
the Board of Commissioners, 
the first time the body has been 
entirely Democratic in its his-
tory. The county has the most 
Democratic representatives in 
the state of Michigan. 

Lawrence Kestenbaum, the 

county clerk and register of 
deeds for Washtenaw County, 
led the swearing-in ceremony. 
In a nod to the “blue wave” that 
swept the Board, Kestenbaum 
discussed the importance of 
considering the entire scope of 
beliefs within the county, which 
he said was the “most wonder-

ful constituency anyone can 
have.”

“The people around this ta-

ble do not represent the whole 
political scope of this county,” 
Kestenbaum said. “Reach out 
to those who you do not agree 

TAL LIPKIN

Daily Staff Reporter

See COMMISSIONERS, Page 2A

ANN ARBOR

#WeExist campaign 
calls for representation

Rackham 
Graduate 

School 
announced 
last 

month they will include 
Middle Eastern and North 
African identity options on 
their applications for Fall 
2019. The identity will fall 
under the white racial cat-
egory, with Middle Eastern 
and North African identi-
ties as further specifica-
tion, along with options 
for applicants to identify 
as European or other. The 
move follows requests from 
Arab students, staff and 
faculty for the University 
to officially recognize their 
identities in a campaign 
titled #WeExist.

The #WeExist campaign 

began two years ago when 
current and former stu-
dents Silan Fadlallah, Jad 
Elharake, 
Devin 
Jones, 

Ibtihal Makki and former 
Central Student Govern-
ment vice president Nadine 
Jawad had conversations 
about what the Diversi-
ty, Equity and Inclusion 

