OSU outlines path for frats to end suspension

Guidelines stress reducing alcohol, ending hazing.

Ohio State University’s COLUMBUS — Office of Student Life has distributed guidelines and requirements to its suspended fraternities, requiring them to identify and address high-risk behaviors to move toward reinstatement.

The eight-page document, distributed to the fraternity chapters Friday, comes after Ohio State’s decision last month to indefinitely suspend activities at all 37 of the fraternities governed by its Interfraternity Council. The memo sent Friday details action steps regarding recruitment, new-member activities, social culture, monitoring and continuing education, and alumni, adviser and parent involvement. It emphasizes reducing alcohol use and ending hazing.

Fraternities that fulfill the requirements can move forward on becoming reinstated, said Ohio State spokesman Dave Isaacs.

“As soon as they are ready to fulfill what they need to do, we’re ready to move forward with them,” Isaacs said.

Drew Cooper, IFC president at Ohio State, said in a statement that he is confident the collaboration with the university will “create meaningful culture change for the IFC community.”

“I believe that the completion of the future-focused action plans outlined in this document will foster positive change within our chapters and the community,” Cooper said.

Some of the guidelines include elements of a Community Action Plan developed by IFC chapter presidents and presented to Ohio State, something that Cooper said he is glad was included.

Sorority and Fraternity Life at Ohio State will notify chapter leaders, advisers, alumni and national organizations once a fraternity’s suspension has been lifted, the memo said. Chapters that fail to meet the requirements and follow the processes outlined in the memo may be subject to continued suspension and/or further action determined by the university, the memo said.

Although the requirements will apply to all IFC fraternities, the 11 fraternities that were under investigation this semester might also have to complete additional steps, depending on the outcome of those probes, Isaacs said.

According to the memo, recruitment plans must include vision statements, including commitments to healthy and safe “alcohol-free recruitment practices,” and hazing prevention.

Before resuming any social events, all chapters must submit a plan for conducting social events, including a detailed social calendar for the semester and whether such events will have alcohol present. Chapters can host no more than 20 events with alcohol in each of two periods annually: Aug. 15 through Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 through Aug. 14.

Before resuming any new-member activities, all chapters must submit a detailed plan for conducting new-member education.