Iowa State University sorority placed on probation for hazing incident

Tyler J. Davis
The Des Moines Register

A sorority at Iowa State University has been placed on probation for hazing.

Sigma Gamma Rho was given a deferred suspension through May 9, 2021, for hazing, violating university rules for student organizations and disruption of rights, according to ISU's Office of Student Conduct.

The group is still allowed to operate on campus, but the deferred suspension means further violations could result in suspension. 

It's unclear what hazing occurred and a call to the university was not immediately returned. Two sorority members of Sigma Gamma Rho told police they were harassed after reporting the hazing. 

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Ames police Cmdr. Jason Tuttle said the students contacted his department April 21, 2019. The two were at an event near campus when a quartet of fellow Sigma Gamma Rho members began aggressively yelling at them for informing the university about previous hazing.

"It sounds like it was a verbal confrontation and they all separated, went their own ways then we were called," Tuttle said. "(The victims) said this was the result of when they reported the hazing to Iowa State University several weeks earlier." 

Tuttle said he did not know what the hazing report entailed. Four Greek groups have been sanctioned for hazing since 2016, according to the university's website.

Tuttle said no one was hurt and no charges were filed after the incident. 

"Three out of the four girls were the main ones harassing them," he said. "(An Ames police) officer talked to them by phone and told them to stay away from each other and they agreed they would."

He said he's not sure if the victims in the dispute are still members of the sorority. Ames police works with the university when officers receive reports of  hazing, Tuttle said. 

He said privacy laws prevent police from knowing how many of these cases are resolved.

"If we would get (hazing or harassment) calls we would take them very seriously," Tuttle said. "We work closely with the student conduct office and any information that's relayed to us, we share with them."

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