Last week, the University of Iowa (UI) deregistered its Acacia Fraternity for high-risk hazing and other violations.
According to an investigative report obtained by The Cedar Rapids Gazette, new members of the fraternity “were berated and called demeaning and misogynistic names at various times during Initiation Week.”
Additionally, the investigation found that new members were demeaned for their “religious, political beliefs, or racial/ethnic identity” and forced to stay in the fraternity house attic until they consumed an excessive amount of alcohol, which included approximately 60 to 90 cans of beer, two to three bottles of vodka, and a gallon of Jungle Juice.
The suspension of the 5-year-old UI fraternity comes at a time when criticism of college Greek life has intensified due to recent high-profile incidents that involve discrimination against underrepresented races and ethnicities, sexual assault, and multiple deaths as a result of alcohol abuse and violent hazing rituals.
“Although the fall new members experienced a great deal of concerning treatment during their pledging process, the reporting parties were ‘really concerned’ about things happening to new members in the spring,” the report states.
The report is based on activity that occurred during fall 2019 and spring 2020 semesters, a time when the fraternity was on probation for previous violations in December 2018.
