Excerpt and link: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/students/physical-mental-health/2024/03/19/inside-legal-challenge-over-hazing-univ-maryland
The University of Maryland’s court filing is at times shocking.
March 19, 2024
A Legal Fight Over “Widespread” and “Severe” Hazing at Maryland
The University of Maryland says it had good reason to suspend alcohol-related and new-member activities among Greek organizations. Some fraternities disagree.
By Johanna Alonso
Inside Higher Freedom of expression in higher education
Students on the quad in front of McKeldin Mall on the University of Maryland’s campus
UMD had previously concealed the details of its hazing investigation but revealed some allegations in a court filing on Friday.
When the University of Maryland suspended 37 fraternities and sororities earlier this month, the outcry from the chapters—and their national affiliates—was swift. Four fraternities went so far as to file a motion in federal court for a temporary restraining order that would end the blanket suspension.
Though administrators initially declined to share details about what prompted the suspension, new legal filings revealed reports of intense physical and psychological abuse—at least at some of the chapters. Following an investigation, the university reversed the suspension for all but five Greek organizations. As a result, the four fraternities have withdrawn their request for a temporary restraining order.
But the legal tussle isn’t over yet; the fraternities say they will not toss out their lawsuit against the university, which claims among other things that the suspension violated their rights to free speech and due process.
The university initially suspended all 37 of the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association organizations on campus on March 1, prohibiting their members from hosting events with alcohol or from communicating with new members about Greek life.
On March 13, UMD’s chapters of Theta Chi, Kappa Alpha Order, Alpha Sigma Phi, and Alpha Tau Omega—as well as three unnamed fraternity brothers—filed the motion for a temporary restraining order, requesting the reversal of the blanket suspension. The motion, like the lawsuit, argued that the ban violated their First Amendment rights, and that they were denied due process when officials declined to tell them what Student Code of Conduct policies they had allegedly broken.
Two days later, following an investigation, UMD ended the suspension of most of the Greek organizations, prompting the plaintiffs to drop the motion and request the cancellation of a hearing scheduled for Monday afternoon.
