Syracuse Zeta Psi ousted for unspecified reason(s)

FC | Fraternity had opportunity to save itself
IFC Executive Board
Issue date: 8/29/07 Section: Opinion

The Interfraternity Council was informed on July 28 that Zeta Psi’s National Headquarters, the chapter’s Alumni Association and Syracuse University had decided that Zeta Psi should no longer be a recognized fraternity at Syracuse University.

It is our responsibility to be the self-governing body of the fraternity system, to promote unity and to help our member fraternities reach their full-potential.

Our Peer Review Board, the disciplinary body of the IFC which consists of members of the IFC Executive Board, had dealt with Zeta Psi on many occasions. Most recently, they came before us for numerous issues, including two counts of assault.

In coming to our decision on these matters, we consulted the presidents of all other member fraternities. Fourteen of the 18 voting fraternities advised us to withdraw Zeta Psi’s IFC recognition, which would have removed them from our campus.

We took this decision into account and decided not to remove their recognition, but instead to impose fines on them according to our IFC Constitution. These fines included a provision saying if Zeta Psi were to break any more IFC rules, Zeta Psi National, University, State or Federal laws before June of 2009, we would be forced to withdraw their recognition.

There were suspicions that Zeta Psi may have violated their University suspension near the end of last semester, but nothing had been confirmed.

We are releasing this statement because we want to move forward from this situation. We hope our member fraternities will learn from this and continue to act as respectable fraternity men.

As for the members of the former Zeta Psi fraternity, we hope they hold themselves to the traditions and values of all greek organizations. This was an unfortunate situation, and we hope to never encounter it in the future.

The Interfraternity Council Executive Board consists of President Mike Schottenstein, Vice-President of Internal Affairs Seth Chase, Vice-President of External Affairs Matt Abdifar, Secretary Brian Schreiner, Recruitment Chair Chad Fury, GAME Chair Louis Santoro, and Philanthropy Chair Evan Goldberg.