Sigma Phi Epsilon Alpha chapter suspended following alleged hazing

The University of Richmond’s Sigma Phi Epsilon Virginia Alpha chapter, the founding chapter for the greater fraternity organization, has been temporarily suspended for alleged hazing activity. 

The suspension comes after a video of a student involved in the pledging process was posted to Snapchat, then later reposted to Fizz, an anonymous social media app with a server open to people with an official UR email. 

The chapter has been placed on cease operations status pending an investigation by the university, according to Cynthia Price, UR’s assistant vice president of communications and media relations. 

In the video obtained by The Collegian, the pledging student was dressed in a green morph suit and held on a leash with a fake dog bone in his mouth. He also gave a female student a lap dance, leash removed, still partially clad in the suit with the bone in his mouth. 

Hazing is prohibited by UR and the Code of Virginia.

The University Police Department also broke up an unauthorized party in the SPE lodge on Feb. 29, according to Police Chief Dave McCoy. The information was provided to the Student Development offices and treated as a violation of university policy. No students were arrested. 

SPE has not responded to requests for comment at this time. 

This is a developing story. 

Contact news editor Caitlin McCormack at caitlin.mccormack@richmond.edu.