Yesterday, the Kappa Alpha Order, one of the fraternities on the VWC campus, was closed indefinitely due to hazing violations.
“Hazing is a violation of Virginia Wesleyan College’s Student Code of Conduct and the Wesleyan Creed,” said Kate Griffin, the Director of Student Activities and Greek Life in an email sent to students and faculty. “We are disappointed in the behavior that led to the investigation.”
We are also disappointed that it has resulted in the closing of a chapter. Kate Griffin
Virginia Wesleyan College and the national headquarters of Kappa Alpha conducted investigations on the allegations, which has resulted in the immediate closure of the fraternity on campus, sanctions on Kappa Alpha members who were found in violation of the Student Code of Conduct and the placement of all current members of the fraternity to alumnae status.
The placement of fraternity members to alumnae status will allow current members to participate in Kappa Alpha related events, but only as alumni. However, the students are not being deactivated or suspended from the fraternity.
Kappa Alpha, which sent two representatives to conduct an independent investigation, indicated that the fraternity could return in the future if a written proposal is delivered by the end of February.
However, such a return would take a considerable amount of time. To ensure that incidents, such as hazing, do not happen again, Kappa Alpha has restricted the ability to charter one of their fraternity chapters at VWC until all current Kappa Alpha members have graduated from the college. At the very minimum, a new Kappa Alpha chapter can not be established until 2018.
The closure of the Kappa Alpha on campus leaves VWC with two active fraternities, Sigma Nu and Phi Kappa Tau.
UPDATE 2:04 p.m. – This article has been updated to show new information regarding the status of the closure of Kappa Alpha at VWC.
