Indiana University suspends fraternity in hazing probe

By the beginning of the spring semester of 2015, the chapter was no longer on social probation, and its president was trying desperately to change the fraternity’s reputation and keep its record clean. That meant all operations were frozen. A few commenters on Reddit pointed out that it appears the woman may be trying to suffocate the pledge, rather than forcing him to perform a sex act.

It said the event involved about half the chapter and no pledge was compelled to participate.

The national chapter’s chief executive officer, Wynn Smiley, said the 21-year-old man in the video was an initiated member and the two women were exotic dancers hired by a frat member.

The “ritual” (presumably, the pledges all took turns on the willing female participants) is gross enough as it is, but veers into sexual assault territory when the young man appears to have had enough.

The fraternity’s national headquarters said it had no immediate comment on the incident but would release a statement soon.

IU said they applauded the national chapter’s “swift and strong action and is in full agreement with the decision”.

The California Coastal Commission approves a $100 million expansion of the tanks SeaWorld uses to hold killer whales in San Diego – but it also bans the park from breeding captive orcas. And more recently, police records show a rape was reported at the fraternity house in 2013.

IU tweeted last night that the ATO was suspended pending an investigation into the hazing allegations. The remaining 20 – nearly all freshmen – were forced by their housing board to move out of their house.

Alpha Tau Omega’s national office acknowledged Thursday morning that a “highly offensive” video has triggered an investigation of the local chapter.

University spokesman Mark Land said the school is investigating the incident to see whether the male student performing the sex act faces disciplinary action.

IU tweeted from its official account just after 11 p.m. Wednesday that the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity had been suspended immediately “pending investigation into hazing activities which perpetuate sexual misconduct”.