Hazing will be recorded on this website within 15 days of final adjudication in accordance with Ga. Code 20-1-30. The public disclosure of each incident of hazing adjudicated pursuant to this Code section, criminal convictions for hazing pursuant to this Code Section, and other criminal convictions arising from any incident of hazing shall require the following minimum information be posted prominently on the school's website for a period of not less than five years after final adjudication or conviction: (1) the name of any school organization involved; (2) the date or dates on which the hazing occurred; and (3) a description of the specific hazing-related findings, sanctions, adjudications, and convictions for any person or school organization.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Fraternity - Georgia Mu Chapter
Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Fraternity
- Georgia Mu Chapter
Date of Incidents:
The incidents covered an 8-week period starting 9/16/21 in the Fall 2021 semester. This included a major incident that occurred on 11/9/21 during a Big/Little Brother Ceremony.
Findings:
A Georgia College & State University (University) investigation uncovered a pattern of hazing over an 8-week period during the Fall Semester of 2021. One member of the SAE-GA Mu Chapter was hospitalized due to alcohol intoxication resulting from a fraternity-sponsored function at an off-campus location. Other types of hazing included acts of servitude (running errands, cleaning apartments and houses, picking up food, providing car rides), forced physical conduct (early morning and late evening forced calisthenics), physical injury to persons, beratement and/or verbal harassment, and forced or required consumption of food and drink. In an Information Meeting with the Dean of Students which covers the student rights and resolution options, Sigma Alpha Epsilon - GA Mu Chapter accepted responsibility for, among other things, hazing which is a violation of University’s Student Code of Conduct (Rule 119).
Sanctions:
On 2/25/22, the SAE - GA Mu Chapter received the highest-level sanction possible (Level 4): Group Dissolution. In full cooperation with the University, the National Office of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity revoked the charter of the GA Mu Chapter which included all current members losing membership status within the national organization.
Below is a description of specific, individual hazing-related findings, sanctions, adjudications, and convictions.
A. Arising out of the incident summarized above, 16 individual students were charged with the following violation of the University’s prohibition on hazing (Rule 119 of Student Code of Conduct):
Any activity that could subject the individual to extreme mental stress, such as sleep deprivation, forced exclusion from social contact, and/or forced conduct that could result in embarrassment or degradation. This includes but is not limited to: promoting servitude, berating or verbally harassing individuals, throwing items at or on individuals, forcing individuals to carry items or wear apparel that is undignified, requiring public stunts, requiring individuals to run personal errands, requiring an individual to use personal vehicles for trips and/or to incur the associated costs or any other forced activity that which could adversely affect the mental or emotional health, the financial well-being of the individual, or the dignity of the individual.
(Rule 119 B. 8. (a).)
The types of hazing in this group included acts of servitude (e.g., running errands, cleaning apartments and houses, picking up food, providing car rides). These students accepted responsibility for all violations without a formal hearing. Their adjudications were completed as of June 9, 2022. This group includes the least severe level of hazing adjudications arising out of this incident. Sanctions included the following: completion of an anti-hazing instruction course, a monetary fine to offset the cost of the course and one year of deferred suspension/disciplinary probation.
B. Also arising from the incident summarized above, three additional individual students were charged with the following violations of the University’s prohibition on hazing (Rule 119 of Student Code of Conduct):
Any activity that could subject the individual to extreme mental stress, such as sleep deprivation, forced exclusion from social contact, and/or forced conduct that could result in embarrassment or degradation. This includes but is not limited to: promoting servitude, berating or verbally harassing individuals, throwing items at or on individuals, forcing individuals to carry items or wear apparel that is undignified, requiring public stunts, requiring individuals to run personal errands, requiring an individual to use personal vehicles for trips and/or to incur the associated costs or any other forced activity that which could adversely affect the mental or emotional health, the financial well-being of the individual, or the dignity of the individual.
(Rule 119 B. 8. (a).)
and
Any forced physical activity which could adversely affect the mental, physical, and/or emotional health of an individual, and any activity which is or has the potential to be physically or mentally harmful, painful, or injurious, such as harassment or misconduct that is sexual in nature, or the forced or required consumption of any food, drink, liquor, drug, or other substance.
(Rule 119 B. 4.)
The types of hazing in this group included acts of servitude (e.g., running errands, cleaning apartments and houses, picking up food, providing car rides), forced physical conduct (early morning and late evening forced calisthenics), physical injury to persons, and beratement and/or verbal harassment. These students accepted responsibility for all violations without a formal hearing. Their adjudications were completed as of June 17. Given the additional severity of this group of violations, sanctions included not only completion of an anti-hazing instruction course, a monetary fine to offset the cost of the course, but also University suspensions of one year.
C. Also arising from the incident summarized above, two individual students were charged with the following violations of the University’s prohibition on hazing (Rule 119 of Student Code of Conduct):
Any activity that could subject the individual to extreme mental stress, such as sleep deprivation, forced exclusion from social contact, and/or forced conduct that could result in embarrassment or degradation. This includes but is not limited to: promoting servitude, berating or verbally harassing individuals, throwing items at or on individuals, forcing individuals to carry items or wear apparel that is undignified, requiring public stunts, requiring individuals to run personal errands, requiring an individual to use personal vehicles for trips and/or to incur the associated costs or any other forced activity that which could adversely affect the mental or emotional health, the financial well-being of the individual, or the dignity of the individual.
(Rule 119 B. 8. (a).)
and
Any forced physical activity which could adversely affect the mental, physical, and/or emotional health of an individual, and any activity which is or has the potential to be physically or mentally harmful, painful, or injurious, such as harassment or misconduct that is sexual in nature, or the forced or required consumption of any food, drink, liquor, drug, or other substance.
(Rule 119 B. 4.)
The students accepted responsibility for the violation without a formal hearing. The adjudications were completed as of June 17, 2022, and August 2, 2022. Given the additionally high severity of those violations, the sanctions included not only completion of an anti-hazing instruction course, a monetary fine to offset the cost of the course, but also two-year University suspensions.
D. Also arising from the incident summarized above, six individual students were charged with the following violations of the University’s prohibition on hazing (Rule 119 of Student Code of Conduct), and chose to go to a hearing either on the charge or the proposed sanctions:
Any activity that could subject the individual to extreme mental stress, such as sleep deprivation, forced exclusion from social contact, and/or forced conduct that could result in embarrassment or degradation. This includes but is not limited to: promoting servitude, berating or verbally harassing individuals, throwing items at or on individuals, forcing individuals to carry items or wear apparel that is undignified, requiring public stunts, requiring individuals to run personal errands, requiring an individual to use personal vehicles for trips and/or to incur the associated costs or any other forced activity that which could adversely affect the mental or emotional health, the financial well-being of the individual, or the dignity of the individual.
(Rule 119 B. 8. (a).)
and
Any forced physical activity which could adversely affect the mental, physical, and/or emotional health of an individual, and any activity which is or has the potential to be physically or mentally harmful, painful, or injurious, such as harassment or misconduct that is sexual in nature, or the forced or required consumption of any food, drink, liquor, drug, or other substance.
(Rule 119 B. 4.)
The types of hazing in this group included acts of servitude (e.g., running errands, cleaning apartments and houses, picking up food, providing car rides), forced physical conduct (early morning and late evening forced calisthenics), physical injury to persons, and beratement and/or verbal harassment. As of June 24, 2022, the adjudications for this group (a hearing plus an appeal period) were completed. Given the severity of these violations, individual sanctions ranged from completion of an anti-hazing instruction course and a monetary fine to offset the cost of the course, to a University suspension of one year.
As per University policy, all hazing findings will appear in each student’s conduct record.
Kappa Sigma Fraternity - Lambda-XI Chapter
Kappa Sigma Fraternity
- Lambda-Xi Chapter
Date of Incident:
10/20/20
Findings:
A new member was required to drive brothers around at 3 a.m.
Sanctions:
Social restrictions for Fall 2021.
Removal Date from List:
10/20/26