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Syracuse University has placed its chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity on interim suspension for violating public health directives. The move follows a surge in COVID-19 cases coinciding with a series of Greek life parties near campus. 

“Sigma Chi has been placed on interim suspension for alleged violations of the Code of Student Conduct, as well as public health directives,” a university spokesperson said in a statement. “Pending the outcome of conduct proceedings, the chapter is prohibited from participating in recruitment and activities are halted. We cannot comment further at this time while under investigation.”

SU found that members of the Greek community hosted at least three parties in off-campus neighborhoods in the past six days, an SU official said in a statement Friday. Those parties have become the source of at least 20 new COVID-19 cases among SU students, the statement reads.

“Despite pleas for responsible behavior, over the past week a small but significant number of our students made choices that have put all of us—and our residential campus experience—at risk,” said Rob Hradsky, vice president for the student experience, in a campus-wide email.

SU finished its first week of in-person instruction with 56 active cases, over five times what it reported after the first week of fall semester classes. The university confirmed 20 new cases among students in central New York on Thursday alone.

In a statement to The D.O., SU’s Interfraternity Council said it was “waiting with the rest of the campus to learn the full details of what transpired. We are looking forward to holding a very safe recruitment process this week.”

As was the case last fall, SU will have to suspend in-person classes if it exceeds 100 positive COVID-19 tests in a fixed two-week period. The current two-week period concludes this afternoon, with SU having only confirmed 40 positive tests so far — well below the state threshold for suspending classes.

SU will continue to bring conduct sanctions against leaseholders of locations where the parties took place for violating the university’s COVID-19 guidelines, which students were required to sign at the beginning of the semester, Hradsky said. The university is also required to provide notice of violations to city and county authorities, he said.

Hradsky also stated that the anticipated return of students to the Carrier Dome before the end of men’s and women’s basketball season is now “in question” due to the parties. Gov. Andrew Cuomo had said a limited number of fans could return as soon as Feb. 23.

– Asst. News Editor Sarah Alessandrini contributed reporting to this article.

Published on February 12, 2021 at 12:39 pm

Contact Chris: cjhippen@syr.edu