After an interim suspension raised questions about a campus fraternity last week, Pi Kappa Phi fraternity announced Thursday the official closure of its Beta Theta chapter at the UA.
The final decision was made by the national governing board after the chapter was found in violation of the fraternity’s risk management policy, specifically pertaining to social event management, according to Justin Angotti, assistant executive director of education and accountability at Pi Kappa Phi.
Reports of conduct violations were first sent to the governing board earlier this semester, Angotti said. The fraternity then began working with Fraternity and Sorority Programs and the Dean of Students Office to investigate and adjudicate the reports.
On Tuesday, the chapter was placed on an interim action suspension by the national organization, pending the outcome of the investigation, according to Angotti.
If the chapter was found to be in violation of Pi Kappa Phi’s standards of conduct, the chapter would then receive sanctions, said Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity CEO Mark E. Timmes in a press release on Tuesday.
Two days later, UA members were told that the chapter had been officially closed.
“At this point, all chapter activities are to cease … the chapter is truly closed, so there will be no Pi Kappa Phi activities at the University of Arizona,” Angotti said.
The fraternity will remain closed until the chapter can redeem its recognition at the UA in 2016.
Any current initiated members will be moved to alumni status within the national organization, and will no longer be considered student members, Angotti said. Any uninitiated members have been released of their obligations to Pi Kappa Phi and are free to join another fraternity.
At this point, no other disciplinary action has been taken against any individual members other than the closure, according to Angotti.
Fraternity members declined to comment regarding both the suspension and closure.
“[It’s] always a difficult decision to close a chapter but … the decision of the national council is ultimately closure and we are appreciative of the partnership with the university,” Angotti said.
On Thursday, another press release was sent out around the same time members received notice of the closure.
“Although closing a chapter is never an easy decision, the national organization expects our students to uphold and abide by the fraternity’s risk management policy and standards of conduct,”
Timmes said in the release. “Pi Kappa Phi recognizes that regardless of how large a chapter is, the true distinction between a fraternity experience and that of a ‘social club’ is accountability to our shared standards and values.”
The fraternity currently has more than 100,000 members and approximately 177 active chapters spanning across 43 states, according to its website.
“Pi Kappa Phi remains committed to our partnership with the University of Arizona,” Timmes said. “We look forward to the chapter’s return to campus in the coming years.”
