This story was updated on Oct. 23 at 4:30 p.m.
The Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity is currently being investigated by the Dean of Students Office for violating multiple rules in the Student Code of Conduct policy.
The violations of the student policy are thought to have occurred as a result of an unregistered event that was held at the fraternity house on Sept. 27, said Johanne Ives, assistant dean of students for Fraternity & Sorority Programs.
In addition, court documents reveal that a member of Sigma Alpha Mu is being investigated for an alleged sexual assault that occurred at the fraternity house.
According to the documents, the investigation began earlier this month after a female student told the University of Arizona Police Department she was sexually assaulted by a member of the fraternity at a party held at the fraternity house on Sept. 26.
Sigma Alpha Mu is currently under interim suspension from all activities that include alcohol, according to the Fraternity & Sorority Programs website, as a result of an ongoing investigation regarding an unregistered event that occurred on Sept. 27.
Scott Koren, the president of Sigma Alpha Mu, had no comment regarding the current investigation.
Leland Manders, executive director for Sigma Alpha Mu’s national headquarters, also had no comment on the sexual assault investigation; however, he did say the chapter is suspended from all social activities until the entire investigation is complete.
Ives said she is unaware of any other investigation that may be going on regarding the fraternity or its members.
Ives said the ongoing investigation by the Dean of Students Office is for an unregistered event that violated Student Code of Conduct policies two and 15.
Policy number two is about “creating an environment where university community members could be in reasonable harm’s way,” Ives said.
Policy number 15 states that breaking university rules on the use of alcohol is also a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.
Ives said someone reported the consumption of alcohol by underage individuals as well as a health and safety concern that occurred from the consumption of alcohol.
The fraternity received a notification letter on Oct. 6 regarding the investigation and an interim suspension of all activities that include alcohol was put in place, Ives said.
Ives added that the fraternity is not on full interim suspension, which would mean a total loss of recognition as a university fraternity. The fraternity is only suspended from anything having to do with alcohol, she said.
According to the Fraternity & Sorority Programs website, there are currently eight other chapters that are under current judicial investigations.
The chapters include: the Alpha Sigma Phi, Delta Tau Delta, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Chi, Theta Chi and Zeta Beta Tau fraternities and the Sigma Kappa sorority .
These chapters, like Sigma Alpha Mu, are under suspension from activities including alcohol.
According to Ives, the investigation can take three to four weeks, during which the organization has the opportunity to reply to the allegation.
Ives said while Sigma Alpha Mu has not been found guilty of violating any policy thus far, if it was, consequences could range anywhere from loss of university recognition to a warning from the Dean of Students Office and Fraternity & Sorority Programs.
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