OHIO — The Beta Chapter of Delta Tau Delta at Ohio University has been suspended for four years after an investigation found the fraternity allegedly violated multiple student conduct codes, including hazing and forcing others to consume alcohol.
The nine violations the chapter is facing are:
- Furnishing false information to university officials
- Alcohol Beverages Violation: Selling, distributing or furnishing alcohol
- Alcohol Beverages Violation: Furnishing or causing to be furnished/alcohol to intoxicated persons
- Alcohol Beverages Violation: Student organizations
- Disruptive Conduct: Causing, inciting or participating in any disturbance
- Disruptive Conduct: Failure to Comply
- Harmful Behavior: Reckless but not accidental behavior
- Hazing: Coerced consumption
- Violation of University Policy: Interim 44.102/Presidential health directives
The Delta Tau Delta fraternity was one of two fraternities at the university that received cease and desist letters in February. Alpha Phi Alpha was notified in March that its cease and desist has been lifted, according to Ohio University's student-run publication The Post.
The suspension comes amid a push to expel hazing activities on campuses around the state.
On July 6, Gov. Mike DeWine signed the Ohio Anti-Hazing Act, commonly known as Collin's Law. The bill is named after Collin Wiant, a Ohio University student who died following a hazing incident in 2018.
The law, which goes into effect this fall, will make hazing a second-degree misdemeanor. It is currently a fourth-degree misdemeanor. It also widens the list of officials who are required to report it, and if they don't, they will be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor.
Collin's Law will increase criminal penalties for hazing which includes forced consumption of drugs and alcohol. It widens the scope for whom can be punished for participating in the act and will have all student organizations on college campuses report any student conduct violations they have had every six months.
The Wiant family first advocated for the Ohio General Assembly to pass Collin's Law in 2019. It passed the Ohio House last year but didn't make it past the Senate before the end of the session.
Renewed push for the law came after the March 7 death of Stone Foltz, 20, a freshman at Bowling Green State University. Foltz was found unconscious by his roommate in early March after attending an alleged hazing event at Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.
His roommate came home and found him facedown on a couch and still breathing, according to the lawsuit. His roommate then said Foltz stopped breathing, and his face and ears turned purple and blue.
According to the coroner, his blood alcohol content was roughly five times Ohio’s legal limit. Foltz drank the equivalent of 40 shots, the attorney said.
Delta Tau Delta will be eligible for reinstatement in 2025.
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