SMU's Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity suspended after hazing discovered

DALLAS - SMU has suspended the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity from campus for four and a half years after a hazing investigation.

The university would not release details of the investigation, but the campus newspaper reported there were a number of hazing incidents -- including forcing new members to eat onions and hot sauce and requiring or encouraging them to consume alcohol.

“SMU will not tolerate hazing in any form,” SMU said in a statement, adding that the suspension comes as a response to operational and new member incidents.

PIKE is the third fraternity to be suspended in two years. Kappa Alpha Order was suspended last fall after allegations of hazing and Lambda Chi Alpha was suspended by its national chapter in 2016. Both of those chapters aren’t allowed to return until 2021.

“I love a lot of those guys in that fraternity and I'm sad to see this happen to them,” sophomore Michael Bresnahan. “I did not personally see anything that was questionable in my mind but I wasn't spending all that much time with them.”

When asked about whether the university faces a systemic problem within the fraternity culture at SMU and if there would be campus-wide discussions, the university responded by pointing out leaders and advisers of Greek organizations receive in-person training about the dangers of hazing and substance abuse. It added that all students are advised on the repercussions of hazing twice per school year.

“I think it's just that people hold onto things that were acceptable in the past nowadays, people, the administration, society in general is saying that these things can't go on in Greek life anymore,” said sophomore Nicholas Cerovski. “I think these kind of events detract from the great things that Greek life actually does on campus. I would hope people look past that.”