Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity was investigated for hazing after students saw members doing push-ups upon hearing a certain word.
The fraternity is not currently on limited operations, Levi Harrel, assistant director of student development, said Sept. 19.
The investigation began Sept. 8 after officials saw tweets about potential hazing. Members of Lambda Chi Alpha were doing push-ups in the cafeteria, when some students took to Twitter to voice their confusion about the activities.
The official OCU Lambda Chi Alpha profile retweeted a few of the tweets, including:
Why are the Lambda Chis getting turnt it’s 8:44 on a Tuesday night
— Lauren Urso (@LaurenUrso) September 7, 2016
They also liked a tweet that read:
@LaurenUrso lambda chis were spotted making e/other do pushups in the caf earlier. went on for a solid 15 minutes
— Coop (@swervinthrulief) September 7, 2016
The Lambda Chi account posted the following tweet Sept. 7:
The men of Lambda Chi like to stay in shape. You have been warned. #chopsontop
— OCU Lambda Chi Alpha (@OCULXA) September 7, 2016
Justis Huddleston, mass communications/political science senior, posted the following response on Twitter:
I mean, I guess hazing your pledges is one thing; but forgetting to tell them not to announce the tactics to an entire class is another.
— Justis Huddleston (@JustisHudd) September 7, 2016
“It was just an offhand joke,” said Huddleston, who is a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. “I didn’t know it would blow up.”
Huddleston said he tweeted because he felt like Greek Life was being given a bad name.
“When you promote a bad stereotype of Greek Life, it doesn’t look bad on your fraternity, it looks bad on all of us,” he said.
Huddleston also said he was surprised this was happening so publicly.
“I’ve never really been one to throw people under the bus,” he said. “I don’t really care what goes on in the privacy of your own chapter or in the privacy of your basement. I know that Kappa Sigma isn’t down there hazing. I would hope the same of other houses. But when you bring it out into the public sphere, I do have a problem with it.”
Josh Hall, interfraternity council president, was unavailable for comment.
The university has a zero-tolerance policy with Panhellenic and IFC regarding hazing, which is consistent with Oklahoma state law.
“We take all allegations of hazing seriously and will follow up on all reports appropriately,” Dr. Amy Ayres, vice president of student affairs and dean of students, wrote in an email.
Lambda Chi Alpha was suspended last academic year for hazing and was not allowed to participate in events, including Homecoming.
“It had been my understanding that hazing was zero tolerance at OCU, but I guess it’s not, Huddleston said. “I’ve been concerned with the decline of Greek Life over my past four and a half years, so, to see it decline or degrade any further through an action of IFC or administration concerns me for the future of Greek Life, which is already in jeopardy.”
Dawson MacLeod, fraternity rush chair and member of Lambda Chi Alpha, said 27 out of about 34 men accepted bids this semester to campus fraternities. Last year, 41 men received and accepted bids.
Stephen Lashley, president of Lambda Chi Alpha, refused to comment.
Did anyone bother to ask why they were doing pushups? I was in Lambda Chi when I was at OCU and it was a different world with the drinking age at 18. There was never any hazing though. Doing push-ups in the cafeteria is better than all of them being drunk in the street or doing something inappropriate to the Sigs. The people that voiced concern were just trying to cause trouble. If you want to see hazing, join the Marine Corps like I did! Grow up and stop letting things hurt your feelings so much. Get over it!!