Fraternity officials issue major update after 30 pledges found 'covered in food' in sweltering basement
A major update has been shared by fraternity officials following the discovery of 30 partially-clothed men in the basement of a fraternity house.
The men, all believed to be around the age of 18, were found on Wednesday evening (23 September) by police at Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house after an anonymous tip-off.
According to Madison Police, the young men were covered in food, condiments and other liquids, some had signs on their bodies of being physically assaulted and the thermostat in the basement of the building had been set to 81F (27C).
The gathering was deemed 'unlawful' by officers, who evacuated the house, and two fraternity members were later arrested.
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In response, Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) International has suspending all Madison chapter programming while an investigation into the 'alleged violations' of the fraternity's 'health and safety guidelines' takes place.
Jonathan Pierce, Chief Communications Officer for AEPi, issued a statement regarding the incident and pending investigation.
“AEPi has urged members to cooperate fully with the investigation, which will inform recommendations to the fraternity’s Supreme Board of Governors for further actions impacting the chapter and/or individual members," he said.
"Any decisions about the house on Langdon will be made following the conclusion of the investigations.”
In an email shared with The Daily Cardinal, Pierce said the AEPi Headquarters placed the chapter on 'cease and desist', which “prohibits new member meetings, social and brotherhood events, philanthropy events, chapter social media activity and other chapter gatherings, while permitting essential executive board administrative responsibilities to continue".
Madison Police Department and the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards are both conducting investigations into the incident.
The investigations were confirmed in an email sent to university students by Lori Reesor, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, in which she said there is 'no place for hazing on our campus'.
Fraternity hazing is described as any humiliating, abusive, or dangerous activity that required to join or stay in a college fraternity.
The two men arrested at the scene, both age 20, are the AEPi President and Vice President, according to police.
They were both present at the scene and spoke to responding officers, before being arrested for 'hazing' and 'disorderly conduct'. Both were taken to Dane County Jail.
Fraternity hazing is described as any humiliating, abusive, or dangerous activity that required to join or stay in a college fraternity.
A police report also states that Alpha Epsilon Pi is an 'unrecognised' and 'unaccredited' student organisation, which was 'terminated by the University of Wisconsin more than a decade ago'.
Danni King