CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The longest-standing active fraternity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) has been shut down by its national office
The UNC chapter of Alpha Tau Omega was closed by the fraternity’s national Board of Directors following repeated alcohol policy violations and reports of alleged misconduct and behavioral issues against the organization and its members, CBS reports.
RELATED: What the Stop Campus Hazing Act Means for Universities and Legal Liability
ATO CEO Wynn Smiley told The Daily Tarheel that the fraternity was also financially dishonest, allowing nationally expelled members to pay rent and fees and relying on profits earned from an event promotion company the members started.
“I would probably call it a scheme,” Smiley said. “Would you not call it a scheme? Sounds pretty scheme-y to me.”
ATO’s board ultimately voted to close the chapter after the organization provided “several interventions,” including two membership reviews, drug testing, educational programs, and visits from staff members. UNC followed suit, revoking ATO’s status as a recognized student organization.
Alpha Tau Omega Members Speak Out
Two members of ATO agreed to speak to The Daily Tarheel on condition of anonymity. One brother said the chapter was home to “rampant hazing, underage drinking, and drug use.” The violations were reported to the university, the brother said, and the ATO chapter was initially put on social probation, banning them from participating in social events.
UNC then reported these issues to the national office, initiating ATO’s first review and intervention process. When the national board ultimately expelled about half of the chapter’s members, they had to resort to other methods to stay up and running, the second brother said.
RELATED: College Hazing Death Database: 122 People Have Died in Last 25 Years
“Obviously, a fraternity cannot function financially on half of its members, so brothers who were kicked out nationally kept living in [the] house and paying rent, as that was the only way to pay the bills,” he wrote.
According to ATO’s website, the UNC chapter was established in 1879, making it the longest active fraternity at the university.
