KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On Thursday, March 10, the University of Tennessee said the Mu Rho chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity was suspended and the earliest it could return would be in spring 2027.
The suspension resulted in 17 fraternity organizations facing disciplinary actions in total at the college. There are only 16 other organizations in good standing at UT. More fraternity organizations at UT are facing disciplinary actions than are in good standing.
A report was filed on Nov. 29, 2021, about incidents involving the Mu Rho chapter. Officials said the chapter was found responsible for violating policies related to hazing, harming others, alcohol-related conduct and providing alcohol to underage people.
Officials said the incidents happened at several locations off-campus, and on Dec. 3 the fraternity was placed on interim actions from UT administrators meant to protect the safety of members and the wellbeing of the community, according to officials.
Information about those administrative actions was not immediately available.
On March 10, officials said the Mu Rho chapter accepted UT's recommendation for it to be suspended. They said the Division of Student Life would sign a memorandum of understanding with Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.'s international headquarters as part of the suspension.
That memorandum of understanding will lay out plans for the chapter to return to the university. However, they said the earliest it could return would be in 5 years.
In December 2021, UT also released documents after its oldest fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega, was suspended. They said they were suspended due to repeatedly violating policies related to hazing, drinking games and intense physical training.
In a Notice of Allegations, obtained through an open records request in December, UT outlined several "pointless activities designed to reinforce a hierarchy of Members over [New Members]." They included requiring new members to drink alcohol until they were drunk, pouring alcohol on them, throwing glass bottles at them and telling them to "consume unsavory concoctions of food and/or drinks."