Nearly 50 members of a fraternity at the University of New Hampshire have been charged for an alleged hazing incident.
WMUR-TV reports arrest warrants were issued earlier this week for 46 members of the university’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) chapter. The alleged hazing incident took place at the fraternity house on April 13, authorities said.
A warrant also charges the fraternity’schapter with student hazing, The charge is punishable by a fine of up to $20,000 when brought against an organization.
As of Friday, 10 members of the fraternity have been arrested. They were released on hand summonses and will appear in court on July 13. The members face a misdemeanor charge of student hazing, which is punishable by a fine of up to $1,200.
UNH spokeswoman Erika Mantz has released a statement confirming that the fraternity has been suspended.
“We were made aware of the incident by the fraternity’s national headquarters and immediately notified the Durham Police Department,” Mantz said. “We have cooperated with police throughout the investigation, and the fraternity was interim suspended pending the outcome of the police investigation. We take any allegation of hazing very seriously, and now that the police investigation is complete, we will be initiating a formal conduct process.”
Meanwhile the national Sigma Alpha Epsilon organization responded to the investigation in its own statement.
“The Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity Service Center was made aware of an incident in April involving members of our chapter at the University of New Hampshire,” the organization said. “Upon learning of the alleged incident, SAE immediately issued a Cease and Desist of the chapter, began our own investigation, and informed The University of New Hampshire’s administration. SAE’s investigation was paused upon being notified about the opening of a police investigation. We are fully cooperating with the local authorities’ investigation and have urged all of our members to do the same.”
The statement concluded, “Sigma Alpha Epsilon denounces all acts of hazing and misconduct that do not represent the Fraternity’s values defined by our creed, The True Gentleman.”
