A Louisiana State University fraternity has been shut down for violating hazing and alcohol policies, the university and fraternity said Tuesday.
It’s the second time in 16 months an LSU fraternity has made headlines. In September 2017, 18-year-old Max Gruver from Roswell died in a hazing incident while seeking membership in Phi Delta Theta. Four days later, the Phi Delta Theta national office said it removed the LSU group’s charter.
In the latest incident, Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity announced the closure of its LSU chapter. Few details were released, but the fraternity said the decision was a response to hazing and alcohol policy violations.
“Our No. 1 priority is that our chapters foster safe environments, and through our investigation, we found that the student members made choices inconsistent with the policies and values of Delta Kappa Epsilon,” said Doug Lanpher, DKE executive director, in an emailed statement. “DKE does not tolerate this kind of behavior in the fraternity and holds its chapters and members accountable for the choices they make.”
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An LSU spokesman said the university will conduct an investigation. The chapter was also placed on interim suspension, the university said.
The DKE chapter closing comes despite numerous changes and a new law named for Gruver. The Max Gruver Act, signed into Louisiana law in May, toughens punishments for hazing. People who participate in hazing that leads to an alcohol-related death face up to five years in prison and fines of up to $10,000.
In February, LSU President F. King Alexander announced the university’s tougher stance on hazing. Any future incidents involving hazing will result in groups being removed from campus and expulsion, King said.
Gruver graduated from Blessed Trinity High School and planned to study journalism at LSU. At the time of his death, Gruver had an alcohol level of .495 percent — more than six times the legal limit for drivers.
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