Three Illinois Wesleyan University students who allegedly injured a classmate during a fraternity hazing incident could be suspended or expelled, according to IWU Dean of Students Karla Carney-Hall. “It’s just so incredibly disappointing, maddening, appalling that it would happen on our campus,” Carney-Hall said.
She said the university has suspended all Sigma Chi operations while the investigation continues.
The injured student is back in class. The student sustained injuries to his forehead. A photo on social media showed the student's forehead was badly bruised and cut.
Karney-Hall said the university discusses violence prevention with student organizations, but she said hazing remains a problem on college campuses everywhere.
“We can’t seem to get rid of it,” she said. “For this age group, it seems to be something they consider to be a rite of passage. That is absolutely unacceptable and does not need to be in our organizations.”
Carney-Hall said IWU’s code of conduct is clear that acts of violence won’t be tolerated, adding the university will explore more ways to prevent hazing on campus.
“Some of it is little and feels more like a nuisance and annoying and aggravating and then some of it becomes much more problematic Then there is the dumb and dangerous side of things,” Carney-Hall said.
She said university administration was first alerted to the incident through a social media post and later the fraternity reported it to the university.
Editor's note: WGLT updated this story to decribe the injuries the student sustained in the hazing incident.
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