SDSU bans Delta Sigma Phi fraternity after Take Back the Night taunts

A fraternity has been banned from San Diego State University after some of its members allegedly harassed marchers during an anti-sexual-violence event -- the breaking point for the university, campus officials said Tuesday.

“It was the final straw” after a history of misconduct, said Beth Chee, a San Diego State spokeswoman.

On Nov. 21, university students marched through campus as part of a national Take Back the Night event, which aimed to raise awareness about sexual violence.

According to KPBS, members of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity taunted marchers from a balcony and waved sex toys at them.

In consultation with the national office for the fraternity, the university sent the local chapter a letter Monday night that informed them that as of Tuesday it was closed.

The move ended what university officials said was a “consistent pattern” of alcohol misconduct, hazing and other campus policy violations by the fraternity. It won’t be able to open a chapter on the campus again until the fall of 2016 at the earliest, officials said.

“It recently became clear that certain members of Gamma Alpha Chapter have not maintained the integrity that our members deserve and that our history demands,” Delta Sigma Phi’s national office said in a statement. “A series of incidents highlighted behavior inconsistent with the high standards that have been synonymous with the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity at San Diego State University. … The fraternity cannot, and will not, tolerate blatant disregard toward our policies and standards for members and chapters.”

Individual fraternity members could face proceedings for alleged Title IX violations in connection with the Nov. 21 incident, Chee said.

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