Indiana University fraternity suspended due to hazing

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) - An Indiana University fraternity has been suspended due to repeated rule violations, including hazing incidents.

The Delta Tau Delta national fraternity announced the suspension of its chapter at the university Monday, the Herald-Times (http://bit.ly/2iGkkEW ) reported. Members will have to move their belongings out of the house by Jan. 29 at 5 p.m. However, IU spokeswoman Margie Smith-Simmons noted that while residents of the chapter house will have access until then, no visitors will be allowed.

Delta Tau Delta executive vice president Jim Russell said he doesn't expect the suspension to last forever, but there's no timeline on how long it'll last.

Russell said chapter members can still appeal the fraternity's decision before its governing body. But the next meeting for that group isn't scheduled until June.

"Delta Tau Delta at Indiana University has ceased to exist," Russell said.

The organization's decision to suspend the IU chapter came from the members' failure to meet a new operating plan that was to be implemented in the 2016-17 school year. The national fraternity identified the recent hazing incidents from different sources, which include IU officials, said Russell.

The Delta Tau Delta executive vice president declined to comment on what specific forms of hazing occurred.

Assistant dean of students Steve Veldkamp said the university was conducting its own investigation into reports of hazing made to IU's Office of Student Ethics when the national fraternity decided to suspend the chapter.

The chapter was established on the university's campus in 1887.

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Information from: The Herald Times, http://www.heraldtimesonline.com