Tufts Cancels Fraternity Activity Amid Hazing, Sexual Misconduct Reports

Social activity among fraternities has been banned by Tufts University amid reports of hazing and sexual misconduct, the school said in an email to students Friday.

In addition, all fraternities will be required to participate in sexual misconduct prevention training, an alcohol education session, and training with a national hazing prevention expert, administrators said.

A number of disturbing allegations came to light after Tufts junior Ben Kesslen wrote an opinion piece in the Tufts Observer on Nov. 7 about his experiences being hazed into an unnamed fraternity, urging NESCAC schools to abolish fraternities. Here are some of the allegations he made:

• "I know a woman who was sexually assaulted at a fraternity formal and a trans person who was called a faggot by brothers as they walked down Pro Row."
• "Fraternities claim to be founded on values like “brotherhood” and “loyalty” and “trust,” but in reality are institutions rooted in White supremacy, queerphobia, heterosexism, and transphobia."
• "Then, they brought two women—neither of whom were Tufts students—into the basement, who proceeded to disrobe and have sex with each other on a mattress on the basement floor while we were all told to watch."

In Friday's email to students, Tufts wrote, “In the wake of the Observer article, additional allegations of more recent misconduct have emerged.”

Kesslen's piece opened up a dialogue about fraternity culture on campus.

On Nov. 8, Tufts released a statement saying they would investigate those and other claims Kesslen made in the Observer.

On Nov. 9, the Tufts Panhellenic Society submitted an op-ed to the Tufts Daily, acknowledging being "complicit in perpetuating the hyper-masculinity and structural misogyny of fraternities through our social interactions with them." The society suggested all fraternities be suspended.

On Dec. 6, the Interfraternity Council also wrote an op-ed to the Daily, apologizing on behalf of the Tufts fraternities.

Photo courtesy of Eric Kilby via Flickr