BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — A Bowling Green State University sorority has been kicked off campus after a hazing investigation.
It's just been a year since the hazing-related death of Stone Foltz.
The university says Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority broke six code-of-conduct rules that date back to 2020.
"It's obviously like sad to see someone, the sororities like do actions like that. Of course, none of us probably support that. So there are consequences," said Isabella Roush, a second-year student at Bowling Green State University.
In a statement from BGSU, the school points to severe hazing which jeopardized the health and safety of students and the community.
According to the university, the hazing which happened in 2020 and 2021 was reported late last year.
The investigation found that members:
- provided locations and atmospheres for high-risk drinking
- physically struck potential members repeatedly in the face
- threatened potential members if they reported concerning behavior and told them they would be "jumped" for doing it
Rex Elliott is the attorney for Stone Foltz's family.
Foltz died a little over a year ago, after a night of hazing-related drinking.
His fraternity at the time, Pi Kappa Alpha, has since been removed from campus. Six former members of the fraternity go on trial in May.
Elliott says while the reaction from the school is positive, it's not enough.
"I applaud Bowling Green for taking action. But here's the problem. Bowling Green and other universities around this country prohibit hazing on their campuses," Elliott said. "That's what they say, but they are not actively enforcing these policies."
Roush, who isn't part of Greek life, says she has friends in sororities and they don't participate in this behavior.
"You shouldn't look down on other sororities for other people's choices. Obviously, they're gonna be a bunch of students in a sorority and some of them obviously don't make the best decisions," Roush said.
But for those who do haze, Elliott says unless universities are more proactive, hazing will never go away.
"Actively monitor these organizations and if they don't, these kids are gonna continue to do this. Secondarily, the national organizations must do a better job of policing their own," said Elliott.
While those accused of participating in Stone Foltz's death await trial, Elliott has strong words for those who haze.
"The reality is these kids on these campuses stand a much better chance of being in the position of these six kids that are going through trial than they do of being Stone Foltz. It will destroy their lives. They will go to jail. They get expelled from college. It's on their record forever," said Elliott.
University officials say the sorority did not have a house on or off-campus because it's a smaller chapter. BGSU has referred the matter to the city of Bowling Green's police division for further investigation.