iStock(ATHENS, Ohio) — Ohio University has suspended 20 student organizations, including all of its fraternities, over hazing allegations that are roiling the campus.
The public university received reports of hazing last week against nine fraternities, prompting the school to suspend all 15 of its fraternities, spokesman Carly Leatherwood told ABC News on Friday.
“It escalated so quickly and there were so many” people coming forward with allegations, Leatherwood said.
The six fraternities that did not have specific hazing allegations against them are working on a plan to be reinstated.
Five more allegations were reported this week against three sororities, one business fraternity and the marching band, resulting in the additional suspensions.
Leatherwood would not detail any specifics of the allegations but said police had determined that there was “no actionable criminal activity” in all but one of the allegations.
Police are still reviewing allegations against one fraternity, according to Leatherwood. Calls to Athens police were not immediately returned.
Leatherwood said the school is investigating all the hazing claims.
“Any time we have allegations come forward, we take them very seriously,” she said. “These measures were all taken to preserve the safety and security of our students.”
Despite the suspension for the marching band, the 245 members of Marching Band 110 will still be allowed to participate in school-sanctioned activities, like the Homecoming Parade, that count as academic credit. However, they cannot participate in any social gatherings.
Calls to the marching band and the director of sorority and fraternity life were not returned.
More than 2,000 students — or around one in eight undergraduates — are involved in Greek life at the school.
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