The fraternity was on double secret probation. Update to this story.
Via The College Fix:
Syracuse University is not letting up on 18 students it has charged with threatening “the mental health or safety or anyone” and “words or video that go beyond the bounds of free speech” for their acts in leaked satirical videos.
Even while the lawsuit against the university by five Theta Tau pledges and members forestalls their punishment through final exams, Syracuse has offered most of the charged brothers at least one year’s suspension, and expulsion for the rest, one of their lawyers told The College Fix.
“The U has since served additional notice on the students advising them they are now facing sexual harassment/assault/failure to prevent same charges under Title IX,” Smith Sovik lawyer Karen Felter wrote in an email Tuesday:
We believe this was done in order to expand the investigation to include anyone present while the videos were created. We also believe this was done to justify the hold the U has put on the students’ transcripts.
The private university’s designated expert on free speech, who fought against Syracuse’s previous punishment of student satire years ago, told The Fix he’s not ready to judge the propriety of the disciplinary proceeding until it plays out.
‘Responsible as a group for harassment’ because others felt ‘afraid’
Syracuse has received a steady stream of bad news since it promised “legal” action against the students the same day it learned of the videos made during a Theta Tau “roast” ceremony.
The district attorney refused to prosecute the students, contradicting the university’s claims that their behavior was potentially criminal.