Student Conduct and Community Standards

Status of Student Organizations

Brown University expects all recognized student organizations to act as responsible members of the University community and to uphold the Student Code of Conduct. When organizations are reported for alleged violations, the University follows established policies and procedures to investigate and, when appropriate, hold organizations accountable.

This page lists student organizations that are not currently in good standing with the University, as well as those that have been previously sanctioned. We share this information so that students and organizations can make informed decisions about their involvement on campus and promote a culture of accountability and responsibility within our community.

For a comprehensive overview of policies and procedures, please refer to the Code of Student Conduct and the Conduct Process and Procedures.

Community Status

Violations of the Code may result in one or more community statuses.

Probation is a designated period of time during which the student group is given the opportunity to demonstrate the ability to abide by the community’s expectations of behavior articulated in the Code. Conditions regarding participation in University-sponsored activities may be imposed. Student groups on this community status are considered to not be in good community standing.

Suspension is de-recognition from the University for a designated period of time, after which the suspended student group may petition the Dean of Students for re-recognition by the University. The petition must demonstrate that the student group has satisfied any terms of the suspension. A student group that has been suspended has lost all rights and privileges associated with being a recognized student group at the University. This includes, but is not limited to, hosting and sponsoring events, meeting as a group, recruiting new members, receiving University funding, and reserving space as a group on or off campus. For all intents and purposes, a student group does not exist in the Brown community when it loses recognition.

Expulsion is permanent de-recognition from the University. A student group that has been expelled has lost all rights and privileges associated with being a recognized student group at the University. This includes, but is not limited to, hosting and sponsoring events, meeting as a group, recruiting new members, receiving University funding, and reserving space as a group on or off campus. For all intents and purposes, a student group does not exist in the Brown community when it loses recognition.

In cases where no community status is assigned, the student group’s letter of responsibility and outcomes will serve as a written notice that the Code has been violated. In these cases, the student group is still considered to be in good community standing.

Student Organizations with Active Sanctions

The following organizations have active conduct sanctions in place. Students should review the circumstances surrounding the sanctions before considering their involvement.

Suspended: Buxton International House

Incident Date: February 24, 2021

Incident Description: Buxton International House was alleged to have conducted rush interviews in which prospective members entered a zoom room where interviewers used fake names and did not have their cameras turned on. It was also alleged that prospective members were asked embarrassing and intimate personal questions and were asked to sing and dance for the assembled group members.

Hearing Type: Student Conduct Board

Hearing Date: September 13, 2021

Responsible for the Following Charges:

D.10 Harm to Person(s)

Outcomes:

Suspension: Effective on December 19, 2018, Buxton International House is suspended from Brown University until the Fall 2020 semester. Suspension is a designated period of time during which a student organization loses recognition by the University and access to University services. A suspended student organization must cease all organizational activities and turn over all funds (including, but not limited to, those maintained in any bank accounts and any cash on hand) to the Student Activities Office. Buxton International House will lose its program housing, and some or all members of the current chapter of Buxton International House residing in the house will be required to move to other on-campus housing as assigned by the Office of Residential Life. All common areas in the Buxton House will be returned to general use and will be re-keyed as necessary. The organization may be assessed any costs and fees for damage and cleanup of these common areas.
Surrender of Funds: The organization is required to submit an accounting of all funds currently maintained by the organization, whether through an official Brown account, other bank accounts, cash, or other forms of currency by February 1, 2019. All funds must be turned over to the Student Activities Office by February 15, 2019.

__________

Incident date: April 27, 2018

Incident description: Buxton House was alleged to have hosted unregistered social gatherings with alcohol present on or about April 27 and April 28, 2018. Attendees attempted to access the roof, and trash was littered throughout the area. The event on or about April 28, 2018, hosted an estimated 250-300 people.

Hearing date: December 14, 2018

Responsible for the following charges: Offense III Violation of Operational Rules, Offense VI(a) Illegal or Unauthorized Possession or Use of Alcohol

Outcomes: Suspension (Groups)
Status End: September 1, 2020

Suspended: Delta Phi

Incident date: February 25, 2025
Incident description: Delta Phi was alleged to have participated in pledging activities resulting in the physical harm of a student and did not adhere to policies on registering potential new members. Additionally, it was alleged that the organization permitted smoking marijuana in the library of their assigned residence hall.
Hearing date: February 10, 2026
Responsible for the following charges: 3.4.6.1 Disruption of Fire Safety; 3.4.8.1 Illegal or Unauthorized Possession or Use of Drugs; 3.4.8.4 Possession of Drug Paraphernalia on Campus; 3.4.12 Hazing; 3.4.11.1 Harm to Person(s) - Physical Harm; 3.4.24 Violation of Operational Rules
Outcomes: Suspension (Groups) until May 31, 2027; Probation (Groups) until May 31, 2028; Loss of Use of Common Space until May 31, 2028; Organizational Learning and Engagement; Develop New Leadership Structure
Status End: May 31, 2027 and May 31, 2028

__________

Incident date: October 2, 2023
Incident description: Delta Phi is alleged to have hosted gatherings with alcohol and a drinking game table in their residential lounge space.
Hearing date: October 20, 2023
Responsible for the following charges: D.01.a Alcohol (possession/use); D.01.d Alcohol (paraphernalia); D.24 Violation of Operational Rules
Outcomes: Probation (Groups); Student Group Outcome Communication; Organizational Learning and Engagement
Status End: March 15, 2024

__________

Incident date: October 20, 2022
Incident description: Residential Life staff members allegedly entered Delta Phi's locked and designated lounge space in October and November to find alcohol and alcohol paraphernalia.
Hearing date: November 11, 2022
Responsible for the following charges: D.01.a Alcohol (possession/use); D.01.c Alcohol (provision); D.24 Violation of Operational Rules
Outcomes: No Community Status Assigned (Groups); Student Group Outcome Communication; Organizational Learning and Engagement; Additional Terms
Status End: N/A

__________

Incident date: November 16, 2020
Incident description: Staff members allegedly discovered alcohol in Delta Phi's assigned lounge space. It was also alleged that on February 13, 2021, Delta Phi hosted a large gathering in their assigned lounge space.
Hearing date: March 22, 2021
Responsible for the following charges: D.01.a Alcohol (possession/use)
Outcomes: No Community Status Assigned (Groups); Student Group Outcome Communication; Organizational Learning and Engagement
Status End: N/A

Suspended: Phi Kappa Psi

Suspended: Sigma Chi

Incident date: March 13, 2019

Incident description: Sigma Chi hosted unregistered events where alcohol was provided to new members under the legal drinking age, resulting in two new members being transported to the hospital. Sigma Chi also hosted a different unregistered event that was loud enough for the Providence Police Department and Department of Public Safety to be called. The fraternity had been instructed to cease all organizational activities, including social events, at the time of this incident. Finally, Sigma Chi engaged in hazing activities that included underage pledges consuming alcohol and requiring pledges to perform tasks for fraternity members in order to collect signatures.

Hearing date: August 29, 2019

Responsible for the following charges:

Offense III: Violation of operational rules governing various offices, departments, and facilities of the University (e.g., Residential Life, Student Activities Office, Dining Services, Computing and Information Services, the Libraries).
Offense IV(a): Misrepresentation: Lying or materially misrepresenting information to an official University body or officer, including a member of the Department of Public Safety.
Offense VI(a): Alcohol: Illegal or unauthorized possession or use of alcohol.
Offense VI(c): Alcohol: Sale or possession with intent to sell/provide alcohol.
Offense XI: Actions that result in or can be reasonably expected to result in harm to a person or persons.
Offense XVI: Hazing: Method of initiation into or conduct of any student organization or group, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person.

Outcomes:

Sigma Chi will be suspended from Brown University until the Fall 2024 semester. Suspension is de-recognition from the University for a designated period of time. A student group that has been suspended has lost all rights and privileges associated with being a recognized student group at the University. This includes, but is not limited to, hosting and sponsoring events, meeting as a group, recruiting new members, receiving University funding, and reserving space as a group on or off campus. For all intents and purposes, a student group does not exist in the Brown community when it loses recognition.
Sigma Chi will lose its housing and all common areas in the house will be returned to general use and will be re-keyed as necessary. Sigma Chi may be assessed any costs and fees for damage and cleanup of these common areas.
Due to this suspension, any initiated members of Sigma Chi may not join another Greek-letter organization at Brown University.

Surrender of Funds: The organization is required to submit an accounting of all funds currently maintained by the organization, whether through an official Brown account, other bank accounts, cash, or other forms of currency by September 20, 2019. All funds not overseen by Sigma Chi International office must be turned over to the Student Activities Office by September 27, 2019.

Student Organization Conduct History

This list contains organizations that the University has previously sanctioned.

Alpha Delta Phi

Beta Rho Pi

Brown SJP

Collegiate Consulting Group

Delta Tau

Environmental North House

Harambee House

Immigration Rights Coalition

Kappa Delta

King House

Korean American Students Association

Men’s Swimming & Diving

Theta Alpha

Incident date: February 20, 2018
Incident description: Theta Alpha is alleged to have taken a composite group photograph for 2016-2017 that depicted shirtless new members with writing on their bodies and inappropriate identity-based nicknames. An agreement was made with Theta Alpha leadership not to include those elements in the 2017-2018 composite photograph, but the composite proof shared on December 4, 2018, allegedly still depicted shirtless new members and inappropriate identity-based nicknames.
Hearing date: March 22, 2019
Responsible for the following charges: Offense V Failure to Comply
Outcomes: No Community Status Assigned (Groups); Organizational Learning and Engagement; Additional Terms
Status End: N/A

__________

Incident date: October 17, 2020
Incident description: Theta Alpha is alleged to have hosted a gathering of 15-20 students with alcohol in the fraternity's first-floor lounge that was loud enough to receive a noise complaint. In addition, it is alleged that on November 8, 2020, members or the organization held a gathering in a fourth-floor suite that involved alcohol, prohibited alcohol paraphernalia, a drinking games setup, and members not wearing masks.
Hearing date: June 24, 2021
Responsible for the following charges: D.01.a Alcohol (possession/use); D.01.c Alcohol (provision); D.04 Disruption of Community; D.08 Failure to Comply; D.10 Harm to Person(s); D.24 Violation of Operational Rules
Outcomes: Probation with Restrictions (Groups); Organizational Learning and Engagement; Additional Terms
Status End: December 21, 2021

__________

Incident date: March 17, 2022
Incident description: A keg was allegedly found in Theta Alpha's residence hall lounge.
Hearing date: April 7, 2022
Responsible for the following charges: D.01.d Alcohol (paraphernalia)
Outcomes: No Community Status Assigned (Groups); Student Group Outcome Communication; Additional Terms
Status End: N/A

__________

Incident date: January 11, 2023
Incident description: Residential Life staff inspected the Theta Alpha lounge in Chapin House on Monday, January 9th, and allegedly found it to be trashed with copious amounts of trash, open and unopened cans of alcohol, a live Christmas tree with lights plugged in, and multiple electric scooters plugged in. Additionally, Theta Alpha was alleged to have not completed the accompanying terms from its previous disciplinary case.
Hearing date: April 20, 2023
Responsible for the following charges: D.05.a Disruption of Fire Safety; D.14 Noncompliance with Terms; D.24 Violation of Operational Rules
Outcomes: Probation (Groups); Student Group Outcome Communication; Organizational Learning and Engagement; Additional Terms
Status End: May 31, 2023

__________

Incident date: March 19, 2023
Incident description: Residential Life staff allegedly found that the door handle to Theta Alpha's lounge space was tampered with and the lock was flipped. University signage and alcohol were allegedly present in the lounge.
Hearing date: October 25, 2023
Responsible for the following charges: D.14 Noncompliance with Terms
Outcomes: Probation (Groups); Student Group Outcome Communication; Letter of Apology; Additional Terms
Status End: May 31, 2024

Women’s Rugby

Zeta Delta Xi

Incident date: September 27, 2018
Incident description: Office of Residential Life staff allegedly found a sword, several writings on the basement walls, a bong, and hookah machines in the common space of Zeta Delta Xi's residence in Marcy House during residential room checks.
Hearing date: October 23, 2018
Responsible for the following charges: Offense VII(d) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; Offense X Weapons
Outcomes: No Community Status Assigned (Groups); Appointment with University Official; Organizational Learning and Engagement
Status End: N/A

__________

Incident date: February 21, 2022
Incident description: The Zeta Delta Xi name was alleged to have been listed on a sign detailing what was “allowed” to occur in a residence hall building on campus, which included violations of the Code of Student Conduct.
Hearing date: March 21, 2022
Responsible for the following charges: D.05.a Disruption of Fire Safety; D.24 Violation of Operational Rules
Outcomes: No Community Status Assigned (Groups); Educational Project; Individual Project
Status End: N/A

__________

Incident date: October 27, 2023
Incident description: Zeta Delta Xi was alleged to have hosted a large gathering with alcohol in their residential kitchen space that resulted in a noise complaint. Additionally, several people at the gathering allegedly did not follow the directives of the University staff who addressed the gathering.
Hearing date: November 15, 2023
Responsible for the following charges: D.01.a Alcohol (possession/use); D.08 Failure to Comply; D.24 Violation of Operational Rules
Outcomes: No Community Status Assigned (Groups); Student Group Outcome Communication; Organizational Learning and Engagement
Status End: N/A

__________

Incident date: December 16, 2024
Incident description: Residential Life staff allegedly found drug paraphernalia and evidence of smoking in Marcy House 004. In addition, alcohol was present in the refrigerator of Marcy House 008.
Hearing date: January 30, 2025
Responsible for the following charges: 3.4.8.1 Illegal or Unauthorized Possession or Use of Drugs; 3.4.8.4 Possession of Drug Paraphernalia on Campus
Outcomes: No Community Status Assigned (Groups); Additional Terms
Status End: N/A