Chi Phi nationals deliver sanctions to UNC chapter

Following an investigation of new member violations by the national Chi Phi fraternity, UNC’s chapter will be put on social probation for one year and must hire a resident adviser.

“After a thorough investigation and review of the facts, the Chi Phi Grand Council has agreed to a course of corrective action that will ensure the Alpha-Alpha Chapter at UNC-Chapel Hill is in compliance with national standards and values,” said Michael Azarian, executive director of Chi Phi’s national chapter, in a statement.

The statement did not elaborate on what the sanctions were or what the violations were specifically, but a spokesman for the Southern Order Memorial Foundation , which owns the Chi Phi house on South Columbia Street, clarified the sanctions in a statement.

The spokesman said despite media speculation that the investigation is in some way connected to pledge David Shannon’s death in October 2012 , it is only related to events that occurred in fall 2013.

UNC is also conducting its own investigation of the fraternity.

Aaron Bachenheimer, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Community Involvement, and UNC spokeswoman Karen Moon both said that the University has not yet been officially notified of the national fraternity’s decision.

Greek Judicial Board chairman Fields Pierce explained that all social functions must be curtailed for the duration of the probation.

“The way it was described to me is, ‘If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck,’” he said.

“If somebody is walking past the street and saw Chi Phi having a tailgate, with music going and red Solo cups out, it’s probably a social function.”

Pierce said the national fraternity will have to decide whether this particular probation eliminates the chapter’s next two rush seasons.

“Up to this point the (investigation) process had been totally national,” he said. “We let a driving force run the investigation and thus far that driving force has been the national.”

Pierce said UNC always cooperates with the national organization during investigations, but the sanctions issued by each group rely on separate deliberative processes.

“The University will not use that (decision by the national) to determine whether or not they are responsible for the allegation; however, in the sanctioning process, we would like to utilize that information in determining our own sanctions,” he said.

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