A message about hazing from Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Lori Reesor

Dear students,

I hope you are settling well into the semester, enjoying your classes and getting involved on campus. I’m writing today with an update on UW–Madison’s efforts to create a safe and welcoming community for all.

You may have heard in the news this week about a hazing incident involving an unrecognized student group called Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi). I was tremendously disappointed to see the allegations and images of what took place. To be clear, this situation did not involve an official chapter of UW–Madison’s Fraternity & Sorority Life community, but a student group whose status with the university was terminated in 2015.

We appreciate that national AEPi officials issued a cease-and-desist directive on Thursday, requiring the group to immediately end all activities. The national organization will investigate the group’s activities, and UW–Madison’s Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards will do the same for individual students involved. Any student determined to be in violation of law, regulation, or university policy may be subject to sanctions according to Wis. Admin. Code Chapter UWS 17.

Let me be clear — there is no place for hazing on our campus. A healthy campus community should encourage, uplift, and help you reach your social, academic, and professional pursuits — we must take care of one another. Comprehensive information about UW–Madison’s commitment to stop hazing, including hazing prevention and response resources for students, can be found on the university’s Stop Hazing website.

I ask you to be part of creating a community that makes us all proud to be a Badger.

Sincerely,

Lori Reesor
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs