A sorority member at the University of Arizona alleges she was sexually assaulted by two men at a Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house in late August. The student told university police she consensually kissed one of the men on August 26 but does not remember agreeing to sex, according to search warrant records posted by KOLD-TV in Tucson. She recalled consuming tequila, witnessing the assault, and waking up without pants or underwear, also noting difficulty swallowing, potentially indicating strangulation. One of the men, in a recorded call, acknowledged sex but claimed consent, denying the involvement of the other man. The University of Arizona had suspended activities for its 21 fraternities two weeks prior due to reports of misconduct, including assault, hazing, and drug- and alcohol-related behavior, lifting suspensions for all but five. Sigma Phi Epsilon was already on probation for a hazing complaint. The university police investigation is ongoing, with no arrests made as of Tuesday, and the Pima County Attorney’s Office has not received the case for prosecution. A similar allegation of sexual assault involving multiple fraternity members is under investigation at Cornell University.
At Cornell University, a former student alleges multiple Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted her in October 2024, sparking protests and scrutiny of the school’s disciplinary system.
Our reading is that these reports suggest a pattern of alleged misconduct within the Greek life system at multiple universities. The University of Arizona’s recent suspension and reinstatement of fraternities, coupled with the ongoing investigation into Sigma Phi Epsilon, highlights potential systemic issues. The parallel case at Cornell University and the recent lawsuits at the University of Chicago further reinforce the impression that allegations of sexual assault within fraternities are not isolated incidents.
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