Concerns arose after a video shows Sigma Alpha Epsilon members allegedly hazing on camps. NBC6’s Niko Clemmons reports
Officials at the University of Miami said they're investigating after disturbing videos appearing to show hazing at a fraternity on campus circulated online.
One of the videos shows a young man sitting in a trash can while other young men drink a liquid and then spit it out on the other young man's back.
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"That's nasty," someone says in the background of the video.
The University of Miami confirmed that Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the fraternity in question and said in a statement on Thursday that they're aware of the videos and confirmed the authenticity of one of them.
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“The University of Miami has received multiple reports related to alleged conduct violations by one of our fraternity chapters," the statement read. "We are aware of videos being circulated but can only confirm the authenticity of one video. A full investigation is underway."
Hazing involves strenuous and often humiliating tasks and rituals that are imposed on college students looking to be a part of a fraternity or sorority.
“Personally it's just not for me,” UM Junior Nick Giannakopoulos said. “I think that's a very extreme path to take to join a student organization.”
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“The risks and dangers associated with it just isn't worth it,” UM Junior Lucy Miller said.
Hazing is prohibited on campus and illegal in the state of Florida. The state's hazing law was passed in 2005 after the death of a University of Miami student Chad Meredith four years earlier. Meredith was drunk and died trying to swim across a lake. No criminal charges were filed in his case, but a civil jury ordered the fraternity Kappa Sigma to pay Meredith's parents $12 million.
“Pretty much to each their own in terms of if they feel they want to do that to make the most of their college experience; I know that's a big part of the culture here,” Giannakopoulos said.
Students on campus said they don't want to see another tragedy happen.
“It is scary, but peer pressure is something that's really powerful,” Miller said.
Coral Gables Police said they haven’t worked the case because UM hasn’t responded to their request yet and nothing has been filed on paper.
Police said UM is having a meeting Friday where they will discuss the video.
A student who is a part of Sigma Alpha Epsilon would not comment on the situation to NBC6.
NBC6 also reached out to the fraternity's national chapter and is waiting to hear back.
