TEP national begins probe of U. chapter

The national organization of Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity is investigating the University's TEP chapter for four different violations of "national policy," a TEP official said Friday. In addition, the University chapter has been temporarily suspended from holding any activities pending completion of the national organization's and University's probes. Jonathan Seidel, national executive director of TEP, said the University chapter allegedly violated national rules "related to fraternity operations and aspects of the fraternity's chapter programming." Seidel refused to comment further on the specific nature of these violations. He said the national organization does not know all the details of the incident that is being investigated by the University's Judicial Inquiry Officer because he had been notified about the probe by local alumni just last week. Seidel added he did not know how the University became aware of the alleged incident, and he hoped to learn more information in a meeting next week with national TEP officers, local alumni, chapter members, and University officials. Local alumni -- who also are members of the national alumni board -- are conducting the investigation for TEP's national organization, Seidel said. Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs director Tricia Phaup said on Friday that she has provided TEP's national organization with information to help their investigation, and her office is "working with national and local alumni quite closely." Phaup added it is too early to determine what exactly the violations were. "The investigation is to find out what type of violations occurred," said Phaup. JIO Constance Goodman said Friday her investigation of TEP is underway, but she refused to comment further on the alleged incident. Seidel said he hoped information learned from TEP's national organization's probe and the JIO's would be shared. But Goodman said she has not talked with anyone from TEP's national organization, adding she usually conducts an independent investigation.

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