Wharton China Business Society banned for two years following hazing investigation

The Wharton China Business Society was banned from campus for two years after the University determined that a required activity for new members involved hazing practices.

The club held a mandatory “quiz activity” for new members on Oct. 13, 2018 which involved drinking. An investigation by the Office of Student Conduct found that the activity violated the University’s Anti-Hazing and Alcohol and Other Drug Policies, according to the University of Pennsylvania State Required Hazing Report 2014-2019.

"During a required event on October 13, 2018, new members engaged in a quiz activity that included drinking," the report read. "OSC sent findings to The Wharton School for sanctioning."

President of the Wharton China Business Society and Wharton junior Emily Zhao did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Wharton Director of Media Relations Peter Winicov did not respond to request for comment.

Sanctions for the Wharton China Business Society included the two-year suspension and the cancellation of all upcoming trips and conferences. Board members were also required to write apology letters to new members.

OSC Director Julie Nettleton declined to comment on the incident in an email to The Daily Pennsylvanian.

"The OSC’s practice is not to comment on incidents. However, in general when working with student organizations, the OSC works with the appropriate offices on campus to determine sanctions and next steps," Nettleton wrote. "Sanctions are determined on a case by case basis depending on the relevant details."

University spokesperson Stephen MacCarthy declined to provide further comment. "We can’t provide any additional information on the cases," MacCarthy wrote in an email to the DP.

Penn has recently cracked down on hazing in past months. Penn's only Asian-interest fraternity, Lambda Phi Epsilon, was kicked off campus indefinitely after being suspended by the national chapter in December 2018, following an investigation which found "significant evidence" of hazing. 

In October 2018, OSC also found that Penn's Alpha Epsilon Pi chapter violated university policy after board members invited potential new members to a "drinking game competition" at their residence. The fraternity later received four educational sanctions that had to be completed before new member recruitment and pledging, according to the report.