The undergraduate student government at Pennsylvania University was found to have violated the University’s Antihazing and Alcohol and Drug policies according to a recent article from The Daily Pennsylvanian.
The Office of Student Contact found the entire Unergraduate Assembly to be guilty of hazing and alcohol policy violations after UA President Tyler Ernst asked the office to “look into” allegations of hazing from a new member initiation in October.
The news of the findings reached the public when former UA member Mo Shahin submitted a guest column to the newspaper in November. The column said the activities included “a scavenger hunt, blindfolds, pledge names, multiple drinks in rapid succession and being tied to a chair, yelled at and locked in a small closet with other freshmen.”
The OSC’s investigation cleared the UA of allegations involving consumption of alcohol and binding students. But it confirmed a scavenger hunt, “quizzing new members on parliamentary procedure” and “verbal confrontation” according to a statement from the UA’s executive board.
The UA will be required to partake in educational sessions on alcohol and hazing and “join other campus partners to help lead and support efforts to educate students and the Penn community about hazing and alcohol,” and “submit any plans for programs or events involving welcoming or educating new members to the OSA for consultation and approval,” according to the statement.