College of Charleston’s first Greek society shut down after student conduct violations

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)—A fraternity at the College of Charleston was shut down by its national headquarters last Friday after numerous student conduct violations since at least 2013.

College of Charleston officials said they were notified by national headquarters on Jan. 10 that the SC Upsilon chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon had been closed.

According to publicly reported incidents, SAE had two conduct violations during the Fall 2024 semester.

The first was reported on Sept. 20, 2024, and involved intoxication from a party hosted by the fraternal organization. Alleged hazing of new members took place on Nov. 11, 2024, according to records.

The chapter, founded at the College in 1881, was placed on probation on Nov. 6, 2023, for hazing. SAE headquarters completed an investigation before the College was notified of the incident.

SAE headquarters did not share the hazing incident report with college officials, according to the College’s record-keeping.

The following semester, SAE found itself in trouble once again for members damaging private property in April 2024. The fraternity was then temporarily suspended until the final two incidents led to the closure.

News 2 has contacted headquarters for clarification on why they decided to shut down the chapter but has not received a reply.