Temple University officially removed the Alpha Epsilon Pi chapter’s affiliation with the university, after finding the fraternity violated alcohol, drug and social event policies.
Temple Police’s months-long investigation into the chapter concluded on Oct. 5, said Chris Carey, the senior associate dean of students. The chapter violated the Code of Conduct’s drug and alcohol policy and Greek life’s social event policy, Carey said.
Credible reports of “excessive use of alcohol, possibly drugs and sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, during social activities at Alpha Epsilon Pi” spurred the investigation, according to the April announcement.
Fraternity and Sorority Life’s Standards and Accountability Page on the Student Activities website published that the fraternity was removed on Oct. 10, Carey said. The public page details that AEPi was removed from campus during Fall 2018 for “alcohol and drug violations,” but not sexual assault.
The chapter’s former president, Ari Goldstein, was arrested in May and August on sexual assault-related charges for two alleged incidents. He could stand trial as early as next year for some of the sexual assault-related charges, which range from attempted rape to unlawful restraint.
Only closed investigations that prompt formal disciplinary action are listed publicly, said Mat Greer, the program coordinator for fraternity and sorority life.
One other fraternity, Beta Pi Phi, was removed from the university in Fall 2016 for hazing violations, according to the website.
“The [AEPi] case, as far it was being processed, was related to these [drug, alcohol and social event] issues, not individual investigations or investigations into individuals that may have taken place,” Carey said.
Carey added that he did not have information on whether other members were investigated for individual crimes.
If a fraternity, sorority or any other university-affiliated group breaks university policy, the reasons for its removal must be made public, according to a state anti-hazing law passed earlier this year. The Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law is named for the 19-year-old Penn State sophomore who died in February 2017 from injuries sustained while being hazed at a fraternity pledging event.
AEPi’s international headquarters also revoked the chapter’s charter, wrote Jonathan Pierce, a spokesman for the headquarters in a statement to The Temple News. The AEPi international headquarters worked with the university and local police to remove it, Pierce wrote.
“We look forward to having the opportunity to return to campus in the near future with a group of young men who will successfully fulfill our mission of developing the future leaders of the world’s Jewish communities,” Pierce wrote.
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