CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- A sorority at the University of Tennessee
at Chattanooga has been placed on suspension for hazing pledges.
Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha are barred from all university-sponsored activities
and cannot accept new members for two years under terms of the suspension, said
university spokesman Chuck Cantrell.
Thirteen pledges were verbally abused if they didn't know the answers to questions
about the sorority's history and forced to perform "useless and silly activities"
to gain acceptance to the sorority, Cantrell said.
Cantrell said the pledges were told to stand in awkward positions for long
stretches of time, but he would not specify how the girls were verbally abused.
UTC officials said Alpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek organization on record
to be suspended for hazing.