Judge throws out University of Maryland Greek life lawsuits over hazing closure
A federal judge dismissed a pair of lawsuits against University of Maryland, College Park administrators accused of unconstitutionally suspending new member activities at campus Greek organizations last year over hazing allegations.
In her Monday ruling, U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman found that the issues raised by fraternities and sororities were moot: The university had lifted its cease-and-desist order suspending Greek life activities over a year ago.
The pause in March 2024, when fraternities and sororities were ordered not to contact new members for about two weeks, came after allegations that hazing by fraternities threatened campus safety.
Court filings said an investigation of at least eight fraternities found that members humiliated students through means like beating them with paddles or forcing potential recruits to eat live fish and drink urine. The probe led to the university suspending social activities hosted on or off campus by Greek organizations with alcohol present.
Greek organizations filed a lawsuit seeking for a federal judge to lift the moratorium on social activities, though the university lifted the order days later. The organizations continued their lawsuit, and a group of sororities sued, alleging that the investigation violated their First Amendment rights by requiring students to submit to mandatory interrogations under the threat of discipline.
The plaintiffs, which included the Alpha Psi Chapter of the Theta Chi Fraternity, alleged that the matter was not moot because the university had refused to disavow the order and could, in theory, bring it back. They noted that an administrator had 'indicated she believes that [the University] 'set a model for what [other] universities can and should do' in similar situations,' according to court filings.
Boardman found that it was not likely the university would issue a similar order.
'The University issued the Order in response to an unprecedented confluence of events,' Boardman wrote in her order, finding that those circumstances occurring again to be 'extremely unlikely.'
'That crisis is over, and Greek life continues at the University,' she wrote.
Have a news tip? Contact Dan Belson at dbelson@baltsun.com, 443-790-4827, on X as @DanBelson_ or on Signal as @danbels.62.
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