Fraternity & Sorority Life Arrest and Citation Policy

  • A full copy of the policy can be found here. 
  • A process "how to" sheet can be found here. 
  • To report an arrest or citation, click here.

The University of Iowa
Office of the Vice President for Student Life

  • Adopted: November 2011
  • Revised: July 2013
  • Revised: January 2014
  • Revised: January 2015
  • Revised: January 2013
  • Revised: August 2018
  • Revised: August 2019

Purpose
This policy is designed to support the success and accountability of the University of Iowa fraternity/sorority community. The policy provides both incentives and sanctions to reduce negative behavior that results in members of the community being arrested or cited for criminal acts.

Policy
Each social fraternity or sorority is responsible for holding members (new and active) of their organization accountable if they are arrested or cited during the reporting periods outlined in this policy.

Standards
Each chapter is responsible for maintaining a rate of below 5% or 5 members for IFC fraternities or 3% or 5 members for PHC sororities, NPHC and MGC organizations

Implementation

Definitions

  • Reporting Period. The reporting period for fall semesters is from August 10 through fall commencement day. The reporting period for spring semesters is from January 10 through spring commencement day. Arrests and citations occurring outside of the reporting period are not covered by this policy.
  • Member. A member of a chapter is any student who has signed a new member (“gold”) card and therefore is listed on the official chapter roster with the Center for Student Involvement & Leadership and has not officially resigned or been removed from the chapter through the organization’s internal accountability process.

Recognition

  • Chapters that are in compliance in a given semester will be recognized as follows.
    • The chapter will be eligible to request permission to hold an event at which alcohol is served in a university building providing the chapter is eligible to host such events.
    • Chapters will be eligible to apply for grant funding through the Center for Student Involvement & Leadership to be used towards non-alcoholic events of their choosing.
    • Chapters receiving sanctions from their respective Council’s Judicial Board will have said sanctions listed on the Fraternity & Sorority Life website.

Process

Chapters must promote peer accountability. Chapter leadership should be the driving force in self governance, correcting member behavior, and holding them to the standards of their national organization. Therefore, the process is as follows:

  • If a chapter member is arrested or cited that individual member is expected to report said arrest or citation to their chapter’s executive board within 24 hours.
  • The chapter must follow their judicial board process within their specified timeline (typically no more than 1-2 weeks).
    • When a sanction is given to an individual by the chapter’s judicial board, a chapter advisory board member or national organization representative must be present physically or via electronic medium (i.e. Skype or FaceTime).
      • If an individual member has no prior arrests/citations and has no other violations within the chapter, the chapter should not remove said member from the organization due to their first arrest or citation, barring extreme circumstances.
        • If an individual member received an arrest or citation and has been seen by Chapter Judicial Board Hearing previously as a result of a violation/arrest/citation, the chapter may remove said member from the organization under such grounds, but must provide evidence of prior Chapter Judicial Board Hearing(s).
        • The chapter will report the outcome of the internal judicial board process to the Office of Student Accountability via the Fraternity / Sorority Chapter Arrest & Citation Accountability Action Report Form (https://dos.uiowa.edu/fsl-reporting-form).
        • At the end of the semester when the list of arrest and citations are compiled, the Office of Student Accountability will cross-reference the official list with the completed the Fraternity / Sorority Chapter Arrest & Citation Accountability Action Report Form submissions.
      • If there are inconsistencies between the lists, the chapter will receive an invitation to a Judicial Board hearing through their respective councils. Chapter sanctions may be issued if/when a chapter is found responsible for not following this process, or otherwise not meeting the expectations of this policy
      • If it is apparent that the chapter has met the threshold of arrests or citations based on their Council’s requirement (as noted in the standards section of this policy), a Judicial Board hearing may be held to discuss chapter culture and accountability measures. Chapter sanctions may be issued if/when a chapter is found responsible.
      • If there are no inconsistencies with the list and the chapter doesn’t meet the threshold for further action, no additional action is required and chapter national organizations will not be contacted.

Sanctions

  • No Hearing: Chapter is in compliance with council specific percentage; no hearing
  • Judicial Board Hearing: Chapter did not complete the process, has a rate of arrests and/or citations above the council specific rate, or did not complete sanctions assigned in a prior Judicial Board Hearing for the arrest and citation process.
    • Sanctions may include:
      • Education opportunities
      • Limitation of social activities
      • Other sanctions as deemed appropriate by the Judicial Board
  • Show Cause Hearing: (4 consecutive semesters out of compliance)
    • Chapter will appear at a “show cause “hearing to explain why it’s relationship with the University of Iowa should not be terminated.

Appeals

  • Appeals must be filed following the process for appeals outlined in the Judicial Board manual.

Show cause hearing

  • Show cause hearings will be heard by a board consisting of the presidents of the Panhellenic, the Interfraternity, the National Pan-Hellenic, and the Multicultural Greek Councils, or their designees. The assistant director of the Office of Student Accountability will serve as an advisor to this board without vote. The board will hear evidence and arguments presented by the chapter and reach a decision by majority vote.

Revision

  • The vice president for student life may revise this policy following consultation with the leadership of the Panhellenic, the Interfraternity Council, the National Pan-Hellenic, and the Multicultural Greek Councils, the Office of Student Accountability, and Center for Student Involvement & Leadership, Fraternity & Sorority Life Program staff.