Fraternity members evicted, given little explanation

Twelve Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity members found themselves without a home this weekend, after a formal disciplinary hearing from the national chapter evicted the students without explanation.

“We weren’t clear exactly why this membership review was done,” said Michael Byrd, one of the evicted students. “They kind of hinted on some stuff, talking about accountability.”

Members of the fraternity were told one week prior to the hearing they might need to make other living arrangements, Byrd said. He brought his truck to the house as a precaution.

“I don’t believe the house falls below any standards,” he said. “We don’t have the usual party and drug problems; usually a house is shut down because somebody was raped, or died, or fell off the roof.”

The review took place Saturday, and students received eviction letters that evening asking them to move out by 3 p.m. the next day.

“To my knowledge, there wasn’t anything that I know of that would be grounds for [my] eviction,” Byrd said. “They’re in the process of trying to get the [information] to us. I think even the guys at the house don’t know. They all kind of heard bits and pieces, but there are no definite reasons.”

Nine members were expelled and three members were suspended after the review.

“Other University of Washington fraternities have undergone similar formal reviews in recent years and the change in direction has allowed their chapters to thrive,” wrote Scott Ladner, the former Lambda Chi Alpha president, in an e-mail. “We expect the same outcome for our chapter.”

The formal disciplinary hearing was part of an ongoing process during the past 30 days, Ladner wrote.

“All members of the chapter were reviewed and all were warned three weeks in advance that the result could be suspension or expulsion,” he wrote.

Reviews from the national chapter are typical, Byrd said. The last time members were expelled from his house was in the 1970s, he said.

“We have people come to the house twice a year,” he said. “I think it’s pretty common for nationals to come out.”

Byrd hopes to have some answers soon.

“Even some reason would be nice,” he said. “If they could just tell me that my interview went bad or my grades were bad, … I’d be okay with it if I just knew.”

[Reach reporter Arla Shephard at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]