The Kappa chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity at Ohio State was suspended yesterday for at least two years by both the university and the fraternity’s national office, following an investigation of hazing and other violations.”These are very serious violations and require an immediate and strong response,” said Bill Hall, interim vice president for Student Affairs in a recent statement. “There is no place for hazing in the greek community or elsewhere at this university.”Alpha Phi Alpha is the sixth OSU fraternity to be sanctioned within the last year.According to Hall, the chapter’s investigation began sometime in the middle of autumn quarter when a student pledging Alpha Phi Alpha provoked suspicion of fraternity hazing from his academic adviser when his appearance changed and his grades began to fall. The statement continued that the investigation, which involved cooperation between the fraternity’s alumni officers and university officials, revealed that the Kappa chapter had participated in unsanctioned “intake” sessions with prospective new members during autumn quarter. During these sessions, which violated both the fraternity’s regulations on new member recruitment and the OSU Code of Student Conduct, prospective members were subjected to physical and verbal abuse. Two of the prospective members of the fraternity were injured seriously enough to require medical attention. One of the students required extensive dental work, according to Hall.The Kappa chapter will be jointly suspended by the university and the national fraternity until Jan. 11, 2003. Then the chapter will be on probation for an additional year. On campus, the suspension means that the group will no longer be recognized as a student organization and will not be allowed to recruit new members or use university facilities. At this point, no criminal charges have been filed against any current members of the fraternity, but the police have been given the information, said Elizabeth Conlisk, an OSU spokeswoman. Those who were implicated will go through the university justice system, Hall said.”I was very surprised and a bit disappointed by the report,” said Rich Milner, a doctoral candidate in education policy and leadership. Milner is an alumnus of the Kappa chapter, but pledged the fraternity at South Carolina State. “I believe the fraternity members made a mistake, but I also believe that many of the brothers here are committed to empowerment and betterment for colored people,” he said.Milner agreed with the university’s decision to suspend the fraternity. “The university has to be proactive and aggressively involved in handling problems,” he said.”This (problem) is not unique to Ohio State,” Hall said. “There seems to be a rite of passage that groups want to pass on to each generation … but these rites of passage have to change. They have to find a more constructive way to do things.”Members of the Kappa chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha refused to comment.