UF is investigating the Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority for hazing after leaked audio of a sister recounting an incident that involved racist insinuations, heavy alcohol use and sexual behavior.
After the UF branch of The Tab, an online tabloid, published an article with the audio file Tuesday night, UF launched an inquiry Wednesday morning.
UF spokesperson Janine Sikes said officers from the Dean of Students Office and Student Affairs are talking to sorority members in a pre-student conduct process.
“If they find hazing took place, they would charge them, and students would go through a student conduct process,” Sikes said.
Sikes said she’s unsure what other conversations the Dean of Students Office and Student Affairs are having with the sorority members.
“They’re trying to understand the circumstances of this whole thing and whether it’s real or not,” she said.
The audio file claimed Rya Carroll, the sorority chapter chief education officer, was the one speaking. After being reached for comment, Carroll redirected Alligator reporters to her lawyer, Phillip Campbell. He could not be immediately reached for comment.
The president of UF Panhellenic Council, Devon Leasure, could not be immediately reached for comment. The Kappa Alpha Theta president, identified on the sorority's website as Allison Helman, also could not be reached for comment.
Liz Rinck, the director of communications for the national Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity, wrote in an email that national and local Kappa Alpha Theta officers are investigating the story. Rinck said she could not provide information about an ongoing investigation.
She said Kappa Alpha Theta is cooperating with administrators for the investigation.
“Racism, bigotry, and hazing are antithetical to Kappa Alpha Theta's core values,” Rinck said.
