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UM takes action against Greek organizations responsible for ski-resort vandalism

The University of Michigan fraternity Sigma Alpha Mu and the U of M sorority Sigma Delta Tau took responsibility for trashing hallways and hotel rooms at the Treetops Ski Resort near Gaylord, Michigan.

Their actions resulted in more than $100,000 in damages.

This tweet shows some of the damage:

Today, the University of Michigan announced the "most severe" sanctions the university can levy against the Greek organizations.

From a U of M press release:

The university will no longer recognize the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity and has placed the Sigma Delta Tau sorority on disciplinary suspension. That determination, made by Dean of Students Laura Blake Jones, means the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity will be separated from the university for four years. Sigma Delta Tau sorority will be suspended for two years. She also accepted the recommendations of the Greek Activities Review Panel, the student-led judiciary body. The university has asked the national office of the Sigma Alpha Mu to revoke the charter of the U-M chapter and placed additional sanctions on the fraternity before it could again become of part of Greek Life on campus. The university informed the student leaders of the affected fraternities and sororities today by providing them letters that outline sanctions.

These sanctions come after the Greek organization's national chapters announced their suspensions as well.

UM President Mark Schlissel said in a statement, "I want to reiterate how profoundly disappointed I am in the action of these students. I also want to express my deep appreciation for the Greek Life student leaders who initiated the judicial process and for the university’s Student Life team for addressing these situations firmly and fairly through our established process. I hope the broader Greek community can learn from this experience so they can continue to participate in the many positive aspects of Greek Life while avoiding extreme, risky, and inappropriate behaviors. It’s important that we allow this process to move forward."

Mark Brush was the station's Digital Media Director. He succumbed to a year-long battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, in March 2018. He was 49 years old.