TAMPA, Fla. — A University of South Florida fraternity has been placed on an "interim suspension" while the school investigates multiple alleged incidents in which members are accused of being involved in antisemitic and racist acts.
In a statement, the Pi Kappa Phi national fraternity said its chapter at the university would be suspended as it partners with USF to investigate.
Pi Kappa Phi and the sorority Sigma Kappa are linked to a string of incidents. According to the Student Conduct and Ethical Development (SCED), those include the placement of a swastika symbol on a member of a fraternity, an anonymous post on social media accusing a sorority member of racist behavior, an antisemitic post on social media allegedly posted by a fraternity member that minimized the tragedy of the Holocaust and retaliatory behavior from the fraternity and sorority accused of being involved.
Pi Kappa Phi maintains that a "non-member guest" committed one of the acts. The fraternity also says the anonymous antisemitic post was not written by "the accused member" of Pi Kappa Phi.
"We support our member who has suffered and the entire Jewish community," the fraternity wrote in a statement.
In a separate statement, the accused sorority said "new evidence" absolved the sorority sister from all accusations.
USF's Center for Student Involvement and the Office of Multicultural Affairs are working with the leaders of both organizations to review their values and the university's "Principles of Community."
"USF embraces and celebrates diversity in all its forms. Anti-Semitism, racism, hate, and prejudice have no place here. We remain strong and united in our commitment to the Principles of Community in our pursuit of excellence," McDonald said at the conclusion of the letter to the USF community.
Erin Blankenship, interim executive director of The Florida Holocaust Museum, released the following statement:
“These allegations are deeply disturbing. Six million Jews, and millions of others, died as a result of the Holocaust, and to minimize that is an insult to all the victims and survivors. The Florida Holocaust Museum is working with the Jewish organizations on campus to educate students on the realities of the Holocaust in the hopes that they will learn why these actions are so highly problematic. We are inviting the fraternity to tour the Museum and speak with a Survivor, and we hope they will take us up on this opportunity.”
10 Tampa Bay's Jordan Highsmith contributed to this report.