After USC Adds Safety Rules, 6 Frats Break School Ties

In response to reports of sexual assaults at fraternity events last year and the student protests that followed, the University of Southern California imposed new security policies to take effect for this school year. But six fraternities have now decided to break official ties with the university rather than implement the safety rules, ABC News reports. "This decision seems to be driven by the desire to eliminate university oversight of their operations," USC said in a statement Friday, the deadline given the fraternities. "The members are chafing at procedures and protocols designed to prevent sexual assault and drug abuse and deal with issues of mental health and underage drinking."

That leaves nine fraternities in the USC Interfraternity Council, per the Los Angeles Times, and a USC official said the school is talking with them to prevent more defections and maintain the organizations' access to campus health and safety resources. The fraternities that opted out are Kappa Alpha Order, Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Mu, Sigma Chi, Tau Kappa Epsilon, and Zeta Beta Tau. Until those fraternities are "treated fairly by the University we love," they said they'll be part of the University Park Interfraternity Council, which they formed to provide "a substantially more focused timely and consistent process for input, discipline and accountability."

USC said the six will not be able to use the USC logo or brand, access the campus Greek life portal, take part in campuswide committees, or participate in personal and professional leadership opportunities. The new campus rules include employing security guards for parties, having ID scanners at events, and prohibiting large containers of alcohol such as kegs. The fraternities also oppose academic prerequisites for freshmen signing up for one of the chapters. One member told the Times that the fraternities don't think it's fair to punish all of them for what happened last year or to impede their social events. "We find all of our friends here," he said. (More USC stories.)