Syracuse Fraternity Accused of Racial Discrimination

photo by Sam Berlin

Over 10 people have alleged that the Omicron Chapter of Zeta Beta Tau at Syracuse University denied entrance to Women of Color to multiple social events held at their on-campus house. 

Due to the targeted attacks on campus, we have decided to keep these individuals anonymous out of concern for their safety.

“ZBT has multiple allegations of Black girls not being allowed in the house,” a sophomore political science and policy studies major told Jerk. She said her friend was not allowed in the house during after hours, a time where women not registered with the night’s social event are allowed inside. Our source recalled a time another friend of hers was not allowed in a party. The brothers standing at the door gave her no verbalized reason, despite her own friend already being inside the party. 

These allegations come at a time where the Syracuse University chapter of Alpha Chi Rho has recently been suspended after several members verbally harassed a Black woman walking on College Place, calling her the N-word.

Jerk Staff visited the ZBT house to ask for comment. After receiving no response upon knocking on the door, we noticed a list of the Executive Members and their phone numbers. We called Chapter President Charlie Levison and did not receive an initial response. We then called Chapter Vice President Keith Rubenstein who declined to comment. 

Upon leaving the house, a member of the chapter stepped outside and tore the member list off the outside wall. We asked him if the allegations brought forward by members of #NotAgainSU were true. Initially, he told us the allegations were not true then directed us to speak to an elected board member and stepped inside the house to contact a chapter official. That same member and an additional member then emerged from the house and stated they had nothing to say at the moment. We then left the house. 

After reaching Levinson by text, we were told to direct our questioning to ZBT’s National Office. We called the national headquarters, but there were no staff members available for comment in time for publication. 

There are ongoing allegations from SU students that brothers of Zeta Beta Tau dressed as Ku Klux Klan members this past Halloween, but this has yet to be confirmed. 

*****This story will be updated by Jerk Staff as information breaks*****