A Charlatan investigation
‘I didn’t want to do it’
Alleged hazing within a Carleton University Greek letter sorority
WARNING: SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, HAZING
This story contains mention of sexual misconduct and hazing. Those in need of support can call the Ottawa Distress Centre Crisis Line: 613-238-3311, the Sexual Assault Support Center of Ottawa Crisis Line: 613-234-2266.
Six Carleton University students provided accounts of alleged hazing between 2021 and 2023 associated with a local Greek letter organization, Alpha Pi Phi’s (APP) Carleton University chapter.
The sources’ allegations include: hand-feeding ice cream to nude APP mentors; a culture of substance abuse; incidents of sexual misconduct; delayed investigations relating to these incidents; a student’s mental health decline and performing a “sexual” dance in front of hundreds of people at an event called Greek Olympics.
Emails, text messages, photos, videos, audio recordings, internal memos and official APP documents provided to the Charlatan by the six sources speak to various forms of alleged hazing.
The sources interviewed by the Charlatan have asked that their names not be used in this story because they fear retaliation and desire privacy. They will therefore be referred to as Students A, B, C, D, E and F in this story.
One source, Student A, informed Carleton’s department of equity and inclusive communities (EIC) about her experiences in the sorority and reported the ice cream incident, which is described in greater detail below.
According to the EIC’s website, the department offers sexual violence prevention and survivor support.
The student said the EIC contact, Amal Elmi, told her that Carleton could not become involved in such a matter because the university has no power to sanction the sorority, as it’s not an official campus organization.
The Charlatan contacted Elmi for comment. She responded in an email saying she would have to go to the university’s communication department for a response, but no further comment was received by the Charlatan.
The Charlatan reached out to Carleton University’s communications department on Oct. 15, requesting a statement from the university regarding the ice cream incident, Greek organizations’ use of campus space and the university’s formal recognition of Greek life.
The university was also asked to comment on Student A’s interaction with EIC.
The Charlatan sent a second request for a statement Oct. 19 and reminded the university of the deadline.
Communications manager Abby McIntyre declined to comment on specific cases, citing confidentiality and privacy.
The statement sent by McIntyre on behalf of the university did not address most of the questions posed by the Charlatan.
In 2016, then-director of Carleton student affairs Jen Sugar told the Charlatan, “Carleton does not recognize fraternities and sororities.”
In spite of this, Greek life is still very present in the university community, with seven sororities and eight fraternities being open to Carleton students joining as members. Greek organizations often host events, recruit new members and advertise on campus.
This year, Greek organizations are promoted on the Carleton campus through chalk drawings on buildings, despite the university’s posting policy that states, “notices may not be affixed to walls, pillars, bathroom stalls, doors, windows or any other location not specifically designated for public display purposes.”
Despite Sugar’s 2016 statement, Carleton University’s own website listed Carleton University Greek Council (CUGC) as an exhibitor at Expo Carleton in 2019. According to the CUGC Facebook page, the council is the primary governing body of the Greek life community at Carleton University.
Expo Carleton is the university’s yearly club and society showcase for campus organizations. More than 3,000 students attend Expo Carleton every year.
The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) also listed Greek life organizations on its website, CUSA Hub, in 2019. CUSA Hub was replaced by CUSA Clubs in 2021.
Oct. 15, 2023, the Charlatan reached out to CUSA president Mohamed “Faris” Riazudden, but he did not respond within five business days for comment.
On Oct. 15, 2023, the Charlatan reached out to APP and the International Council of Alpha Pi Phi (ICAPP), the sorority’s highest governing body, for comment on the sources’ allegations.
The international president and executive director of ICAPP, Ava Roozorgousheh, responded to the email, which included particulars of the allegations, “These allegations are untrue and the information shared with you seems out of context.”
A few days later, the Charlatan received an emailed statement from an unidentified person purporting to be the international council legal chair. The Charlatan was unable to find information about the position identified in the email and asked the unidentified source to identify themself on three separate occasions.
Ultimately, they declined to do so, stating, “unfortunately, due to the circumstances, I do not feel comfortable sharing my name. I can be referred to as Legal Chair, or representative.”
The Charlatan then reached out to Roozorgousheh, who verified the legal chair’s statement.
“We are adamant on sharing that we unequivocally stand with the survivors that have come forward. We take these allegations very seriously, and can confirm that disciplinary action was in fact taken,” the statement read.
“Through continuing education provided to all chapters, we are committed to providing a safe environment for all members. We promise to do better.”
What is hazing?
As explained by research entity StopHazing, “hazing is any activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them, regardless of a person’s willingness to participate.”
Fraternity and sorority members are one of the most likely groups to experience hazing, according to the National Study of Student Hazing.
Hazing is used as an intimidation tool to establish the power and hierarchy in a group, the CBC reported. Incoming members hoping to join a group such as a sorority might be hazed “to prove their worth for group membership” by putting their physical and mental strength to the test.
Many hazing victims experience “life-altering consequences, including physical, emotional and/or mental instability,” according to the Hazing Prevention Network. In extreme circumstances, hazing may even result in death.
Joining the sorority
On Sept. 17, 2023, the Charlatan emailed APP and ICAPP requesting a copy of its constitution and code of conduct. Both were asked why these documents aren’t published and accessible to the public.
Britney Price-Kucher, international vice-president of communications and alum relations, responded to the email writing, “Alpha Pi Phi is a Registered Not-For-Profit Organization and our funds go back to charity. As we are registered under this, we are bound by certain Employment Laws on what we can and cannot share.”
The Charlatan asked Price-Kucher to specify which employment laws she was referencing.
“We are not bound by employment law to share our documents,” Price-Kucher replied.
“Would [the Charlatan] mind signing an NDA regarding our Constitution […] this will contain some sensitive information and we would like to protect that.”
The Charlatan opted not to sign the NDA and later received the aforementioned documents from former members of APP.
On Oct. 15, 2023, the Charlatan reached out to Price-Kucher, but she did not respond within five business days for comment.
According to APP’s constitution, a student hoping to join the sorority is first assessed as a potential new member.
Potential new members undergo a “rush” period, which involves attending various Greek life recruitment events.
APP’s constitution states potential new members must attend at least one recruitment event and receive “a vote of admittance by two-thirds of the chapter” before they may be invited to join the sorority.
“The student may be admitted into the Sorority provided that they are of good academic standing with the post-secondary institution, demonstrates good character, and is not an active or affiliated member of any other collegiate social fraternity or sorority,” the constitution reads.
Students who accept their invitations become active members in their pledging period (AMPP) and undergo an initiation weekend. They must wait six to eight more weeks for the second part of initiation—the “swan ceremony.”
After completing the full initiation process and swearing their loyalty to the sorority, students are then recognized as full-fledged, active members.
APP’s executive board is the chapter’s governing body, according to the sorority’s constitution. The chapter also has chair positions that do not belong to the council.
The council and chairs are active or former members of APP who are elected to fill the position at the end of each academic year, according to APP’s constitution. The executive council is made up of seven officers, and each chair role (though a separate position) is associated with an officer role.
Ice cream ‘ritual’
To increase her chances of being admitted into the sorority, Student A decided to be as co-operative as possible during her initiation weekend.
As part of this process, Student A described an APP “ritual” involving ice cream that occurred during her initiation weekend at a rented home in November 2021. The incident is acknowledged in an ICAPP internal report.
The report stated the ice cream ritual raises “not only a concern of hazing, but also concerns about illegal activity.”
The ritual began as two new member support officers allegedly tied AMPPs’ hands together, arranging the restrained students in a single-file line.
APP bylaws define new member support officers as those responsible for ensuring new members uphold sorority expectations, ideals and policies.
Oct. 15, 2023, the Charlatan reached out to the junior member support officers for comment, but they did not respond within five business days.
Tubs of ice cream, bowls and scoops were arranged on the kitchen island.
“They pushed us to the table,” Student A alleged. “Everyone was getting pushed around.”
AMPPs were told to scoop the ice cream into bowls using the scoops or their hands.
“There weren’t enough scoops for everyone,” Student A said.
She also alleged older members were “yelling at us to go faster, so we’re trying to scoop it with our hands tied together.”
The AMPPs, holding bowls full of ice cream, were then told by more senior members of the sorority to run down a spiral staircase leading to the basement of the rented house. Student A said the staircase was filled with a “gauntlet of girls—banging pots and pans and flashing lights.”
In the basement, APP’s “bigs” (active members of APP serving as mentors to new members) were lined up on one side of a folding table.
The bigs stood with their hands tied behind their backs while other active members stood, untied, beside them.
According to the Charlatan’s sources, the active members started stripping the bigs (who voluntarily participated in the process), while the AMPPs were told it was time to feed their now-naked mentors.
Student A said AMPPs were “literally shoving” the ice cream into the bigs’ mouths.
“They’re supposed to eat as fast as they can,” Student A said. “I had no idea what was going on.”
Though she said some bigs made an effort to cover their genitalia and appeared uncomfortable, she alleged multiple bigs “really sexualized a lot of what they were doing […] grabbing themselves.”
“It’s crazy how cult-y all of this sounds in retrospect,” Student A said.
Student A said an anonymous source informed ICAPP of the ice cream ritual that took place during her initiation weekend, leading to the official report acknowledging the incident.
“During initiation, Bigs are stripped during the ice cream activity,” the ICAPP report reads. “Though some members may be comfortable with the stripping, there is a culture that makes members not able to say no, and new members do not have the ability to give consent to watching this occur.
“Therefore this is hazing and not consensual.”
Student A said the report was debated at the next chapter meeting after ICAPP informed the sorority it would be on probation for hazing during the 2022-2023 year.
“[APP] will be permitted to hold a rush and recruitment period however, the Co-VP’s of Standards and Risk [sic] will be involved throughout the process to ensure there is a safe environment,” per ICAPP’s report.
Students A, B, C, D, E and F alleged that they did not witness anyone identifying themselves as ICAPP officials during the fall 2022 recruitment period.
‘Jungle juice’
Student C said she felt uncomfortable while intoxicated at an early September 2022 mixer event attended by both APP and Sigma Pi fraternity members.
Student C said since that night, alcohol has made her anxious, and she fears reaching the same level of intoxication.
She alleged APP members explicitly told the new pledges they weren’t allowed to bring their own alcohol to this particular event because drinks were “included.” Multiple attendees corroborated Student C’s claim that pledges were advised not to bring their own alcohol to the event.
According to multiple sources, the only drink offered to the pledges at this event was a red liquid in a solo cup—dubbed “jungle juice.” Attendees weren’t told what the jungle juice contained.
“I was under the impression the drinks that would be provided at this party were closed cans of alcohol or bottles of liquor,” Student C said.
Multiple witnesses said they saw APP members drinking out of closed cans at the event, despite pledges being told no one was allowed to bring their own alcohol.
Attendees said only older fraternity members were allowed to distribute the drink.
“I drank a half-cup and blacked out,” Student A said. “The brothers had been refilling [the jungle juice] and commandeering the [drink] the whole night.”
Throughout the night, Student C said she became increasingly intoxicated after consuming the jungle juice.
“I remember falling on the ground and the girls laughing and staring at me,” Student C said. “I was so embarrassed.”
“I had to lean against the back of a wall to keep myself upright,” Student C said. “When I went into the bathroom, I actually fell into the shower and hit my head. I’ve never had that happen in my entire life.”
Following the event, Student C said she was extremely ill and was so intoxicated that she passed out on her bathroom floor. An image obtained by the Charlatan corroborates her account.
“I actually got scared. I got home, and I threw up bad. I said [to my roommate], I think you need to call a doctor or my mom because [my vomit is] red,” Student C said.
Sexual misconduct
Student B, an international student, decided to rush APP at the start of the 2022 academic year after moving to Ottawa.
Student B alleges she was inappropriately handled by multiple fraternity members at the mixer attended by Sigma Pi and APP in early September 2022. She said she became extremely intoxicated after consuming one cup of jungle juice.
Student A said she witnessed fraternity members moving Student B “around the house and bringing her into different rooms” while she was extremely intoxicated.
“I remember her heels stumbling against a door as she was being pulled into a room,” Student A said.
Medical documents provided to the Charlatan demonstrate Student B has informed her healthcare team of the alleged incident.
“I don’t have any sense of pride,” Student B said. “I just feel so ashamed about it.”
Student A alleges a fraternity member assaulted her at a joint APP and Kappa Sigma (KSIG) fraternity wine and cheese event on Oct. 6, 2022.
Prior to the wine and cheese event, Student A said fellow APP members encouraged her to date a KSIG member despite her expressing her disinterest. Text conversations obtained by the Charlatan between Student A and APP members corroborate her account.
Prior to the event, Student A texted an APP member and said she was scared of the KSIG member.
When a different APP member asked Student A in a text message if she was “feeling it” romantically towards the KSIG member, Student A replied, “No, no, no.”
Student A alleged that the KSIG member approached her and picked her up with both his arms. Student A said she struggled to pull away.
“I literally told him to stop,” Student A said. “I wasn’t talking to him the whole time. I was trying to ignore him, and he just kept hovering behind me.”
Student A said while she was sitting on a couch later that night, the KSIG member approached her again, forcefully grabbing her chin to kiss her.
“I had to rip my head out,” Student A said. “It made me feel like a dog.”
Another text message from Student A sent to a friend after the alleged assault read, “he tried to kiss me and I pushed him away like SHOVED.”
Students C and F said they recall hearing from fellow AMPPs that a fraternity member had assaulted an APP member at the wine and cheese event.
“There’s this frat boy that’s been menacing me for like a year,” one text message sent by Student A to a friend shortly after the alleged assault said.
Student A said she reported the incident to APP and ICAPP and felt dissatisfied with the speed at which they handled her complaint.
According to the legal chair’s statement, “ICAPP offered any help the individual required.”
The statement also said executive council members offered to accompany her to report the incident to authorities and gave her multiple resources, contrary to Student A’s account.
The Charlatan obtained months of back-and-forth communication between Student A and various APP and ICAPP executives from October 2022 through May 2023 in the form of emails and text messages.
Student A decided to disaffiliate from the sorority, citing the lack of action when it came to her alleged assault as the reason for her departure.
Student F said, “As far as I know, nothing was really done about [Student A’s complaint.] He’s still in the frat—he’s not on probation or anything.”
Student A continued to seek updates from APP and ICAPP after leaving the sorority.
In an email response to one of Student A’s update request on May 19, international vice-president of standards Bethany Bodnar wrote, “As far as updates go those were offered as a curtsey [sic] it is by no means practice to update people who are outside of the organization, it was a kindness offered to you by myself.”
“Moving forward there will be no further updates as to what is taking place at the chapter level. If any updates will impact you personally I will make sure you are informed.”
Oct. 15, 2023, the Charlatan reached out to Bodnar, but they did not respond within five business days for comment.
Student A informed Carleton’s department of EIC of her general concerns and experiences in an email—later obtained by the Charlatan—March 1, 2023. She also reported the 2021 ice cream hazing incident.
Student A said Elmi, an EIC contact, told her there was nothing that could be done to ban the APP Carleton chapter.
“Equity services said, ‘you can’t file a cease and desist against an entire organization. It has to only be against one person […] ‘they can’t prosecute or work on banning Alpha Pi Phi from campus because it’s technically not an on-campus organization.’”
‘I wanted to have somebody to call sister’
“They were branding themselves like a sisterhood,” Student B said. “I wanted to have somebody to call sister.”
Student B said she made every effort to impress APP members throughout rush, even cleaning up after events concluded.
She said she was criticized at the APP events she attended. Students A and C corroborated Student B’s account and said older members called Student B a “try hard” and someone “that could never fit in.”
Student B was rejected by APP and never made it through the initiation.
Student B alleged that, immediately after her rush period, her mental health declined dramatically. She said she experienced depressive symptoms for the first time in her life.
Student B said she moved “from one doctor to another” at Carleton’s clinic and was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Following her diagnosis, Student B registered as a disability student with Carleton’s Paul Menton Centre and is currently taking medication to treat her mental illness.
“I started antidepressants right after the rush process,” Student B said. “It was 100 per cent what drove me to the doctor.”
“It was a big transition for me because I’ve never been on any pills before,” Student B said. “I hated taking medications.”
“But I had to do it, so I did it.”
Medical documents provided to the Charlatan demonstrate that Student B sought treatment immediately after her rush period and cited her Greek life experiences as the reason for her mental decline.
“[Student B] was suffering from declining mental health in October 2022, at which time she came to Carleton University Health and counselling for support,” according to one medical document.
“She was struggling with feelings of guilt, difficulty concentrating, no motivation, lack of interest and low mood. She was seen by a physician at our clinic and diagnosed with depression. This is the first mental health diagnosis that we are aware of.”
“[Student B] shared that an incident had happened to them at a sorority,” another medical document reads. “[Student B] shared they were bullied, ostracized, assaulted by them.”
‘Swan ceremony’
Students C, D, E and F said their “swan ceremony” in early October 2022 took place in a dark room, partially lit by candles, with active members arranged in a circle.
New members would receive a baby swan pin at this ceremony to mark the beginning of their journey in the sorority. The sorority’s mascot is a black swan, according to APP’s constitution.
“I thought, ‘We’re gonna walk in, meet our big, take pictures,’” Student E said. “I did not think we were gonna be in a circle with cameras and lights off.”
“Is this a cult?” Student D said she wondered at the time.
According to multiple witnesses, an APP member collapsed on the floor during the pinning ceremony.
The member said she fainted because of an unspecified medical condition and from being intoxicated the day before.
Student C said when she went to help the collapsed student, she was promptly told by elected new member support officer Brooklyn James and an APP alum to get back in line and finish the ceremony.
Multiple sources who were in the room during the ceremony corroborate Student C’s account.
“I said, ‘Oh my God, let me help, please. I know what I’m doing.’ I was told to get back in line, and they kept reading from this book and kept assigning big sisters, kept pinning other girls while [a member was] passed out on the floor,” Student C said.
Oct. 15, 2023, the Charlatan reached out to James and the alum, but they did not respond within five business days for comment.
The APP member who fell ill disputes the sources’ claims and said the pinning ceremony hadn’t continued while she was unconscious.
“They were extremely responsive,” the APP member said. “Obviously, the whole pinning ceremony had stopped and hadn’t proceeded until I was fully awake.”
The Charlatan asked the APP member how she concluded the ceremony had paused since she had been unconscious at the time.
“I’m not going to get into the details of what a pinning ceremony is just because it is sacred to, obviously, being a part of the sorority. But when I had woken up, everything was exactly in the same place,” the active APP member said.
“The fellow sisters were surrounding me. So just by that scene, if the pinning ceremony had gone on, like, they wouldn’t have been there.”
Student A said after the ceremony, older members of the sorority were “concerned” that Student C had broken “ritual” by stepping out of position in an effort to help the collapsed student.
“[Older members] were like, ‘get her out of the room.’ They’re letting [the ceremony] go on and are trying to get her out of there.” Student D said.
‘Greek Olympics’
The late October 2022 “Greek Olympics” saw AMPPs don schoolgirl uniforms, knee-high socks and pigtails to perform a dance in front of hundreds of sorority and fraternity members at Mooney’s Bay park.
High-ranking fraternity members in local Greek life communities judged the sorority’s performance, which was labelled as an air band competition.
Students C, D, E and F said the AMPPs were required to perform what they’ve described as a “sexual dance,” choreographed by active APP member Samantha Bernard, as a condition to join the sorority.
“I came up with the initial Choreography, but the individuals who performed in the routine were also allowed to provide input,” Samantha Bernard told the Charlatan in an email.
The Charlatan obtained a video of APP’s performance. It depicts AMPPs lifting their skirts to reveal their undergarments, laying down and spreading their legs, twerking and spanking other new members.
“The performed dance movements are typical for this style of music and age group of the performers.” Bernard wrote. “There is no actual ‘spanking’ as there was no physical contact. The movement was a wave-by only.”
Multiple videos of AMPPs practicing the dance obtained by the Charlatan depict the students visibly and audibly spanking each other.
“It wasn’t a little dance. It was a sexual performance. It was a striptease,” Student C said. “I didn’t want to do it.”
“We were expected to participate in it as part of our pledging period,” Student C alleged. In her view, “There was no shot at initiation if we didn’t participate.”
Students C, D, E and F said AMPPs were required to practice multiple times a week for up to five hours at a time for the October performance.
The sources alleged sorority members would scream at the AMPPs for incorrectly performing the routine.
“They took it so seriously,” Student E said. “It was like life or death.”
Student F said Grace Oborne, an elected junior new member support officer, singled her out after she made a mistake in the dance and told her to perform the routine by herself in front of the entire group.
Oct. 15, 2023, the Charlatan reached out to Oborne, but she did not respond within five business days for comment.
Multiple sources corroborated Student F’s account and added Oborne would often scream at AMPPs for making mistakes in the routine.
Student F shared her concerns about Oborne’s “disrespectful” conduct with an active APP member.
“Honestly she shouldn’t be treating you or anyone that way,” the APP member wrote in a text message to Student F. “It’s really unfair for this to be happening and it’s a cause for concern.”
Student F also informed an ICAPP executive of her concerns regarding Oborne’s behaviour.
“It’s a Grace issue for sure,” the ICAPP executive wrote in a text message to Student F.
“Its [sic] not the first time, not even the fifth.”
“I’m not a dancer. I don’t like performing in front of people,” Student F said. “Singling out people to perform individually is so weird and stressful.”
A photo obtained by the Charlatan depicts Student C’s knees covered in bruises that she alleges were the result of training for the dance. Students F, D and E also allege they sustained bruised knees from practicing.
Bernard said the performance was “completely voluntary” and not a requirement to make it into the sorority. She also said no injuries were reported.
She added that practices started in October (not September, as alleged by Students C, D, E and F) and ranged between an hour and an hour and a half.
“I honestly was so exhausted during this period that I agreed with everything,” Student C said. “It’s horrifying.”
A makeshift stage was erected in the middle of the public park for the incoming set of air band performances by local sororities and fraternities.
“They didn’t tell us how many people were gonna be there,” Student E said. “I thought it was gonna be like 50 people, but it wasn’t. There were like 300.”
“We had to look good, act hot,” Student C said. “We had to get a little sloppy because the guys were judging us.”
“During the performances, there was a dude that had turned around and started jerking off,” Student F said.
“ICAPP and the Executive Team of Alpha Chapter have never received any concerns regarding the Greek O dance,” ICAPP’s legal chair wrote in an email. “We have found proof that participation in this was absolutely voluntary and was expressed multiple times.”
“These allegations are untrue and unfounded as multiple other members have expressed as well.”
The “proof” that participation was voluntary was not provided in the legal chair’s statement.
APP ultimately won the 2022 air band competition.
Victims demand action
Canadian universities are generally relaxed when it comes to Greek letter organizations on campus, according to the Varsity.
However, Greek organizations have been banned from Queen’s University since 1933. The student government cited the exclusive nature of Greek organizations as a reason behind the ban.
At least one person has died each year from a hazing-related incident since 1959 in the U.S. and Canada, according to the Hank Nuwer hazing death database.
In an email, Hank Nuwer, a long-time anti-hazing journalist, said his research demonstrates a link between Greek life and hazing.
“I just don’t think anyone should go through that,” Student B said. “It’s heartbreaking and very isolating … I don’t want to be at this university anymore.”
“It’s not one bad apple—it’s every bad apple,” Student F said. “You have to break down the organization.”
Currently, no legal statutes exist to address hazing in Canada.
“I strongly believe such a law is overdue,” Nuwer said.
“I want people to actually be concerned—this is a widespread issue,” Student A said. “I felt brainwashed.”
Greek life in North America includes more than 800 campuses, 5,500 chapters, 350,000 students and nine million alums, as stated by the New York Institute of Technology.
“After every event, I would just feel sick,” Student B said. “Now, when I look back at it, I wish I just went home.”
[Graphics by Alisha Velji/The Charlatan]
[Featured image by Faith Greco/The Charlatan]
