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.
Students are calling for Carleton University and the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) to take action after the Charlatan published a report detailing six students’ accounts of alleged hazing within Alpha Pi Phi’s (APP) Carleton chapter.
Several students have also criticized CUSA president Mohamed “Faris” Riazudden’s interactions with students regarding the investigation.
The sources’ allegations include: hand-feeding ice cream to nude APP mentors; a culture of substance abuse; incidents of alleged 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 the Greek Olympics.
“It’s crazy, but it seems like nobody cares,” said Felicity Soliman, a Carleton student and former APP member.
Soliman was previously referred to as Student C in the Charlatan’s investigation.
She has asked for her name to be included in this story because she said she is “angry” that the university, CUSA and APP have not publicly responded to the Charlatan’s story.
Carleton University, CUSA, APP and the International Council of Alpha Pi Phi have not released any public statements regarding the Charlatan’s investigation of alleged hazing.
Current Greek life on campus
Soliman said she is currently taking time off from her studies in English at Carleton, citing her experiences within APP as the reason.
“It seems like they all think, ‘If you ignore it, it’ll just go away,’” Soliman said.
Six days after the Charlatan published the hazing investigation, two Charlatan reporters witnessed and spoke with APP members holding a chapter meeting in Southam Hall room 304.
The Charlatan contacted Carleton’s communications department on Nov. 9 for comment regarding Greek life organizations’ use of campus spaces.
“Carleton University does not recognize sororities and fraternities as affiliated entities,” Steven Reid, Carleton’s media relations officer, wrote in an email.
“These groups are considered unofficial student organizations that operate independently off campus. The University does not provide space for any non-accredited groups,” he wrote.
“Students who have concerns about individuals using space on campus may contact the Office of Student Affairs.”
According to Carleton’s space booking policy, “The University has the right and responsibility to manage the use of, and access to, its interior and exterior space to ensure that the University’s academic and non-academic activities, the safety of the community and facilities, and the University’s reputation are not compromised.”
“[APP] has associated themselves with Carleton, and Carleton has made no effort to stop them,” Soliman said. “These are your students.”
APP’s Facebook page lists Carleton University’s address as its own. APP’s Instagram account also depicts sorority members using various classrooms on campus to meet with other Greek life organizations.
Student B, the same Carleton student included in the previous investigation, said the university is “making an excuse” by labelling Greek life groups as off-campus organizations.
“If they were external groups, why are they allowed to set up tables [for recruitment] and host activities on campus?” she asked.
Student B alleges she was inappropriately handled by multiple fraternity members at a mixer attended by Sigma Pi and APP in early September 2022. She said she became “extremely intoxicated” after consuming one cup of “jungle juice.”
“I’m surprised the university has not suspended this group from campus,” Student B said in an interview with the Charlatan.“This ‘I don’t care’ attitude is going to hurt the university community as a whole.”
On Nov. 23, the Carleton chapter of the Acacia fraternity set up a table outside the Nicol Building.
Acacia members sold pies to students for them to shove in fraternity members’ faces. The sign taped to the front of the fraternity’s table read, “Proceeds go to Movember.”
“I’ve been through a lot of emotional distress because of Greek life in general,” Student B said.
“I wasn’t able to function properly, and [Greek life members] were living their best lives, not giving a damn,” she continued.
“I wasn’t the first one or the last one.”
On Nov. 27, and 28, Alpha Omicron Pi and Kappa Sigma (KSIG) hosted a joint fundraiser at Ollie’s Patio and Pub in Nideyinàn (formerly the University Centre). CUSA offers the pub service.
On Nov. 27, the Charlatan called campus safety and spoke with staff sergeant Allison Finch.
The Charlatan asked Finch whether campus safety knew of the event that day since it was posted on the fraternity’s and sorority’s social media.
“We weren’t aware,” Finch said. “In terms of the event, there are a couple of things with Ollie’s. You, or anybody in the university, could rent out the space.”
A Carleton University student and local fraternity president told the Charlatan that on Nov. 27, he witnessed a KSIG pledge carrying an older member’s backpack on their way to Ollie’s.
He said he recognized the older member, who was empty-handed, and the pledge who was carrying two backpacks on his shoulder, as the pair entered Ollie’s for their joint fundraiser.
“To me, that’s a form of hazing,” he said. “It’s a power trip. You’re a grown man. Carry your own backpack.”
“To the passing eye, people wouldn’t really recognize that as hazing, but it is hazing,” he said.
The fraternity president has asked for his name not to be included in this story because he fears retaliation and desires privacy. He said his fraternity does not host events or recruit on the Carleton campus.
On Nov. 28, the Charlatan called campus security again and spoke with Finch. She was asked if campus safety was aware of the event that day.
“We are not,” Finch said. “Is it the same sorority as yesterday?”
“There’s some correspondence coming down the pipe, and it hasn’t been finalized yet,” she continued. “CUSA is not going to be able to allow any of the Greek life [organizations] to hold any type of event.”
“It is a university policy violation from the sound of it,” Finch said.
The KSIG Instagram account, @kappa_sigmacu, went live during the fundraiser at Ollie’s and streamed video of fraternity members getting their heads shaved and armpits waxed.
An Instagram story posted by the fraternity read, “Charity wax off” and “Bid to get a brother waxed.”
CUSA’s response
A third-year Carleton student said Student B shared her experiences in Greek life with them after a law class in late September.
The third-year student previously worked for the Charlatan in a non-editorial position for three months in 2022.
The third-year Carleton student has asked for their name not to be included in this story because they fear retaliation and desire privacy.
“I was really going to break down crying but I had to hold my shit together because she was already crying,” they said. ”The only thing I could think in that moment was, ‘How can this happen at Carleton University?’”
The third-year student said they thanked Student B for sharing her story.
“I told her, ‘This is not going away,’” they said.
On Sept. 30, following their conversation with Student B, the third-year student said they connected with CUSA president Mohamed “Faris” Riazudden in-person and in subsequent Instagram messages obtained by the Charlatan.
They requested a meeting with Riazudden to discuss Student B’s allegations and the use of campus space by Greek life organizations.
“I didn’t wait a second,” the third-year student said.
In an email to the Charlatan on Nov. 30, Riazudden wrote, “The survivors have bravely told their stories, and the courage they have exhibited has led to a groundswell of students demanding something be done about this.”
The third-year student said they scheduled a meeting on Oct. 4 with Riazudden, Student B and Emilia De Jesus Peixoto (CUSA’s vice-president of student issues).
The third-year student and Student B said they both asked the CUSA representatives to set up a meeting with the president and vice-president of the university to address Greek life organizations’ use of campus space and the recent hazing allegations.
The third-year student said in that meeting, Riazudden told the group he would speak with the requested university representatives at an upcoming “lunch-in” the following day between CUSA and Carleton officials.
The third-year student messaged Riazudden on Oct. 14, requesting an update on CUSA’s conversation with Carleton officials.
Riazudden responded to the message the following day, writing that he had brought up the issue with the university’s provost, who told him to connect with student affairs.
Riazudden specifically mentioned Suzanne Blanchard, vice-president of students and enrollment, and Jeremy Brzozowski, associate vice-president of student life and student affairs.
Riazudden, De Jesus Peixoto, the third-year student and Student B met again on Oct. 25 to co-ordinate a meeting with student affairs officials.
‘Triggering for me’: CUSA president
“I will continue to mobilize all of CUSA’s resources in supporting any survivors who choose CUSA as the avenue to amplify their voice,” Riazudden said in an email to the Charlatan.
“Respectfully, I strongly believe that we can better serve survivors without having to disclose their stories. I encourage [the Charlatan] to persist in [its] valuable work through other channels and sources.”
On Nov. 22, Student B, the third-year student and De Jesus Peixoto met with Brzozowski and Monique Lavergne, a case management support officer at the university.
Student B said she was “surprised” Riazudden was not present at this meeting. She said she detailed her experiences in Greek life to Brzozowski and Lavergne.
“I was not given a reason as to why [Riazudden] was not in attendance at this meeting. I expected him to be on board with this and he says that he is,” she said.
“There’s this hint of avoidance,” she added.
The third-year student, with permission of Student B, said at this meeting they advocated for the creation of a “task force of student leaders [and] administrators” and “experts to crack down on Greek organizations’ use of campus and sexual assault on campus.”
Student B and the third-year student said the university needs to stop focusing on how to react following an incident and instead work toward proactive prevention.
The pair also said they suggested an educational element at the start of each academic year to warn incoming Carleton students about the dangers associated with Greek life.
De Jesus Peixoto told the group she had been meeting with community stakeholders such as the department of equity and inclusive communities and campus security to discuss the issue, Student B and the third-year student said.
Nov. 30, 2023, the Charlatan reached out to De Jesus Peixoto, but she did not respond within 24 hours for comment.
Student B and the third-year student said Brzozowski asked the pair to send documented evidence of Greek life organizations using campus space and a list of local Greek organizations.
In a Nov. 27 email obtained by the Charlatan, Student B sent Brzozowski and Lavergne the Carleton Greek life organizations list and the requested documentation.
The Carleton student and local fraternity president said he’s “happy” the investigation into alleged hazing was published.
“That shit has no place here,” he said. “It ruins [other organizations’] image.”
The fraternity president said he “just [wants] to talk to CUSA” to find a solution, adding Riazudden “wasn’t very receptive” to communicating with him.
On Nov. 5, the fraternity president reached out to CUSA president Riazudden in a social media message obtained by the Charlatan.
The fraternity president wrote that he had thoughts on how the university should become more involved with campus Greek life through increased monitoring to improve accountability and reduce the risk of student harm.
“Hey maan [sic], I’ll be honest with you. I am removing myself from this, the entire situation is very triggering for me,” Riazudden responded. “My VP is handling the situation with the university.”
The fraternity president said he was “pissed off” by Riazudden’s response.
“How are you a president if you’re not able to have those hard conversations?” the fraternity president asked. “At least hear people out.”
In a Nov. 30 email to the Charlatan, Riazudden wrote, “Where I personally can be the most effective in addressing matters is in privately holding the university and their systems to account.”
On Nov. 29, Lavergne emailed Student B writing, “we wanted to share that messaging will be sent to the Greek Life societies who identify as having chapters at Carleton reminding them that they are not permitted to operate on University property.”
On Nov. 30, the Charlatan emailed Riazudden and asked if CUSA plans to release a statement regarding Greek organizations’ unauthorized use of campus space.
“We believe statements alone might not bring about the necessary changes,” Riazudden replied. “CUSA Council is our governing body responsible for formal stances.”
‘All we can do is do better’
In an interview with the Charlatan on Nov. 9, Ava Roozorgousheh, the international president and executive director of ICAPP, asked that her last name be changed to “Chahaki” in future reporting because she desires privacy related to her refugee status–although she did acknowledge that her name could appear in this story.
Chahaki said she is “working with the team” to make ICAPP’s constitution and bylaws publicly available.
“I agree [those documents] should be public,” she said. “When Britney [Bodnar] responded to [the Charlatan] with the NDA, I read those emails—I believe there was a miscommunication on our end.”
“I’m working on it,” she said. “I can’t speak to why my previous executive director did not make it public. All I can do is do better—and I will be.”
When the Charlatan asked Chahaki how long the ice cream ritual had been taking place within the Carleton APP chapter, she said multiple years.
“I don’t have a number of years but a couple of years,” Chahaki said.
Chahaki said APP members were not nude during the ice cream incident in 2021.
An internal ICAPP report acknowledging the incident read, “During initiation, Bigs are stripped during the ice cream activity, 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.”
“I’ll be very clear, some girls chose to do the ice cream activity in their bras, which is what we flagged as hazing,” Chahaki said.
In a Dec. 1 interview with the Charlatan, Student A said, “Most of the bigs were completely naked during the ice cream activity.”
“Only one or two of them kept their underwear and bra on.”
Student A joined the sorority in 2021 and described the APP “ritual” involving ice cream that occurred during her initiation weekend in the Charlatan’s previous report.
“To say that they were nude or people were touching themselves is not what the active and alum members of the chapter have attested to,” Chahaki continued. “I’m not from this chapter. I was not there […] I stand by that it was hazing. It was not okay. People did get expelled. However, to dramatize the situation causes further harm,” she said.
A text conversation obtained by the Charlatan corroborates Student A’s account of the ice cream activity.
“At initiation I won’t make u [sic] watch ur [sic] bigs eat ice cream naked,” an APP member wrote in a text message to an APP member group chat on Jan. 25, 2022.
Chahaki said the two new member support officers who allegedly tied pledges’ hands together were not expelled because they were not named in ICAPP’s “investigation interviews.”
She added she is “unaware” of whether police were contacted following ICAPP’s report, which suggested the ritual may have raised concerns of criminal conduct.
“It was our concern that [such activity] could have happened, not that it has happened,” Chahaki said.
In an email sent to the Charlatan later that day, Chahaki said ICAPP will be reopening the investigation into the “Ice Cream Activity.” Chahaki also shared a Google Drive folder with the Charlatan that she said contained evidence related to various allegations.
“We recognize the importance of ensuring this is truly the case and so a secondary investigation will be occurring,” she continued in the email.
Chahaki said any other members found to have been perpetuating hazing will have their membership terminated.
“Chapter leadership was told that [ICAPP] would be sharing a drive with evidence with [the Charlatan] and should they or anyone in the Chapter have additional statements/evidence they could upload it to the drive,” Chahaki wrote.
The Google Drive contained seven letters signed by APP members regarding the ice cream incident and eight signed letters regarding the pinning ceremony.
“I don’t know how many times we need to say that [APP members] version of events is not true,” Soliman said regarding the pinning ceremony she attended.
“They need to get it through their heads that just because you sign a letter […] doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. It just doesn’t make sense.”
Student A said she agreed with Soliman and is frustrated that APP members keep “pushing a version of events that is just not true.”
Chahaki said she did not have “any information to provide” regarding Student B’s allegation that she was inappropriately handled by multiple fraternity members at a mixer attended by Sigma Pi and APP in early September 2022.
“If that did happen, I’m so sorry,” Chahaki said.
Student B said Chahaki’s comment on her experiences made her feel invalidated.
“What do you mean ‘if that did happen?’” Student B said. “I’m not lying.”
Chahaki said ICAPP has updated its alcohol policy since the Charlatan’s report. Sorority members are now expected to bring their own alcohol to events.
“There’s things that should have been put in place previously,” she said. “We’ve been very strict on it, as well—bring our own closed cans [and] bottles, instead of going to a house and hoping the frat guys have [alcohol].”
“What about becoming a dry chapter?” asked Soliman.
Regarding Student A’s allegation that a fraternity member assaulted her at a joint APP and KSIG fraternity wine and cheese event on Oct. 6, 2022, Chahaki said, “I feel like a lot of [anger] is being projected out to the wrong party. I hope the fraternity is being held accountable.”
“It’s very easy to blame the women and not hold the men accountable,” Chahaki said.
Soliman, Student A and Student B said Chahaki’s comments lack accountability.
“This is complete hypocrisy. APP pretends to be a feminist organization when it actually puts its members into dangerous situations,” Student A said. “I feel like APP has demonstrated that they can’t keep their members safe and, more importantly, that they don’t care to.”
As for ICAPP’s “courtesy investigation” into Student A’s allegations: “I can only do better now,” Chahaki said. “I am working with our legal chair […] to understand what the boundaries are for us as a registered organization and what we can and can’t disclose to non-members.”
Chahaki said ICAPP was involved in the 2022 recruitment season and that ICAPP officers were at APP’s fall and winter initiations last year.
“We recognize Greek life […] has a dark history,” Chahaki added. “All we can do is do better.”
When asked whether ICAPP plans to release a public statement regarding the Charlatan’s recent investigation, Chahaki said she “wasn’t sure.”
“It’s something we’re still very much going back and forth on,” she said. “Not because we’re scared of admitting to anything—but because we’re worried that, even if we come with evidence or our version, it’s going to just cause more harm for our members than good.”
“But we are still strongly debating it.”
“What about the six victims’ evidence or version of events?” asked Student B.
Student reaction
“We need somebody to fight for us, not somebody to party with us or to pay to not make us see what the problems are,” the third-year student said. “CUSA is the scapegoat for Carleton.”
They said CUSA is “scared” of being political and that Student B shouldn’t have to feel like she has no one to go to for a solution.
“In my experience so far, the University works best to address concerns from students when the matters are not being relayed live through social media or campus media,” Riazudden said in the Nov. 30 email to the Charlatan.
“As students, we should not feel like we need to go public and expose ourselves to protect other students,” the third-year student said. “We need to know where we can have these conversations and discussions because our student leaders refuse to be leaders.”
Student B said she wanted “to expose” her experiences in Greek life and is frustrated with the lack of “public outcry.”
On Nov. 30, the Charlatan contacted Carleton’s communication department and asked the university how it plans to address Greek organizations’ unauthorized use of campus space.
“Carleton has reached out to Greek Life organizations to remind them that the University does not recognize Greek Life organizations as approved student groups,” replied Communications manager Abby McIntyre on behalf of the university.
“Nor does the University permit Greek Life organizations to operate on university property (including but not limited to reserving spaces, hosting events and recruiting),” the statement continued.
Student B said she is not asking for Carleton to take the blame for what happened to her, but she wants the university to protect other students from going through the same experiences in Greek life.
“I wanted to expose the incidents,” Student B said. “I wanted to show everyone that this is dangerous.”
Soliman said she’s “still angry” about her experiences but hopes that by sharing her story, others will avoid victimization in Greek life.
“Don’t drink the Kool-Aid,” Soliman said.
Feature graphic by Alisha Velji/the Charlatan
With files from Elissa Mendes
