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Rutgers urges students to avoid unrecognized fraternities after hazing incident

Rutgers University is urging students to avoid any fraternity or sorority that does not have university recognition

Chris Keating

Jan 21, 2026, 1:11 PM

Updated

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Rutgers students returning to campus following the holiday break received a warning from the university. It suggested that students stay away from pledging non-sanctioned fraternities or sororities.

The warning comes about three months after a 19-year-old student nearly lost his life in a hazing incident. That hazing took place at the Alpha Sigma Phi house on the New Brunswick campus.

The Greek letters were removed from the College Avenue fraternity house on Wednesday. Members of the chapter have been evicted and the national fraternity is now filing a lawsuit against those students for defying a ban on hazing.

The injured student suffered an electric shock after being doused with water before coming in contact with a live wire in the fraternity house.

RELATED: Rutgers fraternity members sued for hazing that nearly killed pledge

RELATED: What potential charges in Rutgers hazing incident could look like

There is still an open police investigation to decide if anyone will be charged with a crime related to the incident. The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office wrote in a statement, “The investigation is still ongoing. We are not commenting on the case at this time.”

While on the New Brunswick campus, News 12 heard from students who are not at all surprised to hear that members of Alpha Sigma Phi are being sued.

“The committee that oversees the Alpha Sigma chapter, of course are going to try and do everything they can to remove themselves from the situation at hand, no matter what could’ve happened,” said Omar Falki, who is also a member of Kappa Sigma.

Along with the warning to only use university-recognized fraternities or sororities, Rutgers also provided a link to those that are sanctioned.

https://greeklife.rutgers.edu/

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