The University of South Carolina chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, which has been on campus for more than 100 years, was officially closed by the national ATO organization on Jan. 5.
"For all practical purposes, Alpha Tau Omega is no longer at the University of South Carolina," a letter notifying the chapter from the national organization said.
This termination of charter comes after the USC chapter was suspended for one year in 2013 for drug and alcohol violations. ATO was also one of 13 fraternities on campus to have rush suspended for possible alcohol violations during the Fall 2015 semester.
According to the letter, "the decision stems from risk management violations, deceptive communications from the colony to the National Fraternity and the colony's decision to continue to engage men in the colony who had been removed as members of ATO."
The letter also indicates that campus officials were aware of and supportive of the decision.
"USC officials have been notified by the National Fraternity," the letter said. "The University supports the decision."
The fraternity and sorority report for the Fall 2015 semester indicates that the ATO chapter had 79 members.
The national ATO organization also made clear in their letter that the chapter could earn back its charter in part by building on past philanthropic work and recruiting responsible members.
"It is important to understand that a colony is in a probation period with the goal of convincing the National Fraternity that it is worthy of being fully chartered," the letter said.