Awards

2025 Excellence Awards

Outstanding Executive Board Member - Caroline Richardson

Outstanding New Member ‑ Ruth Kelly

Gold
Excellence in Citizenship and Social Responsibility

Bronze
Excellence in Member Development

2024 Excellence Awards

Bronze
Excellence in Citizenship and Social Responsibility

Gold
Excellence in Member Development

Gold
Excellence in Philanthropy and Service

2024 Excellence Awards

Sorority Woman of the Year - Riley Shook

2019 Excellence Awards

Gold
Academic Achievement
Citizenship and Social Responsibility
Member Development

Bronze
Philanthropy and Service

2018 Excellence Awards

Outstanding Educational Program ‑ Illuminate

Gold
Academic Achievement
Member Development
Philanthropy and Service

Silver
Citizenship and Social Responsibility

2017 Excellence Awards

Clive Hallman Outstanding Chapter Advisor Award ‑ Pamela Steele

Gold
Academic Achievement

Silver
Member Development
Philanthropy and Service

Philanthropy Work

Women's Wellness Initiative|Alex's Lemonade Stand|Breakthrough T1D

Values

Excellence, Intellect, Graciousness, Respect, and Connections

Organizational Standing & Records

Current Standing: On Probation and In Good Disciplinary Standing

Type of Case: Organizational Record
Process: OSARP's Organizational Accountability Process
Date Reported: 11-20-2025
Investigation Initiated: 11-20-2025
Investigation Concluded: 05-22-2026
Notification of Final Decision: 06-08-2026

Finding(s):
Alcohol (Responsible); Endangerment (Responsible); Hazing (Responsible)

Incident(s) Description:
The organization was found responsible for the following behaviors that occurred during the 2022-2023, 2023-2024, 2024-2025, and 2025-2026 academic years: providing alcohol to underage members at formal, informal, and casual organizational events; creating environments at formal, informal, and casual organizational events where underage members felt required, compelled, encouraged, or expected to consume alcohol (formal, informal, and casual organizational events include: those planned by the organization, those planned by older members for younger/new members, chapter traditions, "passdowns," and family gatherings before/after other organizational events, like Big/Little reveal).

Outcome(s):
Organizational Probation (through the end of the Spring 2027 semester): Outcomes may include suspension or expulsion from JMU and/or removal from all university housing if found responsible, in a future case, for another violation of Alcohol, Endangerment, or Hazing policy.

Leadership Coaching (through the end of the Spring 2027 semester): The President must schedule and attend organizational development meetings with an individual approved by the Office of Student Accountability & Restorative Practices. During these meetings, the President (and any other executive leaders who attend) will receive additional support on the following topics: organizational culture change, hosting safe bonding/social activities, organizational risk management and bystander intervention strategies, maintenance of new member activities free of alcohol and hazing, and additional support for completing headquarters-assigned outcomes.

Reminder of Assigned Outcome from Alpha Sigma Tau Headquarters (by the end of the Fall 2026 semester; 100% of chapter membership must participate): All members of the Member Support and Accountability Team will work with Headquarters to schedule team training to review the Member Support and Accountability Process. Individuals will review their roles, and the purpose of the process, and then work to create a chapter wide training that must be approved by Headquarters.

Reminder of Assigned Outcome from Alpha Sigma Tau Headquarters (by the end of the Fall 2026 semester): The Executive Committee and Chapter Advisory Board will work to schedule a staff member from Headquarters for an in-person visit. The visit will include an Executive Committee workshop, individual officer meetings, and other scheduled events that will address chapter needs.

Reminder of Assigned Outcome from Alpha Sigma Tau Headquarters (ongoing): The Member Development Team will work with Headquarters to create an improved Bid Day and Big/Little Reveal Day schedule of events that specifically target the concerns reported in this process. Before proposing to all members of the chapter, the plan will be approved by Headquarters.

Type of Case: Organizational Record
Process: OSARP's Organizational Accountability Process
Date Reported: 03-31-2025
Investigation Initiated: 04-02-2025
Investigation Concluded: 05-20-2025
Notification of Final Decision: 06-04-2025

Finding(s):
Alcohol (Responsible); Hazing (Responsible)

Incident(s) Description:
The organization was found responsible for the following behaviors that occurred at an event during the Fall 2021 semester: alcohol provided to, and consumed by, new members who were underage; new members, who were underage, were encouraged to participate in drinking games and were tested on their knowledge of the organization and its members - those who lost or answered questions incorrectly were encouraged to drink as a penalty; new members were tasked with creating, and singing, a song for senior members; new members were encouraged to create togas using funny fabrics and wear those togas to a public event.

Outcome(s):
COMPLETED ALL ACTIONABLE OUTCOME(S)

Organizational Probation (through the end of the Summer 2025 semester): Outcomes may include suspension or expulsion from JMU and/or removal from all university housing if found responsible, in a future case, for another violation of Alcohol or Hazing policy.

Organizational & Leadership Development (through the end of the Spring 2026 semester): Once-a-month organizational development meetings between the President and a staff member in Fraternity & Sorority Life. During these meetings, the President will receive additional support on stewarding culture change, hosting safe bonding/social activities, organizational risk management and bystander intervention strategies, and maintenance of new member activities free of alcohol and hazing. The President and Fraternity & Sorority Life will also review new member education plans utilized by the organization.

Comment: This Organizational Accountability Process was initiated after a report was submitted in Spring 2025 for allegations occurring in Fall 2021. The allegations in this process were similar to allegations that were previously reported, investigated, and addressed by the university for an incident in a different semester. In the previous process, Alpha Sigma Tau was found responsible for violating university policies, completed a period of probation, and completed multiple educational/organizational outcomes assigned by the university and National Headquarters.

Type of Case: Organizational Record
Process: Formal Investigation
Date Reported: 03-16-2023
Investigation Initiated: 03-16-2023
Investigation Concluded: 06-03-2023
Notification of Final Decision: 06-03-2023

Finding(s):
Alcohol (Responsible); Endangerment (Responsible); Hazing (Responsible)

Incident(s) Description:
In the course of investigating a report of hazing, it was determined that at a pass down event in April 2022 the following behaviors occurred: alcohol provided to underage members during a pass down event; alcohol consumed by underage members during a pass down event; high-risk consumption of alcohol competitions during a pass down event; members were observed as overly intoxicated and no leadership or officers intervened to slow or limit members' consumption; forced to wear costumes; forced consumption of alcohol.

Outcome(s):
COMPLETED ALL ACTIONABLE OUTCOME(S)

Disciplinary Probation through Fall 2024 with monthly meetings with the FSL team, advisors, and headquarters staff

Sober Monitor/Health and Safety Education: The chapter needs to attend a training/development workshop facilitated by JMU FSL team with 100% chapter attendance (provide proof of completion to FSL office), due October 1, 2023

Confrontation and Accountability Workshop: The chapter needs to attend a training/development workshop facilitated by JMU FSL team with 100% chapter attendance (provide proof of completion to FSL office), due October 1, 2023

“Passdowns” Plan Review for which the chapter work with an Alpha Sigma Tau administrative office staff member, their advisory board, and JMU’s FSL office to craft a plan to host this event while managing the health and safety of their members. The chapter leadership should design the plan and submit it for review to the FSL staff member prior to the next iteration of the event, due November 1, 2023

Type of Case: Organizational Record
Process: Formal Investigation
Date Reported: 11-10-2022
Investigation Initiated: 11-14-2022
Investigation Concluded: 02-14-2023
Notification of Final Decision: 02-14-2023

Finding(s):
Hazing (Responsible); Violations of Other University Policies (Responsible)

Incident(s) Description:
In the course of investigating a report of hazing, it was determined that at an event on 10/10/22 the following behaviors occurred: alcohol provided to underage members; alcohol consumed by underage members; new members were forced to wear togas gifted by their big sisters.

Outcome(s):
COMPLETED ALL ACTIONABLE OUTCOME(S)

Disciplinary probation through Fall 2023

Educational session on healthy relationships and group cohesion by April 2, 2023

No events with alcohol except at a third-party vendor through Spring 2023

Complete all headquarters requirements