A Florida International University fraternity has been suspended and is being investigated after screenshots of Facebook posts revealed photos of naked women, suggestions of possible drug use and hazing.
Screenshots of Facebook posts allegedly made by FIU's Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity or "Pike" brothers were distributed to the Miami New Times and to the university through an anonymous email. Pi Kappa Alpha is a frat that historically prides itself on community service and leadership.
"I think it's a good thing they got in trouble because they deserved it," said freshman Cynthia Rodriguez, who is interested in pledging a sorority.
"That's the only frat that I've ever heard about. I went to a party and it was like nasty," said Laura Gonzalez, who remarked that the fraternity had a reputation.
Several posts referred to a "pike pharmacy."
"30 mg of addy 10 starting tomorrow," another post reads, referring to Adderall. The drug prescribed for ADHD is sometimes abused by college students to pull all-nighters.
FIU released a statement that read in part, "The university is taking this information very seriously because it suggests possible Student Code of Conduct violations. The university took prompt action and placed the fraternity on interim suspension pending the outcome of investigations by appropriate university departments, including the police."
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The Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity's national headquarters in Tennessee said the FIU chapter would fully comply with the temporary suspension and subsequent investigation.
Campus police will also look into posts that seem to suggest hazing was going on. "Make a pledge wash your car – hazing is amazin" one of the posts read.
And students said they were offended by photos of naked women that were shared, likely without the women's permission or knowledge. A comment on one of the pictures suggested the person in the photo was underage, and only 17 at the time it was taken.
"That was really messed up and me being a girl – whatever happens to them they deserve it," said Rodriguez.
The freshman went on to say that one group of people's mistakes shouldn't reflect poorly on all Greek life.
"Just because they did that doesn't mean every frat is like that," she said.
When asked how much of what the screenshots suggest is part of greek culture, Josh Labrada, who is in a different fraternity, broke it down.
"Parties yes, drugs no, smacktalking yes. It's a little bit of yes's and no's," he said.
He added that the brothers in the fraternity are known as the "popular jockey party boys."
It's supposed to be social media 101 that what you share online, regardless of your privacy settings, doesn't necessarily remain private. One group of college students may have learned this the hard way.
"You guys shouldn't have done that and you're stupid for posting it online," Gonzalez said.
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