This post was updated Sept. 28 at 7:09 p.m.

For fraternities and sororities, secrecy is touted as something that can fortify bonds.

But what happens when that secrecy erodes trust – not only in Greek life, but across UCLA?

The university’s chapter of the Kappa Sigma fraternity was suspended June 18 for violating policies surrounding hazing, alcohol and safety. A lack of detail from the administration, however, has prevented students from fully understanding the situation.

Transparency is not just a courtesy. It ensures both student safety and accountability.

UCLA provided no specifics as to what kind of hazing, alcohol or safety violations occurred.

Even basic information, such as dates, was not publicized. In an emailed statement to the Daily Bruin, the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life clarified that, “Between December 2023 and June 2025, UCLA’s chapter of Kappa Sigma was a recognized student group but was subject to restrictions on its activities under the terms of the interim suspension.” This was not specified in the email to the sorority and fraternity community.

When students are left in the dark, they lose trust – not only in Greek life, but in UCLA as a whole. UCLA and its OFSL have a responsibility to shine a light on safety violations in Greek life, rather than hoping these violations go unnoticed in the shadows.

In 2024, the University of Virginia also suspended its chapter of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Their approach to reporting the suspension, however, was quite different.

For starters, UVA’s report was published on its student affairs website. It includes dates of hazing incidents, dates they were reported, dates of investigation, dates of responsible findings, the policies violated and the sanctions decided.

Most importantly, the report extensively explains the hazing incidents – including 16 bullet points of concrete examples.

UCLA’s description of Kappa Sigma’s suspension, which was handled through the Office of Student Conduct, is not even one sentence on the OFSL community directory website. Furthermore, notice of the suspension was merely emailed to sorority and fraternity members.

OFSL said in an emailed statement to the Daily Bruin that the Fraternity and Sorority Transparency Act requires data such as disciplinary actions to be disclosed in the OFSL’s Community Performance Report. This report is sent to the whole campus using BruinPost, and the 2024-2025 report will be released by Oct. 1.

But considering that notice of the suspension was only sent to fraternity and sorority members, the UCLA student body is left in the dark between June and October.

This discrepancy between UCLA and UVA indicates that transparency is not an unrealistic demand, but is instead a feasible choice that other colleges have already made.

Transparency should not be a problem for UCLA. Chancellor Julio Frenk has repeatedly emphasized open communication as central to his leadership plan.

In his June 5 inaugural address, he highlighted his desire to “restore connective relationships” across the UCLA community. Through his implementation of Campus Community Conversations and the UCLA Connects: Listening Exercise program, Frenk claims a desire to initiate and engage in difficult-yet-important discussions.

But the administration is silent on Greek life. They withhold information and limit its dissemination.

Even transparency efforts made by Greek life itself do not meet basic standards. The UCLA Interfraternity Council website’s “Transparency” page, which lists internal IFC cases, does not list the suspension of Kappa Sigma. The most recent violation listed is from 2024.

By including only internal IFC cases on the website, information provided by IFC and OFSL is lacking at best – and intentionally secretive at worst.

UCLA Panhellenic does not even have a “Transparency” page or its equivalent listed on their website, per a bylaw passed by the National Panhellenic Conference which prevents College Panhellenic organizations from enforcing or creating risk management rules.

In Panhellenic sororities at UCLA, the average new member dues – or the money that members pay their first quarter of joining – are about $1,566. This is roughly equivalent to the combined money students spend on a quarter of the University of California Student Insurance Program, in addition to the mandatory $500 initial payment to accept a UCLA housing offer.

When students consider investing that much money into only one quarter of membership, are they not owed a higher level of clarity?

Students and parents deserve honesty, not silence, especially when safety is at stake.

These discussions will not disappear. Without clear and direct communication between UCLA and the student body, the administration allows speculation to stand in for truth. This contributes to a worse reputation for their fraternities and sororities, increased confusion among students and, worst of all, a crumbling trust in the administration to tell the truth.

Gaps in transparency also compromise the campus’s ability to prevent future incidents. If such information remains hidden, patterns of misconduct cannot be identified, and the same dangerous behavior may repeat itself year after year.

In instances of hazing, a lack of awareness around how hazing causes injuries and deaths actively prevents a decrease in these avoidable tragedies. If more people knew about the deaths and injuries caused by hazing, there would be more public efforts towards prevention.

How will a student pledging a fraternity know if the initiation process is crossing a line when everyone around them tells them it is normal – or just tradition? How will administrators be able to identify recurring problems in order to implement long-term solutions?

Operating behind a veil of secrecy is not just harmful to the current UCLA community – it is not feasible in the long run.

UCLA risks fostering a culture in which silence on adverse behavior is normalized rather than condemned.

For the good of UCLA as an institution – now and years down the line – UCLA, OFSL and NPC must make a stronger commitment to transparency and open communication with the UCLA community.

We demand they release full, timely information about fraternity and sorority suspensions, including violations and sanctions. This includes keeping the IFC and Panhellenic websites up to date to ensure they are visible to potential new members this coming fall.

Students cannot feel safe or trust in UCLA leadership without transparency. If Greek life oversight and campus safety continue to take place behind closed doors, distrust between the community and UCLA and OFSL will fester and continue to grow. A public university should publish its information.

True leadership involves confronting rather than concealing uncomfortable truths. The administration must step up: students’ dignity and trust are on the line.