When the initial news spread across campus of Kappa Alpha Order’s suspension, the SMU community was left with an array of emotions.

Freshman business major Leeza Sanfilippo, who is a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, said she was shocked when she learned of the fraternity’s fate.

“It’s definitely a wow. SMU is really serious about what they were doing. I really feel bad for the KA boys,” Sanfilippo said.

Sophomore Udoka Omenukor was also surprised.

“It will show other fraternities they’re being watched and they need to be careful,” she said.

Sophomore English major Kristian Hernandez, who is a member of Kappa Delta Chi, said, “I was surprised; it was weird to hear they are not on campus anymore.”

A comment posted on The Daily Campus Web site in response to the “Kappa Alpha kicked out” story shared Hernandez’s view.

“I am well acquainted with the KA house, and they share a similar identity with several other houses on campus,” a user going by the name “Long Duck Dong” said. “It was only a matter of time before one of the social houses (SAE, Pike, KA, Phi Delt) got booted, but I am shocked that it was the KA house that was first to go.”

Other students said they felt as if the punishment was warranted.

“I think it’s about time they’re doing something about the fraternities,” sophomore Allison Jean Thompson said.

Thompson, who is a member of the Women’s Interest Network and is not affiliated with the Greek community, describes herself as a feminist.

Hernandez said students cannot hide anymore behind an organization for their bad actions.

Many people wondered why KA was suspended instead of other fraternities.

“I am a recent grad of SMU and former Greek member, but not a KA,” “Long Duck Dong” wrote. “Me and my pledge brothers were submitted to all kinds of hazing – stun guns, rampant paddling, incredibly unhealthy concoctions, alcohol hazing, and minimal human acknowledgement. that kind of behavior is grounds for suspension, not a plethora of alcohol violations. Yes, underage drinking is illegal, but it is going to take place, Greek or not Greek. If that is the problem at hand, then all but maybe the Sig Eps are blatantly guilty.”

Another online commenter, “SMU Student,” wrote:

“I don’t understand why SMU is not targeting the obvious choice as their “example.” SAE! It is absolutely ridiculous that KA is the only house to be kicked off campus when we have a fraternity that is constantly in the news for drugs, underage drinking, sexual assault and a member passing away from drug overdose! I’m not saying that SMU was wrong in kicking off KA, but my point is that it is completely unfair that they kick them off and the SAE’s have no ramifications for their actions. SMU needs to stop letting things slide with the SAE’s and finally take some action!”

“Concerned SMU Grad” mocked the University’s decision on The Daily Campus Web site.

“I think they should have gotten kicked off. I mean they have a history hard drug use, numerous incidents of female students accusing them of abuse, had a kid almost overdose on drugs, an exhaustingly researched investigative article expose wide spread problems, and had a member tragically and fatally overdose in the fraternity house…oh wait that was SAE,” he wrote.

A comment posted by “anonymous” on The Daily Campus Web site asks “If a fraternity can be kicked off campus for not registering a “party”/a group of 20 friends who are all over the age of 21 drinking at an off campus house, then what should the punishment be for those fraternities who haze their pledges and sexually assault girls while under the influence of drugs?”

“Anonymous” said it doesn’t add up any way you look at it.

“KA should be held responsible for their actions, but if they are going to be punished this severely, then the school must hold all the other fraternities to the exact same standard, regardless of how much alumni support, money and influence the other fraternities have,” “anonymous” wrote.

George Henson posted a comment on The Daily Campus Web site stating, “KA was on deferred suspension so they should have kept their noses clean.”

“The problem isn’t that KA was suspended, it’s that the rules are different for different houses,” he wrote. “Some, yes SAE, are allowed to get away with far more egregious violations with impunity. That does not mean, as others have stated here, that KA should be immune from disciplinary action. The question is whether the death penalty was proportionate to the offense.”

“Frank,” a commenter on The Daily Campus Web site, believes that KA is responsible for their actions.

“Really?!?! Not a single person who has posted is even willing to address the KAs’ behavior in all of this,” he wrote. “Really?!?! Is KA not at all to blame? You’d think they were caught helping little old ladies cross the street or something. Please. The arguments against the administration and SAE have some validity – I’ll grant that, but it does not excuse the KAs from taking responsibility for knowingly violating the terms of their suspension. And arguing that it does only perpetuates the SMU culture of immaturity that we are now all a part of.”

Sophomore engineering and pre-med major Brianna Bauer thinks kicking KA off campus “is not going to do anything.”

“I think college students are going to be college students,” she said.

Sophomore James Lucente, who is a member of the newly reinstated Beta Theta Pi said the university should have either given the fraternity one more chance or suspended them before spring recruitment.

“It’s not like they didn’t do anything to get suspended,” he said. “I wish they had been given more of a chance.”

Lucente said the options given to KA pledges were like choosing a major, but then having the university say, ‘the major is no longer offered; choose something else.’

According to the university, KA pledges can go through the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life for advice in joining another fraternity.

Lucente said this option “seems like a crappy consolation.”

A mother of a KA pledge posted a comment on The Daily Campus Web site stating how the decision has affected her son by taking away a piece of his college life.

“I do not know Dr. Lori White, but I do know my son……who is a KA pledge, who currently maintains a 4.0 GPA, who was the captain of two sports in high school, who was awarded two of the most prestigious accolades given to any student, who is a all-academic all state athlete, who is an AP Scholar, who was awarded two merit based scholarships to SMU, and who chose KA because he believed they shared his ideal of what college and greek life embodied,” the user “SMU Mother” wrote. “This is an example of the kind of SMU student affected by Dr. White’s decision. Now, a piece of college life he looked so forward to has been stripped away because of the actions of a few….and the decision of one.”

Allie Jones, a freshman history major and member of Delta Delta Delta, said she feels bad for them, especially the new pledges.

“But they have to follow rules,” she said. “Hopefully they can work something out and come back sooner. I’m sad to see them go.”