Penn State Sorority Shutting Down After Racist Pic

Chi Omega drew fire after stereotype-filled party pics emerged.

Remember the “sombrero-clad Penn State sorority girls” who drew fire in December 2012 when their racist party pics went public? The sorority is no more: It’s been ordered to shut down immediately.

The Patriot-News reports:

Chi Omega will shut down its Nu Gamma chapter at Penn State about 14 months after the photo surfaced. The decision was made between the Chi Omega National Headquarters and the local chapter, Penn State Panhellenic President Meaghan DeMallie said.

Penn State’s administration — though a spokeswoman said it was “appalled” by the photo – did not punish or sanction the sorority at the time, saying that the women were within their first amendment rights. But the Chi Omega National Headquarters did sanction the chapter, and placed the group on probation “due to members portraying inappropriate and untrue ethnic stereotypes at a social function.” 

A Penn State observer added: “I don’t think [the photo] is the direct reason, it’s more what’s happened since then, and they may not have grown as much as the national organization wanted.”