Hazing Leaves Rutgers Student in Critical Condition
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The Rutgers New Brunswick chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi has been permanently banned from campus following an investigation into the hazing-related electrocution of a 19-year old student, which left him in critical condition.
Just after midnight on October 14, 2025, Middlesex County police were called to the fraternity house on 106 College Avenue in New Brunswick for an unresponsive 19-year-old, who had come into contact with exposed electrical wires. The student was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where he was reportedly still being treated for over a month after the incident.
An inspection of the fraternity house was conducted in September 2025, which noted a series of 19 open violations including safety issues such as obstructed exits and non-functioning carbon monoxide detectors and fire alarms.
In response to the incident, Rutgers University released a statement reading, “Rutgers-New Brunswick remains deeply concerned about the serious incident involving one of our students…University leadership is in close contact with the student’s family, offering support during this difficult time. We hope for his full recovery.”
The investigation revealed that hazing was involved in the incident, which prompted the national organization to step in. In responding to the allegations, Alpha Sigma Phi’s national organization made the decision to permanently ban the university’s chapter from campus, effectively shuttering the College Avenue house’s doors. Alpha Sigma Phi is no longer registered on the university’s student organization list.
President and CEO of Alpha Sigma Phi International, Gordy Heminger, voiced support for the student, saying, “any member involved, directly or indirectly, will be permanently expelled. We will continue to fully cooperate with the University and criminal investigations and hope the students involved face the maximum penalties allowed.”
While Rutgers-Camden does have a significant Greek life presence, there is no Alpha Sigma Phi chapter on campus. However, the recent events call into question the role that fraternities have on college campuses at all.
According to Diego Mendoza, a graduate student at Rutgers-Camden, “when I heard about what happened in New Brunswick I was absolutely shocked. I just felt sick.” Mendoza goes on to say that, “while I think fraternities can be a good way for students to uplift one another, if they aren’t doing that, then I don’t see the point of having them on campus. Once a fraternity is causing any harm to students, it’s time for that fraternity to go”
As of mid-November, there were no updates from the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office about the investigation into the fraternity. The 19 year-old student is reportedly still in the hospital, but out of critical condition, and continuing to progress in his treatment.
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