Clemson University halts fraternity activities after student death

By Harriet McLeod CHARLESTON S.C. (Reuters) - Clemson University has suspended activities for its 24 fraternities following the death of a student and recent reports of inappropriate behavior, school officials said. The body of Tucker Hipps, 19, was found on Monday after he did not return from a run with fraternity members. His death has sparked rampant speculation by students on social media that hazing was involved, but police said a preliminary investigation did not indicate that hazing had played a role. Hipps died of a head injury after an apparent fall from a highway bridge into a lake near the school's campus in South Carolina, Oconee County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jimmy Watt said on Wednesday. The university said it was halting all social and new-member initiation activities for fraternities in light of Hipps' death and "a high number of reports of serious incidents involving fraternity activities, ranging from alcohol-related medical emergencies to sexual misconduct." "These behaviors are unacceptable and mandate swift and effective action to protect students," Student Affairs Vice President Gail DiSabatino said in a statement late on Tuesday. The school said incidents that involved possible crimes had been turned over to law enforcement agencies. None of the 50 people interviewed so far said they witnessed what happened to him, Watt said. Hipps had been on an early morning "voluntary pledge run" for a campus fraternity with about 30 other students on Monday, Watt said. When he did not return from the run or show up for breakfast, friends went looking for him and reported him missing to campus police by early afternoon, Watt said. Campus police found Hipps' body about two hours later. The investigation is continuing and toxicology reports will take several weeks to complete, Watt said. (Editing by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Sandra Maler)