Ryan Clifford — who eventually withdrew from his classes in response to the hazing — stated that the university failed to protect him from being hazed as a pledge of the Chi Delta chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi.

Clifford claims that he was singled out for hazing because he was one of the only non-Jewish pledges at the time. AEPi is traditionally a fraternity aimed at recruiting Jewish members although, according to Jacob Silverman — UCSD AEPi chapter’s former vice president and current Jewish Community Chair — the fraternity is not Jewish-exclusive.

“There is no national or international policy that says that brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi need to be Jewish,” Silverman said. “As our Jewish Community Chair, I find it reprehensible on the part of the people that were administering the treatment to [Clifford] and I think that the vast majority or the brothers at our chapter would agree.”

According to a Nov. 11 article in the Sacramento Bee, Clifford claimed that he was forced to consume excessive amounts of alcohol, do drugs and strip naked. He also said he was touched inappropriately by members of the fraternity during a mandatory retreat in October 2008. Clifford said he reported the incidents multiple times to UCD officials, but the department did not take action.

UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi released a statement on Nov. 10 emphasizing that the university prohibited all forms of hazing. Katehi said the university will take appropriate actions should allegations of harassment be found to not have been properly investigated or handled.

“If hazing occurred at this fraternity, we will take appropriate sanctions,” she wrote. “UC Davis will not tolerate abusive behavior toward its students.”

AEPi’s national website states that the fraternity outlaws hazing and new members must pledge not to allow themselves to be hazed.

Clifford has not made any public comment on the lawsuit or his allegations.