Northwestern’s chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity has been suspended from campus, a University official confirmed.

The University suspended the chapter after the fraternity “knowingly violated” its disciplinary probation earlier this year, University spokesman Bob Rowley said. An investigation into the chapter found SAE had been “repeatedly hosting parties and providing alcohol to minors,” he added. The suspension runs until September 2018, Rowley said.

Pending a possible appeal, SAE members living in the fraternity house are required to move out by May 6, Rowley said. NU will work with SAE to find alternative housing on campus for the individuals moving out of the house, he said. SAE was notified of the suspension Friday.

Following a conduct investigation in fall 2016, the chapter was placed on probation, which was set to run out at the end of 2017, Rowley said. The University decided to suspend the chapter following a hearing April 7, he said.

“With a blatant disregard for the terms of that probation, SAE planned and hosted social events with alcohol in January 2017,” Rowley said. “Both the University and the national chapter of the fraternity began investigations after being made aware of those events.”

Manos Proussaloglou, Northwestern’s SAE president, could not immediately be reached for comment. As of early Friday evening, SAE national spokesman Brandon Weghorst said he did not have any new information about the Northwestern chapter.

The suspension comes after another, separate investigation into the fraternity earlier this year. In February, the University announced in an email alert to students that the Sexual Harassment Prevention Office had received an anonymous report that four female students had been possibly given a date rape drug at the SAE house on Jan. 21. The report said two of the students believed they were sexually assaulted.

The fraternity’s national organization issued a “cease-and-desist order” to Northwestern’s chapter later in February. Weghorst said earlier this month that the national organization was investigating the Northwestern chapter.

In late March, vice president for student affairs Patricia Telles-Irvin announced that no disciplinary action would be taken against the chapter, and that the University had concluded its review of the reports. In the email to students, Telles-Irvin said the University had begun a separate investigation into NU’s SAE chapter for potential violations of the Student Code of Conduct, which were revealed during the Title IX investigation.

Rowley said the conduct investigation into SAE and the decision to suspend the chapter from campus were unrelated to the allegations of druggings and sexual assault reported earlier this year.

“This conduct investigation was handled independently and focused solely on determining any violation of the probation terms,” Rowley said. “It’s not an action taken because of the Title IX investigation.”

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Twitter: @noracshelly