Chapel Hill, N.C. — A University of North Carolina fraternity that got more publicity for trying to suppress news of a punishment than for the punishment itself has had its sentence reduced, the campus paper reported.

Sigma Chi admitted Nov. 29 that it had taken about 10,000 copies of the Daily Tarheel, UNC’s student newspaper, from boxes across the campus. That edition carried a story about a suspension determined by the campus’s Greek Judicial Board because of hazing of pledges.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Margaret Jablonski put the fraternity on probation for the rest of this year, but said it could rush new members this fall, the Daily Tarheel reported Monday.

The Greek Judicial Board had ordered the fraternity suspended until 2009. Jablonski said she had accepted an appeal because the board can recommend suspensions but not impose them.

Other provisions of Sigma Chi’s probation include not holding social events with other organizations, not fielding intramural sports teams, each member completing 20 hours of community service, revising the new member program and meeting regularly with members of the Dean of Students office.