Kappa Alpha

The University of Texas’ chapter of Kappa Alpha has drawn attention to the institution of hazing, possibly causing harsher restrictions for organizations on campus.

The organization was suspended by the national office of Kappa Alpha in June for allegations of hazing and hosting live sex shows to gain recruits and hazing. In response, the organization quit and became their own entity known as Texas Omicron. This drew national media attention when the national office decided to sue the group for more than $200,000 in property, dues and furnishings that originally belonged to Kappa Alpha.

The ongoing lawsuit and allegations are not only drawing attention to the former Kappa Alpha chapter, but to other organizations on campus.

“We take allegations like this extremely seriously and will not tolerate hazing of any sort in our student organizations,” Dean of Students Soncia Reagins-Lilly said. “We are investigating and reserve the right to take action based on our findings.”

This is not the first time Kappa Alpha has been under scrutiny for hazing. In 2004 the organization lost its status as a student organization at the university. They regained their status after working closely with the dean of students to “change the culture under new student leadership” Reagins-Lilly said. However, they are not classified as a registered student organization while being investigated for these new allegations.

As part of UT’s risk management program, all members of sororities and fraternities on campus are required to take a hazing prevention module. The module outlines the definition of hazing, the disciplinary action that may result from hazing and who to contact about hazing issues.

Annie Cedillo, the new member advisor for Sigma Alpha Iota, said the university has broadened their definition of hazing which has caused the sorority to end some of their traditions.

“When we had our bid day, we would go find the girls getting a bid and take them, as they are, to an early breakfast,” Cedillo said. “It was usually at like 5 am and we would go to IHOP in our pajamas but that’s considered hazing now.” However, she doesn’t blame UT for tightening regulations on organizations. “It looks bad on UT that this happened on their campus so of course they're going to want to prevent it from happening again. I just don't know how harsh they're going to be.”

Robert Alden, the Kappa Alpha’s lawyer and alum of the fraternity, has said that the hazing allegations don’t really count as hazing and are nothing compared to the hazing other fraternities take part in. Alden has also said the women who took part in the sex shows offer their services to many other fraternities.

“I think it is probably a generational difference. I'm sure these activities have been going on for decades, but it never used to be this public,” Blake Kincaid, the former president of Delta Omega Tau, said. “It's not like frat hazing or live sex shows are new concepts to anybody.”

The recent graduate of the university argued that public outrage towards universities over what happens in organizations is misplaced. “Fraternities and extracurricular activities may be sponsored by colleges, but they are not requirements. Membership is consensual.” He continued to say that it is absurd to hold the whole university accountable for the actions of one fraternity. “As a society we should stop holding universities responsible for the crimes and mishaps of individual organizations or persons. Universities are being demonized in tort cases, because they have more financial resources then fraternities or individual students. As a result universities respond with these outlandish blanket rules and policies that attempt to dissociate, prevent, and discourage any form of risk taking.”

Both Kincaid and Cedillo said that in addition to all organization members taking part in the risk management hazing presentation, all officers must take part in meetings and seminars, a web based learning program and complete liability forms within a limited deadline. If the deadline is not met, the whole organization is penalized. “By the time it's over not only do you never want to take charge of a student organization again, but you wish you had just used meetup.com, got some friends, and bought matching t-shirts,” Kincaid said.

“I think there will be some repercussions for other organizations just to prevent this from happening again,” Cedillo said.

“Oh absolutely,” Kincaid agreed. “I'm almost certain there will be some overarching repercussions for every organization on campus.” He continued to say that universities more often than not take very reactionary approaches to situations such as this. “Don't punish everyone for the actions of the few.”