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The Delta Tau Delta fraternity at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is being investigated by school officials for an alleged fraternity hazing incident involving alcohol. The fraternity is being investigated by both the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards and the fraternity’s national Delta Tau Delta organization.
According to the complaint made by a parent, Delta Tau Delta pledges were forced to drink for four consecutive days last week last week from August 17 to August 19.
The Lincoln Journal-Star reported that the parent notified UNL on Monday, August 20, their child had become ill after a weekend of drinking at the Delta Tau Delta chapter house located at 715 N. 16th St. The parent also said that the pledges were drinking at “an undisclosed off-campus location.”
via Lincoln Journal-Star:
According to the report, prospective new members of the fraternity were forced to drink alcohol beginning Thursday and continuing through Sunday, with at least one pledge being pushed to the point of vomiting.
Both UNL’s Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards and the Delta Tau Delta national organization launched an investigation into the reported violations of the university’s student code of conduct.
Hazing, according to the university’s code, is “any activity by which a person intentionally or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health or safety of an individual for the purpose of” initiation or affiliation with a student organization.
No discipline has been meted out yet, according to UNL spokeswoman Deb Fiddelke, while the investigation is ongoing. There is no timetable for the investigation’s completion.
At the time of this writing, while the fraternity has not yet been suspended and is still recognized on campus, the fraternity has been stripped of its student housing designation.
This is the latest major fraternity or sorority investigation, suspension or closure in the last year, as schools such as Indiana University, the University of Michigan, Ohio State University, Texas State, Florida State, Ball State, Louisiana State and Penn State have all suspended fraternities in the wake of hazing and alcohol deaths.
These reports come amidst similar allegations that have been made against fraternities nationwide, including Sigma Alpha Epsilon at East Carolina University, who was shut down for hazing and the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter at the University of Arkansas which has been accused of taking sexually explicit photographs of women without their permission.
In response to incidents like these, fraternities such Phi Kappa Psi have made numerous changes to their code of conduct in an effort to address the issues that have arisen. In addition, schools such as Texas State, West Virginia University, and Penn State University have introduced new Greek Life rules to try and prevent these problems.
