| UNT suspends fraternity chapter in hazing 01/18/2001 By Reese Dunklin / The Dallas Morning News DENTON – The University of North Texas suspended a fraternity last week for hazing violations stemming from a prank spearheaded by two members in October.
Lambda Chi Alpha chapter president Spencer Watkins said Wednesday that the group is appealing the penalties, which include suspension until members can find a monitor to live in their campus house. No date has been set for the appeal hearing, a university official said.
Lambda Chi Alpha's national headquarters supported the university sanctions but did not plan penalties of its own, said Eric Richards, a risk manager handling discipline cases. The fraternity already was on probation assessed by the university and the national headquarters for a 1999 alcohol violation.
Lambda Chi Alpha is the second UNT fraternity suspended in the last year because of hazing violations, campus officials said.
"Any time you suspend a chapter, it's a serious deal," said Elizabeth With, the university's assistant vice president of student affairs. "Greek organizations do many wonderful things. ... But we have a zero-tolerance policy."
Mr. Richards and Mr. Watkins said the prank involved two fraternity members driving two new members to Argyle – about 10 miles from the campus – and leaving them along a roadway. The students were not identified.
Mr. Richards and Mr. Watkins said the two members drove away intending to return for the new members. But Argyle police saw the students walking on the side of the road, picked them up and filed a report.
Argyle police Chief William Tackett said the university later contacted his department about the case, but no arrests were made. Ms. With would not confirm details of the incident.
Mr. Watkins, a junior at the university, said other fraternity members did not know about the prank until after it happened. The two members, who were upperclassmen, were kicked out of Lambda Chi Alpha, he said. The two new members are still in the fraternity.
"Nobody knew about it," Mr. Watkins said. "If we did, we would have convinced them not to do it. There was no call for such action. I wish they could have used their heads better."
Mr. Richards said he was concerned about the incident but said that it wasn't a "widespread thing" and that the entire chapter "wasn't responsible."
He said the live-in monitor would probably be a fraternity alumnus from the area. If another violation were to occur, penalties could be as stiff as charter suspension, Mr. Richards said.
"We're working very diligently with this chapter," he said. "Unfortunately, two members decided to do that."
In March, the university suspended the Theta Chi fraternity for four years, and its national organization revoked its charter after investigations found that six members gave underage pledges alcohol and hazed them. At the time, eight Greek organizations at UNT were under suspension or probation. A total of five organizations are currently on suspension or probation for hazing violations, according to the university.
Staff writer Reese Dunklin can be reached at 940-243-0702 and at
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