University of Arizona officials announced on Wednesday that the Theta Chi fraternity has been shut down for hazing violations.
Effective immediately, the Theta Chi chapter was ordered to cease all activity on the Tucson campus. The fraternity cannot reapply for university recognition until the fall of 2019.
According to the letter sent to the fraternity, “a Student Code of Conduct complaint was submitted to the Dean of Students Office by Fraternity and Sorority Programs after a photograph showing a Theta Chi member’s buttocks with visible welts was shared with Assistant Dean Ives. This image was posted to a private Theta Chi Facebook page and was taken after the member was paddled by another member.
The Student Code of Conduct investigation by The University of Arizona sought to determine if Theta Chi violated the following prohibited conduct items set forth in the Student Code of Conduct:
Code of Conduct/2. Endangering / Threat / Cause Harm – Endangering, threatening, or causing physical harm to any member of the university community or to oneself, causing reasonable apprehension of such harm or engaging in conduct or communications that a reasonable person would interpret as a serious expression of intent to harm.
Code of Conduct/19. Hazing – Engaging in, supporting, promoting, or sponsoring hazing or violating Board or University rules governing hazing.
The Dean of Students Office interviewed past and present initiated members of Theta Chi to determine if the image documented was an isolated incident or an initiation tradition within Theta Chi. After determining that the image was not the result of an isolated incident, the investigation sought to determine the date of the introduction of paddling to the chapter, the number of semesters paddling occurred, and the estimated number of students impacted by the paddling behavior. As additional information was revealed during the investigation, the Dean of Students Office evaluated information about additional potential violations of the Student Code of Conduct.
Information gathered from Member Interviews and shared with Theta Chi President on April 28, 2015:
• It was confirmed by current members of Theta Chi that paddling is an initiation tradition for Theta Chi that happens every semester and occurred as recently as fall 2014 initiation.
• It was explained that soon after initiation (a few days to one week) chapter Big Brothers/Little Brothers gather and Little Brothers receive “Theta Chi letters” from Chapter Big Brothers during a “Reveal” event.
• Little Brothers decorate a paddle that their Big Brother then uses to paddle them one time in front of everyone present at the “Reveal.”
• It was explained by a current member that sometimes other members of their “Theta Chi family” (i.e., Grand Big) help brace the Little Brother so he can be hit without falling over from the impact.
• The paddling tradition was started in fall 2011 by now Theta Chi alumnus (current alumni volunteer) after the colony was formed in spring 2011.
• In fall 2011 not all new members were paddled at the “Reveal” event, however all new members were present and witnessed the paddling.
• Since spring 2012 the practice has evolved so that all new members are paddled by their Big Brothers at the “Reveal” event.
• The tradition is for Big Brothers and Little Brothers to attend the “Reveal” event but other chapter members (not assigned as Big Brother) regularly attend the “Reveal” as well.
• At least 8 former members spanning various new member classes confirmed being paddled as new members. These former members also witnessed the paddling of new members during subsequent initiations they participated in as active members of Theta Chi.
• At least 5 other individuals affiliated with the chapter have confirmed being aware of the paddling tradition.
• Both current and formers members have confirmed that each Big Brother is allowed to hit their Little Brother one time.
• Multiple individuals confirmed that there were individuals that hit their Little Brother with extreme force.
• There were no guidelines given to Big Brothers on how hard or how softly they should hit Little Brothers.
• The only guideline given to Big Brothers was to hit Little Brothers with only one swing.
• Examples were given of active members swinging with so much force that they would miss making contact with the Little Brothers and of Little Brothers having to brace themselves on other members so they would not fall over when hit.
• Other individuals reported seeing visible welts on Little Brothers which lasted anywhere from a few moments to a few days after being paddled by Big Brothers.
• Individuals reported that there were active members in the chapter who would not attend the “Reveal” event because they did not agree with the paddling tradition.
• It was reported that in spring 2014 a traveling consultant for Theta Chi national headquarters indicated he was aware of the initiation tradition and encouraged the chapter to stop the practice.
• Since fall 2012 paddling takes place in a common area at the Theta Chi facility.
• Multiple individuals confirmed that pictures are taken during the event and are sometimes posted on the private Theta Chi Facebook page.
• It was confirmed that in these pictures welts would sometimes be visible on new members’ buttocks. • In this investigation it was confirmed that the paddling tradition has happened every semester from fall 2011 to fall 2014.
• One individual reported that new members sleep at Theta Chi every day during Initiation Week.
• One individual also stated that he believes the chapter is racially biased and members would actively make comments during recruitment bid discussions regarding not extending bids to individuals of Asian or Middle Eastern descent.
Per the Student Disciplinary Procedures (ABOR 5-403), you were provided the opportunity to respond to the aforementioned Student Code of Conduct charges.
On May 4, 2015 President provided a written response to the information shared on April 28, 2015 as follows:
You stated you understand the serious nature of the image shared with the Dean of Students and the allegation of hazing but the image was taken out of context. You wrote that Theta Chi does not tolerate hazing. You stated you understood the severity of the marks shown in the photo but asserted that the definitions of hazing and intent to harm do not apply to this incident to the extent that the allegations suggest.
The Code of Conduct items referred to in the charges discuss an “intent to harm,” while the use of the term hazing has an implicit meaning of coerced and /or forced behavior usually with a malicious intent.
You wrote that these were actions taken by fully initiated brothers, who voluntarily participated in what, in hindsight, became a short and ill-humored tradition that had no place in the Theta Chi ritual or initiation process. You stated there was no intent to harm (malicious or otherwise), and said paddling of Little Brothers began when two brothers engaged in “machismo horseplay”; initially paddling was isolated as there were no other people involved except these two brothers. Over the next few semesters, more brothers decided to voluntarily enter into what some might consider a “bizarre male-bonding exercise.”
You referenced an incident when two members were removed from the chapter for exhibiting hazing behaviors. Both were active in attempting to negatively shift the chapter culture, and both would try to promote similar behavior among other active members. In this case, you found there to be a direct correlation between malicious intent and action and the men were removed voluntarily from the chapter.
You also denied that Little Brothers were restrained during the paddling. You stated that when Little Brothers were held by active members it was for support. “I myself when choosing to participate asked both newly initiated brothers and older members to support me, simply because I felt that standing at 90 degree angle was something that I found to be difficult because of its awkward positioning. By no means was this a forced action or a brace for physical pain to ensue, but on the contrary it was to make known that tradition was not meant to cause harm.”
You thought the reference to actives swinging so hard that they missed was inaccurate. You wrote that missing making contact with the Little Brother was a completely voluntary action and often members chose to swing their paddles symbolically, not making physical contact. “The vast majority of brothers barely touched their littles,bowing more to the ‘essence’ of the tradition, similar to the swat on the buttocks seen regularly in sports. That too is why there is only one ‘swing.’ If the intent truly was to haze or harm, the action would be repetitive.”
You identified the member in the photo which Dean Ives viewed as a member of your pledge class. You wrote that he came from a family of “fraternity men” and had grown up on the stories from his father and grandfather.“He specifically asked to be allowed to drop his pants and have it done “the same way his father had.” No other person before or since has done this, as it is not part of our chapter’s practice.” You stated he asked to be hit harder and posted the picture himself.
You shared that you had done research on understanding the acceptance of violence in male social behavior and while the research is not conclusive, you will not allow paddling to continue in your chapter. While the paddling tradition has grown since fall 2011, you don’t think it is imbedded in the culture and can be removed without further occurrence (SIC).
You were not aware of any Theta Chi consultant being aware of the paddling practice as stated in the information shared by the members interviewed.
Regarding the reference to racial/ethnic bias in the recruitment process, you stated the organization takes pride in, and supports, a culture of diversity. You stated that Theta Chi’s brotherhood at UA offers a more diverse racial/ ethnic representation by percentage then seen in the overall male population at UA.
You asked that the Dean of Students offer Theta Chi an opportunity to continue at the UA.
Based on the information gathered in the investigation, I find it more likely than not that Theta Chi violated the Student Code of Conduct prohibited item numbers 2 and 19. These findings and the serious and dangerous nature of the allegations support the sanction of Loss of Recognition from The University of Arizona effective immediately through fall 2019. Loss of Recognition means the withdrawal of the fraternity as a recognized student organization at the University of Arizona. An unrecognized student organization cannot participate in any University sponsored event and loses the use of University facilities and resources.
Should the National Theta Chi Organization present a viable plan to recolonize Theta Chi at the University of Arizona, the Dean of Students Office would consider reinstating this chapter in fall 2019. Additionally, the concerns raised regarding potential discrimination will be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity who may place additional requirements on the return to guard against potential future discriminatory practices.
A copy of the Student Code of Conduct and the Student Disciplinary Procedures can be found at the Arizona Board of Regents website:
Student Code of Conduct:
http://azregents.asu.edu/rrc/Policy%20Manual/5-308-Student%20Code%20of%20Conduct.pdf
Student Disciplinary Procedures:
http://azregents.asu.edu/rrc/Policy%20Manual/5-403-Disciplinary%20Procedures.pdf
The Student Disciplinary Procedures provide for a formal appeal of this case to a University Hearing Board.