Texas' New Approach Tames Animal House Frats

Nov. 18, 2010— -- Four years ago this month, Tyler Cross, a Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity pledge at the University of Texas fell five stories from a dorm room window, dying upon impact. He was 18 years old and had a blood alcohol content twice the legal limit.

The previous year, a Lambada Phi Epsilon pledge, Phanta "Jack" Phoummarath was found dead, with an alcohol blood level of 0.41.

Law enforcement and university officials labeled both tragedies, while unintentional, a result of hazing.

The umbrella of hazing includes not only drinking in excess, but many things students may not normally consider - personal servitude, partial nudity, calisthenics, eating contests, uncomfortable clothes, to name a few.

At UT, administrators and student organizations are working together to educate groups on how to run and develop their clubs and groups in a safe way.

This fall is the second full year for the "mutual agreement program," which begins after a fraternity, sorority or other university organization has violated the state's anti-hazing law. The program establishes a process, a sort of probationary period, during which the organization is reevaluated, its members educated and it's brought back into compliance without suffering severe penalties.

So far, 19 organizations have entered into this program, which was developed under the instruction of University President Bill Powers, who took office in 2006, the year Cross died.

"Before, if an organization violated our hazing rules, they were forced off campus and basically cut off until they improved things," said Mary Beth Mercatoris, UT's Assistant Dean of Students. "With the change in leadership, it was decided that instead of simply casting out the organizations, we would actively work with them to make them better."

Students are feeling the program's impact.

"I feel like a conscious effort is being made to [make all organizations] aware of the dangers of hazing," said junior Rachel Schultz, the event chair for Zeta Tau Alpha. "Earlier this year, we all signed a hazing agreement and were shown a video detailing some of the tragedies that have occurred recently at other universities, and we aren't even one of the organizations in trouble."