Regulation needed to prevent tragedies

Monday, April 13, 1998

Regulation needed to prevent tragedies

EDITORIAL: Universities must take more action to ensure
fraternities do not foster dangerous incidents

One incident may be a fluke.

Two, a coincidence.

But when you can count three, four, five incidents of injury or
death associated with fraternities, a grim indication that
something is wrong surfaces. Despite the frequency of such
incidents, universities have not taken enough action to regulate
fraternity conduct.

An unfortunate chain of preventable incidents has circled
fraternity life nationwide. At UCLA alone, three tragic accidents
have occurred in the past three years – a frighteningly regular
problem occurring in Greek life. These accidents have been related
to unsafe conduct within fraternity events, sometimes involving
alcohol or dangerous fraternity rituals. The accidents that have
afflicted fraternities could be prevented if the university took a
more active role in regulating the conduct of fraternities and its
members.

With every tragic incident, universities deal out punishment to
the responsible parties. Universities only react to accidents in
fraternity events, and that’s part of the problem. The high number
of fraternity-related incidents points to another problem: the
fraternity culture itself. The glorification of alcohol consumption
and the locker-room mentality are primary reasons fraternity life
breeds so many dangerous incidents. What measures the university
must take to stop further incidents is a complex issue that needs
to be addressed, not overlooked. The university has an obligation
to provide a safe environment for all its students, by any means
necessary.

Just two years ago, Zeta Beta Tau fraternity was suspended and
placed on probation following violations of fraternity conduct
related to alcohol and allegations of rape. A year later, two
Lambda Chi Alpha brothers drowned during a weekender at Lake Mead.
Although only one of the victims was allegedly intoxicated, another
life was lost attempting to save a friend – two lives may have been
saved if alcohol was not a factor.

Currently in Berkeley, Sigma Phi Epsilon is being investigated
in connection with an alleged hazing incident in which a car was
pulled over revealing a student in the rear seat with his hands and
feet bound up.

Omega Sigma Tau fraternity is also under investigation after
three pledges were hospitalized for fatigue and kidney failure.

The university cannot realistically regulate all fraternity
events, so each organization bears much of the responsibility for
preventing dangerous accidents from occurring. But with greater
involvement on the university’s part, fraternities should be more
hard-pressed to get away with violating university rules and
regulations. National fraternity headquarters should also take more
responsibility in cracking down on misconduct its chapters may
engage in.

The fraternity culture of promoting "brotherhood" can be
achieved without putting fraternity brothers’ safety in jeopardy.
"Brotherhood" is not a measure of how much physical or mental
punishment brothers can endure. Fraternities need to take a look at
some of the tragic consequences that have resulted from
irresponsibility. There are many fraternities who demonstrate
excellence within the community and promote brotherhood without
putting safety and lives on the line.

The university’s relationship with Greek life needs to be
entirely redefined. The university must maintain a presence that
should be both supportive and regulatory. Both the university and
fraternity members must bear the burden of stopping more people
from being hurt, and must take action immediately.