CSUN Announces New Rules for Fraternities, Sororities Recruitment Following Student's Death

With investigations continuing into a student’s death that was blamed by some on hazing, Cal State Northridge officials announced policies Tuesday requiring fraternities, sororities and other campus groups to submit plans in advance about membership recruitment and initiation activities.

The announcement by William Watkins, CSUN vice president for student affairs and dean of students, came in response to the July death of 19-year-old Armando Villa, who collapsed during a Pi Kappa Phi fraternity-organized hike in the Angeles National Forest.

Villa had been hiking barefoot, and he and his fellow fraternity pledges had run out of water. Villa’s family and friends contended the hike was a hazing ritual.

CSUN officials suspended Pi Kappa Phi from all campus activities, and Watkins said that suspension will remain in place until investigations are completed by the Sheriff’s Department and an independent investigator hired by the university. The independent probe is expected to be completed by early September.

“While the internal review continues, we have implemented, effective immediately, several critical enhancements to the procedures relating to the recruitment, intake and initiation of new members into fraternities and sororities, as well as any other student clubs or organizations that engage in similar recruitment activities,” Watkins said.

According to Watkins, all groups will be required to submit a plan detailing their planned recruitment and initiation activities to a university adviser. Meanwhile, all prospective new members will be required “to undergo a pre-recruitment education program prior to attending any recruitment activities and being extended an offer of membership in any organization.”

Watkins also said all current members “will participate in a program to retrain them on the processes of new member recruitment, intake and initiation.”

“Clubs and organizations that fail to adhere to the new procedures are subject to sanctions that could lead to a withdrawal of university recognition, including the loss of the ability to operate as a CSUN student organization,” Watkins said.

— City News Service