Suspended UT-Austin Fraternity Continues To Operate: Report

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Former members of a fraternity suspended last year for serious hazing offenses continues to operate — complete with recruiting a new pledge class this fall, staging fundraising and hosting events without oversight, according to a published report.

The student-run newspaper at the University of Texas at Austin, the Daily Texan, reported this week that former members of the campus chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon have continued to operate despite earlier sanctions for hazing violations. The organization has repackaged itself with the new nae of Texas Rho _ even while retaining the colors and letters of SAE Nationals — and continues to partake in activities attendant to a full-fledged fraternity but without the benefit of university, national chapter or UT Inter-Fraternity Council (IFC) oversight.

Yet the national charter suspended the UT chapter of the fraternity last November after receiving an anonymous tip about hazing violations, as the Daily Texan reported at the time. The university's dean of students office subsequently conducted its own investigation ans suspended the chapter in March for its hazing practices, the student newspaper reported.

Related story: UT-Austin Fraternity Suspended For Hazing-Related Incident

In documents obtained by the Daily Texan, several SAE members described being forced to endure hazing, including those categorized as "physical brutality" and confinement in something called "the hatch" — an underground hole on the chapter house property, the newspaper reported.

The national chapter isn't happy about the news, particularly since the local iteration of what once was a local offshoot continue to hang the SAE Greek letters at the entrance to the home among other trappings of its erstwhile legitimacy.

“The fact that they’re using our name is just not congruent with what they’re trying to portray because they’re still operating with our colors, with our branding, with everything,” Johnny Sao, SAE Nationals director of communications, told the Daily Texas while categorizing Texas Rho as a "rogue" SAE chapter despite it re-branding.

IFC officials aren't happy either, urging students not to interact with Texas Rho given its past hazing offenses:

The university student conduct director echoed the sentiments, labeling the unrecognized frat a "significant risk" replete with "health and safety concerns.

>>> Read the full story at the Daily Texan

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