UNT Chapter of Theta Chi suspended until 2022 following investigation into hazing
The Dean of Students office suspended UNT’s chapter of Theta Chi until 2022 on Feb. 4 following an investigation that found them responsible for breaking the IX-F-2, IX-F-5 and IX-G sections of the Code of Student Conduct. These sections are about hazing, underage drinking and law or university policy violations, respectively.
The suspension follows Pi Kappa Phi’s suspension until 2020.
The decision to suspend Theta Chi came after the Dean of Students Office was notified by the UNT Police of a Code of Student Conduct violation in December, according to documents obtained by the North Texas Daily through a public information request.
Theta Chi was originally suspended on Dec. 7 while an investigation of the allegations was taking place and could not participate in any activities, programs or events having to do with recruitment, philanthropy or community service.
“No one really knows what was reported to the dean,” said Michael Ronning, a computer science senior and former member of Theta Chi. “[Whether] the accusations were true or false, we will never get to the bottom of why we got kicked off.”
Ronning joined Theta Chi in the fall of 2018 because he said it was a great group of people he wanted to be a part of.
“I think the suspension kinda hits Greek life in the stomach in terms of what a fraternity is,” Ronning said. “We did events, went to philanthropy and took part in hundreds of hours of community service.”
In a statement sent to the Daily, the national Theta Chi Fraternity organization said they revoked its charter of the UNT Theta Chi chapter on Feb. 4.
“The decision to close the chapter, made by the Fraternity’s board of directors, followed confirmed violations of Theta Chi’s policies prohibiting hazing,” the statement said. “Hazing runs contrary to Theta Chi’s mission of developing Resolute Men and has no place within the Fraternity experience.”
Jordan Mason, a broadcast journalism senior and member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity, said he has friends in Theta Chi.
“It’s gonna be a culture shock,” Mason said. “They were a presence on campus and they brought competition to the row. Whether it be recruitment or intramural sports, they were always someone you wanted to rival.”
The UNT chapter of Theta Chi was established in 1954, according to the national Theta Chi Fraternity organization’s statement.
As part of the suspension, Theta Chi members had to vacate their house and the fraternity will be placed on the list of organizations that have been disciplined for hazing by UNT.
Ronning said that both sororities and fraternities heard about the suspension fairly quickly.
“Sororities felt deeply for us and fraternities were shocked with the results,” Ronning said. “The suspension of Theta Chi wasn’t just a suspension of Theta Chi, it was a suspension of a place that people all over campus called home.”
In the letter sent to Theta Chi notifying them of their suspension, the Dean of Students also informed them of what they will do once they are reinstated.
“Upon returning to campus, the Theta Chi chapter will be responsible for planning a yearlong educational program on hazing prevention for their chapter with a program or training to occur at least twice a semester,” wrote Brandon Turner, the assistant director for the Dean of Students office, in the letter notifying Theta Chi of their suspension. “This will need to be done the first full academic year Theta Chi has returned to the UNT campus.”
Ronning said that just because the fraternity was shut down does not mean they are a “bad group of guys.”
“What happened happened and we can’t change [that],” Ronning said. “There’s no reason to hate [us] because we all want to make this place a better place.”
Featured Image: The Theta Chi fraternity members had to move out of the house on greek row as of Feb. 28. Image by: Abby Esau.
UNT and it’s “Campus Cops” have been vilifying Greek entities for decades.
One way we were able to “level the playing field” with UNT Admin was to suggest that UNT Alums refrain from donating to UNT while this type of gestapo-like reigned supreme.
A large portion of donations to “Ole Alma Mater” originates from former Greek alumnae. If they refrained from sending donations to a college whose administrators continue to vilify Greek organizations, this activity would cease!