The Nation - News from Aug. 23, 1989

Tau Kappa Epsilon, the nation’s largest college social fraternity, announced that it had ended pledging in an effort to stop dangerous hazing, making it the second fraternity in a week to do so. “We have tried numerous programs to eradicate (hazing) from the fraternity, but so far none have accomplished the task,” said T.J. Schmitz, the group’s executive vice president. Legislation banning pledging was passed by undergraduate delegates from the fraternity’s more than 280 chapters at the national convention in Indianapolis last weekend. Instead of a pledge period, TKE recruits will be initiated immediately. TKE has more than 177,000 initiated members and 16,000 active undergraduate members. Last week, Zeta Beta Tau announced that it was eliminating the traditional pledge period.