UC Irvine Suspends Beta Theta Pi for Two Years Over Alleged Hazing

UC Irvine on Friday suspended a fraternity for two years for violating policies against hazing and serving alcohol to minors. It’s the first time since the school opened in 1965 that UCI has revoked recognition of a student group.

The discipline was handed down seven weeks after a student sued Beta Theta Pi and 13 of its members, saying he suffered a grand mal seizure and was hospitalized after a weekend of hazing in Big Bear.

Jeff Warden contends in his suit and in an interview that he was made to exercise in freezing temperatures and had beer forced down his throat while being subjected to continuous verbal abuse during initiation in December 2000.

Along with the fraternity suspension, nine Beta Theta Pi students present during the hazing have been disciplined. Randy Lewis, executive associate dean of students, said none of them were expelled, but he would not provide details. Their names were not released.

The students who led the hazing have graduated or left the university for reasons unrelated to the incident, Lewis said.

David J. Salvin, Warden’s attorney, said that though he and his client are pleased the university had found wrongdoing, they are disappointed that the fraternity was not banned from campus permanently.

The fraternity’s national headquarters in Oxford, Ohio, already had suspended the chapter. Tom Olver, spokesman for the national office, said the fraternity could take its own final action soon--including revoking the charter--perhaps at this weekend’s board of trustees meeting in Denver.

“It’s always unfortunate when the actions of one member or several members of any chapter causes a university to revoke recognition,” Olver said. “Beta Theta Pi’s policy is not to challenge a university’s decision to revoke recognition if there is good reason. I think we would welcome the opportunity to return in two years.”

Edwin Steen, president of the UCI chapter, did not return phone calls.

The California Education Code bans hazing, as do laws in more than 40 states. Nearly all fraternities and sororities prohibit the practice. Still, incidents crop up each year across the country when students are pledging.

For example, just three days before Warden and the UCI chapter went to Big Bear, San Diego State expelled its Beta Theta Pi chapter for forcing four 18-year-olds to drink; one was hospitalized for alcohol poisoning.

Warden’s suit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, seeks unspecified damages for assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

Warden’s suit also names 13 of the fraternity’s 23 members; not all of the members were present during the hazing, Lewis said.

The Betas, which have been at UCI for 26 years, have a reputation as one of the top fraternities academically and had the highest grade-point average the last two quarters.

Fraternity members do not live together.

Warden, 20, said one reason he wanted to join the Betas was because fraternity brothers assured him they did not haze.

Warden, a sophomore film studies major from Colorado Springs, Colo., said he discovered differently the weekend of Dec. 8, 2000.

He said he and two other pledges were told they were going to Big Bear to snowboard. But once in the mountains, he said, he had beer forced down his throat, was subjected to scores of push-ups and sit-ups and was allowed little sleep.

The next day, Warden said, he felt his field of vision narrowing. When he awoke, he was in leg and arm restraints at Bear Valley Community Hospital.

He said he had suffered a grand mal seizure. He said fraternity members and fellow pledges told him he had been foaming at the mouth and his eyes had rolled back in his head.

Warden said he had not had a seizure before and hasn’t had one since.

Tests at Bear Valley and at UCI Medical Center in Orange showed no abnormalities.

Before learning of Warden’s charges, the university did not require fraternities and sororities to take part in anti-hazing presentations. Lewis said UCI is now planning seminars and other presentations. The Warden incident “raises concern,” he said. “It’s one of those things we have to keep hammering at.”

Beta Theta Pi can apply for UCI recognition after Jan. 1, 2004, if it meets certain conditions. Among them is that none of the members disciplined can associate with the chapter.