The University of Texas at Austin

Hazing · Sigma Chi (local successor group 'Texas Alpha Nu')

Parents of a student who died by suicide in 2024 allege in a wrongful death suit that the chapter's hazing and illegal drug use pushed him into a mental health crisis.

Status: Wrongful death lawsuit filed November 20, 2025 against Sigma Chi International, the chapter, its house corporation and five members (allegations, pending). UT found the chapter responsible for hazing in 2024.

Response: UT gave the chapter deferred suspension for hazing in 2024; Sigma Chi International closed the chapter in 2025; after the suit UT issued a cease-and-desist ordering the renamed group to stop all activities pending a new hazing investigation (Nov 2025).

Multiple · Sigma Alpha Epsilon (Texas Rho)

After SAE national suspended the chapter in 2017 following anonymous hazing-hotline reports, an unaffiliated successor group known as Texas Rho was the subject of a 2020 social-media allegation that two students were sexually assaulted by its members.

Status: 2017: chapter suspended by SAE national for at least four years. 2020: sexual assault allegation made publicly on social media; no charges reported in the source.

Response: SAE national suspended the chapter in November 2017; in 2020 UT said the group was unaffiliated but that it can discipline individual students and Title IX rules apply.

Hazing · Pi Kappa Phi

UT found pledges in fall 2018 and spring 2019 were forced to eat soup with ghost pepper and cat food, stand in ice, wear bags over their heads and drink milk mixed with detergent.

Status: UT Dean of Students recommended a four-year suspension plus two years of probation in October 2019 (appealable); chapter had prior hazing sanctions in 2011 and 2016.

Response: Recommended four-year suspension followed by two years' probation.

College staff misconduct · Accused: professor

Years of abuse: c. 2016-2017

Students complained that a professor asked them to pose for nude photographs and to swim with him at a nude beach and led conversations of a sexual nature, according to UT documents reported in 2019.

Status: Disciplined after a university investigation (one-semester suspension in 2017); he disputed the allegations.

Response: UT suspended him for a semester and he returned to teaching; student protests in 2019 led UT to pledge a tougher policy on faculty sexual misconduct.

Multiple · Kappa Alpha Order

The national Kappa Alpha organization alleged in a lawsuit that its UT chapter hazed pledges with forced calisthenics and hosted live sex shows; the chapter denied hazing but acknowledged hosting an adult entertainer.

Status: National fraternity sued its former chapter in September 2011 to recover assets (pending at time of report); allegations of hazing denied by chapter.

Response: National suspended the chapter for two years (June 2011); UT suspended it as a student organization and opened an investigation.