University of Texas at San Antonio declines to disband frat accused of waterboarding

The University of Texas at San Antonio has opted not to ban one its fraternities, even though its members were accused of hazing, including the waterboarding of potential pledges, the campus' student-run paper reported last week.

In 2022, UTSA's Alpha Tau Omega chapter forced those looking to join to eat habanero peppers, go on hikes at night with no clear direction and drink unknown substances, among a slew of other allegations, according to the Paisano newspaper.

Although the incident reportedly happened in 2022, a complaint wasn't filed with UTSA's Student Involvement Center until this spring. That complaint led campus police and the Student Conduct and Community Standards (SCCS) office to launch concurrent investigations into the matter, the Paisano reports.

No single Alpha Tau Omega was found responsible for the alleged hazing, according to the newspaper. Instead, the SCCS reportedly found the organization responsible as a whole.

Despite the seriousness of the allegations, the school issued Alpha Tau Omega a disciplinary warning and required active Alpha Tau Omega members to participate in community service projects, hazing-education workshops and other risk management and leadership development sessions, according to the Paisano.

UTSA officials didn't respond to Current's requests for comment via email or phone.

It's not the first time a chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity has been accused of participating in hazing, however.

The frat's chapter at American University in Washington, D.C., lost its national charter in 2000 and university recognition in 2001 for consistent hazing and alcohol violations of the student's conduct code, according to that campus' student newspaper, The Eagle.

Even so, the Alpha Tau Omega chapter rebranded as Epsilon Iota and operated as an underground frat until 2017, when AU dismissed 18 students over alleged involvement in the organization.

At that time, campus officials accused the group of engaging in illegal behaviors including assault, sexual assault, rape, underage drinking and illicit drug use. Members denied those allegations.

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