Last October, Chico State placed Lambda Chi Alpha on probation for hazing. Instead of working toward getting off probation, the fraternity cut ties with the Interfraternity Council. This move is commonly referred to as going “underground,” and it’s becoming a growing trend across the nation. 

Throughout all of this, its national chapter has remained silent. How can a culture that is plaguing universities across the country be changed without true accountability?

Accountability in this circumstance is that national chapters ensure fraternities complete probation by threatening disbandment if they try to leave the IFC. A way our administration can hold underground fraternity members directly involved in hazing accountable is by expelling them from Chico State. Administration and national chapters’ silence only enables fraternities to continue dangerous traditions, such as hazing. 

Should nationals allow a fraternity to leave the IFC in an effort to avoid probation? Does leaving the IFC put more fraternity members at risk of being harmed during hazing? 

The university cannot disband a fraternity; it can only place it on probation. The ultimate power that the fraternity’s national chapters have over local chapters is their ability to disband them if they fail to follow protocols. 

Chico State can combat hazing by expelling students who have engaged in it. Fraternity members continue to disrespect the Chico State Administration by exploiting loopholes to avoid their deserved punishments, such as leaving the IFC.

How is Chico State able to ensure student safety when fraternity members directly involved with hazing are current students? National chapters and Chico State administration need to prioritize student safety by expelling students and disbanding fraternities that threaten it. 

However, by disbanding them, these national chapters lose funding from their alumni donors and active members, who provide financial support. Ergo, this is not a typical move for the national chapter. 

Chapters’ nationals haven’t held fraternities accountable for hazing. It’s only brought to their attention once it’s too late. This recently played out at Northern Arizona State University.

At NAU, the Delta Chi underground Fraternity was disbanded following a hazing incident where several members attested to witnessing bottles of vodka being passed in a line between pledges, inciting them to chug and vomit. The national chapter only disbanded the fraternity after an 18-year-old pledge died of alcohol poisoning. 

Three members of this NAU Delta Chi underground Fraternity were arrested for their involvement in the organization of hazing activities. The new member educator, the vice president and the treasurer. None have made public comments since their arrests. 

Following reports of hazing in the summer of 2024, the fraternity at NAU left its Interfraternity Council. If nationals intervened and made the Delta Chi Fraternity commit to probation, which would prevent them from recruiting for two years, that pledge might still be alive today.

Fraternities don’t tend to change their ways after being put on probation by their IFC. With national chapters neglecting to threaten disbandment to fraternities on probation for hazing, fraternities can avoid campus probation by going unaffiliated. 

Lambda Chi Alpha has now joined this trend.  The growing epidemic of fraternities going underground has caused more harm than good. History is repeating itself – and it’s being ignored. 

Since 2000, on average, around two young men have died in hazing incidents in America. The first California hazing law was implemented in 2007 after Matthew Carrington, a 21-year-old Chico State student, died from hazing in 2005 at an underground fraternity, Chi Tau. 

Not long before Carrington’s death, Chi Tau, like Lambda, had cut ties from the IFC due to reports of hazing. Before being suspended by its chapter and the university, Chi Tau was known as Delta Sigma Phi, only changing its name after its suspension. 

There have been three hazing-related deaths at Chico State since 2000. Having no administrative authority over underground fraternities that have already been caught for hazing leads to preventable deaths like Matthew’s and the NAU pledge. 

In 2025, California implemented a new anti-hazing law, “California’s Stop Hazing Act.” Stating that educational organizations are aware of fraternities’ past involvement in hazing. Can now be prosecuted for injuries or death resulting from hazing at the same fraternities previously reported. 

“As of January 1, 2026, an individual injured by hazing may bring a civil lawsuit against an institution that had direct involvement in the hazing practice, or knew or should have known of the hazing practice and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent it, ” said Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California.

This act implements that the public can now access a mandated Transparency Report, which includes every hazing incident and safety violation that members of Greek life have committed in California, annually. Since 2023, nine fraternities have been caught hazing at Chico State. 

This act implies Chico State can now be held liable for the injury or death of students in Greek life caused by hazing. This should warrant more direct action from Chico State’s administration to urge nationals to threaten disbandment over fraternities wanting to leave the IFC to avoid probation.

If Lambda Chi Alpha is allowed to exist after choosing to leave the IFC, what prevents other Chico State fraternities from doing the same?

This could become a problem for Greek life at Chico State. The university cannot impose additional rules on fraternities, as doing so would likely prompt fraternities to leave the IFC. It’s Chico State’s responsibility to prioritize student safety, but the administration can’t do so if national chapters allow fraternities already found guilty of hazing to avoid punishment. 

Chico State’s active fraternity members are the future businessmen, leaders and fathers of tomorrow. Shouldn’t national chapters use probation as a lesson for fraternities to accept accountability rather than teach them to run away from it?

Hannah Cabral can be reached at [email protected]