UVA to Theta Chi: Evict Brothers from Frat House. Theta Chi: No.
As part of the punishment meted out for hazing infractions, the University of Virginia ordered Theta Chi fraternity to kick ten brothers out of its Charlottesville frat house or risk having its sanction extended beyond four years. Refusing to break its leases and throw its members onto the street, the fraternity has asked the University to reconsider the sanction.
In June, the University of Virginia terminated the Fraternal Organization Agreement (FOA) with the Theta Chi fraternity for hazing offenses, including making pledges eat a concoction with habanero peppers that caused some to vomit. The decision required the fraternity to “[cease] all operations, including any acts that may be construed as the operation of an ‘underground’ organization” until the 2028-29 school year.
An underground organization, states the Hazing Misconduct Report, “may include a group of students who in any way were affiliated with Theta Chi at the University and/or who continue to represent themselves as a successor organization to Theta Chi.”
That included ten students who had signed leases the previous October to live in the Theta Chi house. If they were allowed to stay, the Student Affairs office informed the fraternity that Theta Chi would be in violation of UVA’s order and the clock could be set back a year for when the fraternity would be allowed to be participate again as a University-affiliated organization.
“In June, an official stated that leasing to these students would be ‘viewed as an aggravating factor if/when Theta Chi pursues re-establishment,’” explains an open letter of Theta Chi alumni. “This stance placed undue financial pressure on our Corporation, students, and parents, given the difficulty of securing housing at such a late stage in the year.”
Only first-year students are required to live on Grounds. The market for off-Grounds housing in Charlottesville is tight, requiring most students to lock up living arrangements before they leave for the summer. In the summer, there are few vacancies left and finding suitable places to live is difficult.
Although it refuses to evict its brothers from the house this year, the Xi chapter of Theta Chi posted a statement on its UVA-hosted website that it will abide by the University’s prohibition on fraternal activities, social events, and rush during the suspension period. “Our rental agreement with occupants for the 2024-2025 school year has been modified to include prohibitions against all of these activities,” it reads. After the leases expire, the fraternity will market the property to the public with an eye to generating rental income. (Two students have found other accommodations, so the number remaining is eight.)
In a letter to President Jim Ryan, Chief of Student Affairs Kenyon Bonner, and Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Marsh Paddie, parents of Theta Chi members pleaded for the University to reconsider its four-year exile of the fraternity, citing the behavior of former Director of Compliance Donovan Golich in bullying and threatening Theta Chi members during the course of an investigation with a “pre-ordained” outcome.
Golich is no longer employed by the University, which has offered no explanation for his departure. However, it was likely linked to the publication in Bacon’s Rebellion of an audio recording in which Golich threatened a student with the loss of his ROTC scholarship, referral to the Honor Committee and Student Judiciary, and possible police investigation if he failed to cooperate into his inquiry into the hazing incident.
“As parents, we are appalled at the tenor of the interrogation of the student by Mr. Golich as heard in the recording,” stated the parents’ letter. “It is quite clear that he had pre-determined the facts and the outcome of his investigation and was simply on what can only be called a power trip. Is this Due Process of any sort? We wonder if our sons should have had been read their Miranda rights.”
Both Theta Chi alumni and parents conceded that Theta Chi’s behavior has not always been exemplary.
“We have spoken to our sons and we understand that there is a history of actions that can be deemed hazing in their house and others on Grounds,” wrote the parents. “We are told that the members of Theta Chi were actively changing many of the longstanding traditions.”
“There is little doubt our sons made mistakes, but they are young and learning the pathway to maturity and good decision making,” the letter continued. “However, at no point were our sons in fear for their health and safety at UVA or as members of Theta Chi until they were introduced to Donovan Golich with his threats and intimidation tactics.”
“We categorically denounce hazing and dishonesty,” wrote the alumni. “We acknowledge that some of our undergraduate brothers were less than forthcoming [during the investigation] and recognize that corrective actions are necessary.” But the sanctions, they said, were “excessively harsh.”
Bacon’s bottom line: It’s not clear how the administration will respond to the appeal. Golich’s departure from UVA was clearly related to revelations of his hardball tactics, but neither the University nor Golich, who granted an interview to The Cavalier Daily student newspaper, have explained what happened. Whether Student Affairs will revisit any of the punishments meted out to Theta Chi or the other nine Greek Organizations sanctioned over the past three years is an open question. So far, there has been no move to reopen the Theta Chi decision.
The Theta Chi incident raises questions about due process. Given UVA’s policies and procedures, will the accountability officer who replaces Golich behave any differently? The office combines the roles of judge, jury, and executioner. The students being interrogated had no right to an attorney. Parents and alumni have appealed to Paddie, Golich’s supervisor, but the fraternity has no formal right to appeal. If the administration reviews the case, it will be only because it chooses to do so.
Then there’s an issue of collective punishment. The University effectively ordered punishment of ten Theta Chi brothers for sins that the University has not determined all were part of. Did they all participate in the hazing? Are all ten guilty of some infraction of the student code of conduct? Why should all be thrown onto the street for the misdeeds of others?
Next, there is the question of dual standards in the enforcement of the student code of conduct. As I have argued previously, students charged in May with violating university rules relating to the pro-Palestinian encampments were let off with no punishment at all, just a requirement that they “meet with” with UVA administrators. In that meeting, they were allowed to read pro-Palestinian pronouncements. Why was mercy bestowed upon them but not Theta Chi?
Donovan Golich may have been excessively zealous in his investigations, but the University’s problematic approach to fraternities does not end with his departure.
James A. Bacon is the founder of Bacon’s Rebellion and a contributing editor with The Jefferson Council.
