Why a Fraternity Wants Students to Pay Up for an Alleged Hazing Incident

Fraternity headquarters have long been accused of tolerating bad behavior at their chapters. Victims or their families sometimes sue individual members, chapters, and national organizations over hazing, and national organizations often discipline members and chapters for transgressions. But proactive lawsuits of this sort are uncommon, said Doug Fierberg, a lawyer who represents victims of school and campus violence. The fraternity is essentially saying, he said, that “‘we’re likely to get sued in the upcoming months or year by the family claiming that we did something wrong when all the wrong was committed by you.’” He said the new lawsuit was effectively a refusal to accept responsibility for the training, education, and supervision of young fraternity members. “The delegation of all the responsibility for turning the corner on hazing traditions that have existed for decades is entrusted on the backs of 18- and 19-year-olds who are poorly educated on the topic and put in a position of making life-and-death decisions,” Fierberg said.