Hazing at Texas Universities: A Complete Guide for Village of The Hills Families

If Your Child Was Hurt in a Fraternity, Sorority, or Campus Group, You Are Not Alone

We understand the fear that grips a parent in Village of The Hills. It might start with a late-night phone call, a text message that doesn’t sound right, or your child coming home from the University of Texas at Austin or Texas State University withdrawn and injured. You learn they were forced through brutal workouts, humiliated in front of peers, or coerced into drinking dangerous amounts of alcohol—all in the name of “joining” or “proving their loyalty.” The university’s response feels slow and bureaucratic, while the organization circles its wagons. In that moment of crisis, you need two things: immediate guidance from someone who understands this dark corner of campus life, and proof that accountability is possible.

Right now, we are proving that accountability in a Texas courtroom. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who suffered rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure after horrific hazing by the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. As reported by Click2Houston and ABC13, the hazing included a degrading “pledge fanny pack,” being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” forced consumption of food until vomiting, and extreme physical abuse that landed him in the hospital for four days. This is not an isolated incident from a distant state; this is happening here in Texas, at our major universities, and it is the reason we built a dedicated hazing litigation practice.

This guide is for you—parents and families in Village of The Hills, Travis County, and across Central Texas. We will explain what modern hazing really looks like, how Texas law protects your child, and what has happened at universities where Village of The Hills students enroll. We will show you the data we use to hold organizations accountable and provide the immediate, practical steps you must take if you suspect abuse.

Immediate Help for a Hazing Crisis

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call us at 1-888-ATTY-911. We are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason.

In the First 48 Hours, You Must:

1. Get Medical Attention: Even if your child insists they are “fine,” seek a medical evaluation. Internal injuries, kidney damage, and psychological trauma must be documented.
2. Preserve Evidence: Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), photograph injuries from multiple angles, and save any physical items involved. We have a video guide on using your phone to document evidence.
3. Write Everything Down: Record names, dates, locations, and what your child tells you while memories are fresh.
4. Do NOT: Confront the organization, sign anything from the university or an insurance company, or let your child delete digital evidence.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney immediately. Evidence disappears within days—messages are deleted, witnesses are coached, and narratives are controlled. We help you secure the proof that holds people accountable. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation.

Hazing in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

Hazing is not just “boys being boys” or harmless tradition. It is a calculated abuse of power designed to create loyalty through fear and suffering. For Village of The Hills families, understanding its modern forms is the first step to recognizing it.

Texas Law (Education Code Chapter 37) defines hazing as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership. Crucially, the victim’s “consent” is not a defense.

Today’s hazing often falls into three interconnected categories:

1. Digital Coercion & Control: Before any physical abuse occurs, pledges are controlled through technology. They are required to have location-sharing apps active 24/7, respond instantly to group chat demands at all hours, and submit to social media policing. This creates a framework of total compliance.
2. Psychological Harassment & Humiliation: This includes sleep deprivation, forced memorization of meaningless information, “interviews” designed to degrade, being assigned derogatory names, and carrying humiliating items (like the “pledge fanny pack” in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case).
3. Physical & Substance-Abuse Violence: This is the escalation that leads to hospitalization and death. It includes forced alcohol consumption (chugging, drinking games), extreme calisthenics (“smokings”), paddling or beating, exposure to extreme elements, and forced consumption of intolerable foods or chemicals.

This conduct happens in fraternities, sororities, athletic teams, spirit groups like the Texas Cowboys, Corps of Cadets programs, marching bands, and other campus clubs. The common thread is a power imbalance exploited under the guise of tradition.

The Texas Legal Framework: Criminal Penalties and Civil Accountability

When hazing occurs, two parallel legal paths can unfold: criminal prosecution by the state and civil litigation by the victim and their family. For Village of The Hills families, understanding both is key.

Texas Criminal Hazing Law

Under Texas Education Code Chapter 37, hazing is a crime.

• Class B Misdemeanor: Basic hazing offense.
• Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes bodily injury.
• State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.
  The law also criminalizes failing to report hazing and retaliating against those who do report. The criminal case is pursued by local prosecutors (e.g., the Travis County District Attorney for incidents at UT Austin).

Civil Liability & Lawsuits

A criminal case focuses on punishment. A civil lawsuit focuses on compensating the victim and holding all responsible parties accountable. The civil system often provides the only true avenue for families to discover what happened and why it was allowed to occur.

Who can be held liable in a civil hazing lawsuit?

• The Individuals: The members who planned, executed, or covered up the abuse.
• The Local Chapter: The organized group that sanctioned the activity.
• The National Organization: Fraternity and sorority headquarters that collect dues, set policies, and have a history of ignoring the same dangerous “traditions” at other campuses.
• The University: Schools can be liable for negligent supervision, deliberate indifference to known risks, or Title IX violations if the hazing is sex-based.
• Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, property owners, and alcohol providers.

We use the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—a proprietary database built from public records—to identify every entity behind a local chapter. This includes uncovering housing corporations, alumni associations, and national headquarters that may try to distance themselves from liability.

Federal Laws That Apply

• The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal funds to publish more transparent hazing data and strengthen prevention programs.
• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment, assault, or gender-based discrimination, the university has specific legal obligations to respond.
• The Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain campus crimes, which can include hazing-related assaults.

National Hazing Cases: The Patterns That Repeat in Texas

The tragic cases that make national headlines are not random. They are predictable patterns. When we represent a family in Village of The Hills, we apply the lessons from these precedents to show how the defendants should have known better.

• The Forced Drinking Death Pattern: Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017) died after a bid-acceptance night of forced drinking, with help delayed for hours. Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017) died during a “Bible study” drinking game, leading to Louisiana’ felony “Max Gruver Act.” Stone Foltz (Bowling Green, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021) was forced to drink a bottle of liquor; his family secured a $10 million settlement.
• The Physical Ritual Pattern: Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013) died from traumatic brain injury after a blindfolded “glass ceiling” tackle ritual at an off-campus retreat. The national fraternity was criminally convicted.
• The Catastrophic Injury Pattern: Danny Santulli (Univ. of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta, 2021) suffered permanent brain damage from forced drinking. His family reached multi-million-dollar settlements with 22 defendants.
• The Athletic Hazing Pattern: The Northwestern University football scandal (2023-2025) involved allegations of sexualized and racist hazing, resulting in confidential settlements and coach termination.

These patterns matter in Texas because the same national organizations operate here. A Pi Kappa Alpha chapter at UT Austin is part of the same national organization that paid for Stone Foltz’s death. A Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter at Texas A&M is part of a national network with a long history of injury lawsuits. This “pattern evidence” is critical in civil cases to prove the national organization had prior notice and failed to act.

Texas University Focus: Where Village of The Hills Families Send Their Kids

Village of The Hills is part of the vibrant, educated Travis County community. Our families are deeply connected to the flagship universities in our region and across the state. Here is what you need to know about hazing at the schools your children attend.

The University of Texas at Austin

As the flagship campus just a short drive from Village of The Hills, UT Austin is a primary destination for local students. It also maintains one of the most transparent hazing reporting systems in the country.

• Campus Culture & Greek Life: UT has a massive, tradition-rich Greek system with dozens of Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic chapters, alongside a strong National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) presence and many cultural organizations.
• Public Hazing Log: UT publishes a searchable online log of hazing violations. Recent entries include:
  • Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members were directed to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. Sanction: Probation and mandatory hazing prevention education.
  • Texas Wranglers (Spirit Group): Sanctioned for alcohol-related hazing and forced workouts.
• Recent Litigation: In January 2024, an Australian exchange student sued the UT chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) for over $1 million, alleging an assault at a party that left him with a dislocated leg, broken nose, and fractured tibia. The chapter was already on suspension for prior violations.
• For Village of The Hills Families: Incidents at UT will involve the UT Police Department (UTPD) and potentially the Austin Police Department. Civil suits are filed in Travis County courts. UT’s public violation log is a powerful tool for establishing a chapter’s prior knowledge of risky behaviors.

Texas State University (San Marcos)

Located in nearby Hays County, Texas State is another major university for our community with an active Greek life system.

• Campus Profile: A large public university with a growing Greek community and numerous student organizations.
• Greek Life Oversight: The university has a Fraternity and Sorority Life office that manages recognition and conduct processes for IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, and Multicultural Greek Council chapters.
• Jurisdiction: Hazing incidents may be investigated by the Texas State University Police Department and the San Marcos Police Department. Civil cases would typically be filed in Hays County.

Other Key Texas Universities

While UT Austin and Texas State are the most local, Village of The Hills families also send students to major hubs across Texas. The same dangerous patterns exist statewide.

Texas A&M University (College Station):

• Corps of Cadets Culture: The Corps has faced high-profile lawsuits, including a 2023 case where a cadet alleged being bound in a “roasted pig” position with an apple in his mouth.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Lawsuit: Around 2021, pledges allegedly suffered severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts after substances including industrial cleaner were poured on them. The case settled confidentially.
• Greek Life: A&M has a vast IFC and Panhellenic system. National organizations with troubling histories, like SAE and Pi Kappa Alpha, have active chapters here.

University of Houston:

• The Flagship Case: As detailed above, we are actively litigating the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi case. This $10 million lawsuit alleges systemic, violent hazing leading to kidney failure.
• Prior Incidents: In 2016, a Pi Kappa Alpha pledge suffered a lacerated spleen during hazing. The chapter faced criminal charges and suspension.
• Transparency: UH has faced criticism for less public reporting than UT, but litigation and public records requests can uncover prior chapter discipline.

Southern Methodist University (Dallas) & Baylor University (Waco):
These private universities have significant Greek life but different reporting structures. Both have faced hazing scandals:

• SMU: The Kappa Alpha Order chapter was suspended in 2017 for paddling, forced drinking, and sleep deprivation.
• Baylor: The baseball team suspended 14 players in 2020 following a hazing investigation.

The Organizations Behind the Letters: National Histories Matter

When a local chapter hazes, it is rarely inventing new tactics. It is following a script written by decades of “tradition” within its national organization. For Village of The Hills parents, understanding this connection is crucial. The national headquarters in another state often controls the insurance, the policies, and has a database of prior incidents.

We track these connections through public data. Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine cross-references IRS filings, university rosters, and corporate records to map the ecosystem. For example, here are just a few Texas-registered entities related to national fraternities with known hazing histories:

• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc (EIN 741380362) – Fort Worth, TX 76147
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity (EIN 746064445) – Nederland, TX 77627
• Pi Kappa Phi Delta Omega Chapter Building Corporation (EIN 371768785) – Missouri City, TX 77459
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc (EIN 462267515) – Frisco, TX 75035
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter (EIN 746084905) – Houston, TX 77204

This is a fraction of the 125+ Texas-registered Greek entities in IRS records. When an incident occurs, we immediately identify every related corporate entity that may share liability and insurance coverage.

National Organizations with Documented Hazing Patterns:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): Stone Foltz death ($10M settlement); multiple other deaths and injuries.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): Dozens of deaths and injuries nationwide; active litigation at UA, Texas A&M, and UT Austin.
• Phi Delta Theta: Max Gruver death (Louisiana felony law).
• Pi Kappa Phi: Andrew Coffey death (FSU); our active UH case.
• Kappa Alpha Order: Repeated suspensions for paddling and hazing, including at SMU.

In a civil lawsuit, we use this national history to prove foreseeability—that the organization knew or should have known its chapters were engaging in these dangerous rituals and failed to take effective action to stop it.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

Pursuing a hazing case requires a methodical, evidence-first approach. Universities and national fraternities have deep-pocketed defense lawyers whose first move is often to deny, delay, and destroy evidence. Our strategy is built to counter this.

Critical Evidence We Secure

1. Digital Forensics: Deleted GroupMe, WhatsApp, and text messages can often be recovered. We work with experts to obtain phone records, social media archives, and cloud backups.
2. Internal Organization Documents: Through discovery, we subpoena the national fraternity’s “risk management” files, prior incident reports for the chapter, pledge education materials, and communications between local officers and headquarters.
3. University Records: We use public records requests and litigation discovery to obtain the full disciplinary history of the chapter, all prior complaints, and internal emails about the group.
4. Medical Documentation: Comprehensive records are essential to prove the cause and extent of injuries—from ER reports and lab results (like the critical CK levels showing rhabdomyolysis in the UH case) to ongoing therapy for PTSD.
5. Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, and bystanders are crucial. We often find that once one person comes forward, others feel empowered to tell the truth.

Recoverable Damages for Victims and Families

Texas law allows for the recovery of both economic and non-economic damages:

• Medical Expenses: Past and future hospital bills, surgery, therapy, medications.
• Lost Earnings & Educational Costs: Tuition for lost semesters, diminished future earning capacity if injuries are permanent.
• Pain and Suffering: Physical pain, emotional distress, humiliation, PTSD.
• Wrongful Death Damages: For families who suffer the ultimate loss, damages include funeral costs, loss of companionship, and emotional anguish.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of particularly reckless or malicious conduct, damages intended to punish the defendant and deter future behavior.

We build a comprehensive damages model with life-care planners and economists to ensure we seek full and fair compensation. We explain this process in our video on how contingency fees work—you pay nothing unless we recover money for you.

Practical Guide for Village of The Hills Parents and Students

For Parents: Warning Signs and Action Steps

Recognize the Red Flags:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation, or drastic weight change.
• Sudden secrecy about organization activities.
• Personality shifts: anxiety, depression, withdrawal.
• Constant, anxious phone use tied to group chats.
• Requests for large sums of money with vague explanations.

If You Suspect Hazing:

1. Talk Calmly: Ask open-ended questions. “I’m worried about you. Is there anything you’re being asked to do that makes you uncomfortable?”
2. Prioritize Safety: If there is any immediate danger, call 911.
3. Document: Write down what your child says. Have them screenshot messages before they are deleted.
4. Seek Medical Care: A doctor’s examination creates an independent record of injuries.
5. Contact Us Before the University: Once you consult with us, we can advise you on how to navigate reporting to UT, Texas State, or other schools to protect your child’s rights and preserve evidence.

For Students: Your Rights and How to Exit Safely

• You Have the Right to Be Safe. “Tradition” is not an excuse for abuse.
• Consent is Not a Defense in Texas. You cannot legally agree to be hazed.
• To Exit Safely: Tell a trusted person outside the organization first (parent, RA, friend). Send a brief, written resignation to the chapter president. Do not attend “one last meeting.”
• Report Anonymously: You can report to the university conduct office or use the National Anti-Hazing Hotline at 1-888-NOT-HAZE.
• Preserve Evidence: Take screenshots of everything. Take photos of injuries. Save emails. Do not delete anything.

Critical Mistakes That Can Harm Your Case

We detail this in our video on client mistakes that can ruin an injury case. Key errors include:

• Deleting digital evidence.
• Confronting the fraternity/sorority directly (which triggers their legal defense).
• Signing a university “resolution” agreement without an attorney’s review.
• Posting details on social media.
• Waiting too long. Texas generally has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury, but evidence vanishes much faster. Watch our video on statutes of limitation.

Why Choose Attorney911 for Your Hazing Case

When your family is in crisis, you need advocates who are not intimidated by powerful institutions and who understand the unique dynamics of campus hazing. At The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911), we bring a proven combination of insider knowledge and relentless litigation experience.

Our Core Advantages for Hazing Cases:

• Insider Insurance Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as a defense attorney for national insurance companies. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers value claims, deploy delay tactics, and fight coverage. We use their playbook against them. You can learn more about Mr. Peña’s background here.
• Experience Against Billion-Dollar Defendants: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas lawyers involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have faced the deepest-pocketed institutional defendants and complex federal court battles. We are not intimidated by national fraternity legal teams. Learn about Ralph’s experience here.
• Active, High-Stakes Hazing Litigation: We are not theorists. We are currently leading the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit—a $10 million case alleging some of the most severe hazing abuses seen in Texas. We are in the fight right now.
• Data-Driven Investigation: We built and maintain the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine. We don’t start from scratch; we start with data on hundreds of Greek organizations across Texas to immediately identify all potentially liable parties.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal ramifications of hazing and can advise clients navigating both systems.
• Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish (Se habla Español), ensuring we can serve all Texas families with comfort and clarity.

We treat every hazing case with the urgency it deserves. Our goal is not just compensation, but accountability and change—to ensure no other family in Village of The Hills or across Texas endures this pain.

Contact Us for a Free, Confidential Consultation

If you suspect your child has been hazed at the University of Texas, Texas State, or any college campus, time is your most critical asset. Evidence disappears, witnesses get coached, and the institution will begin its own process to manage the situation.

We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to every family. We will listen to your story, review any evidence you have, and explain your legal options clearly and honestly. There is never pressure to hire us. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront costs, and we only get paid if we recover money for you.

Don’t face this alone. Let us help you get answers and accountability.

Call Attorney911 Today: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)

Direct Line: (713) 528-9070

Website: https://attorney911.com

Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com

Offices: Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas. Serving families in Village of The Hills, Travis County, and across the state.

Legal Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. We encourage you to seek legal counsel for advice on your individual situation. The information is current as of late 2025.