As investigators pieced together a clearer picture of an alleged UCLA fraternity hazing, school officials barred the group, Omega Sigma Tau, from all campus activities and buildings this week. That is a step sometimes taken prior to expelling an organization.
The suspension follows allegations that an initiation regimen sent three pledges to the hospital after a weekend of fraternity "boot camp." Marshall Lai, the most seriously injured of the pledges, continues to improve and was in good condition at UCLA Medical Center on Friday, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Although police and university administrators stressed that their investigation is ongoing, the suspension will continue until the probe is complete.
"The fact that we've taken action means I have assurance that some of the activities that are alleged to have happened really did," said Dean of Students Robert Naples. Naples is responsible for determining the fraternity's ultimate status.
Omega members have refused to describe the alleged hazing other than to say alcohol was not involved. Members said Friday that a lawyer is representing the fraternity, but those reached said they did not know his or her name.
Fraternity President Kenny Teng did not return repeated phone calls made Friday and throughout the week.
Though police continued to release few details about the alleged hazing, a somewhat more complete account of the initiation is beginning to emerge. "We do have most of the chronology nailed down and the locations," said University Police Capt. Alan Cueba.
Pledges were instructed to take long runs on a beach, do push-ups, sit-ups and leg lifts, and run stairs on UCLA's trademark Janss Steps, Cueba said. The exercises are thought to have taken place over a number of days.
That exertion, combined with what medical experts said must have been massive dehydration, was enough to force Lai and two other pledges to seek medical care. Although one was treated briefly and released, Lai and the other, who was not identified, both sustained kidney damage.
Omega Sigma Tau and UCLA seem to have avoided the worst that hazing can dish out. Since 1973, 56 students, none at UCLA, have died in hazing and initiation-related accidents, according to Hank Nuwer, a Ball State University professor and author of "Broken Pledges," a book on hazing. Four of those died from massive physical overexertion, similar to what the Omega pledges may have gone through, Nuwer said.
