PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University (WSU) is shutting down one of its fraternities until 2030 due to multiple hazing violations.
According to a violation report on the university’s website, new members of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity were coerced into drinking alcohol and taking drugs, forced into physical activities as punishment, and subjected to a power imbalance between members.
The report also states that the fraternity house must be alcohol-free for two years upon re-recognition.
Earlier this year, another WSU fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega, was stripped of recognition until 2026. An appeals court ruled that the university was liable for the death of student Sam Martinez.
The freshman from Bellevue died of alcohol poisoning in 2019 while pledging.
This ruling marked the first time a university within Washington has been held accountable for a hazing-related death.
According to court documents obtained by KIRO 7, a fraternity member gave Martinez and another “pledge” a half gallon of rum and told them to drink it in less than an hour during the fraternity’s annual Big Brother Party.
Martinez’s blood alcohol content was at 0.372 during his autopsy, according to the coroner.
Martinez’ parents filed a lawsuit in 2020, arguing that the university, the fraternity, and others were responsible for their son’s death.
In 2022, a King County Superior Court judge dismissed the case against the university, writing that WSU did not owe a duty of care to Martinez.
However, in January, the appeals court decision overturned that ruling.
In 2021, the Whitman County Prosecutor’s Office charged 15 former members of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity in connection to Martinez’s death. Some were sentenced to probation, while others served anywhere from a single day to 19 days in jail. Only one defendant was accused of providing alcohol to Martinez.
©2025 Cox Media Group
