UT spirit organization Texas Cowboys and fraternity Pi Kappa Phi are approved to return to campus on a provision basis after hazing-related suspensions in 2019, the University announced Monday. 

Texas Cowboys faced a six-year suspension from campus after suspected hazing violations going back to Fall 2015. Pi Kappa Phi faced a four-year suspension after hazing violations during the fall 2018 and spring 2019 semesters. 

According to the press release, the student groups are allowed to return due to the Nine Dimensions of Successful Student Organizations program. Upon return, the organizations will be required to complete the program’s curriculum, which is meant to promote self-reflection and reduce “extreme conduct violations” such as hazing.

“Historically, suspension with limited intervention has been universities’ primary response for changing behavior of organizations,” Katie McGee, executive director for student conduct and academic integrity, said in the press release. “Provisional return requires the organization to opt in to making changes and partner with the University to achieve maximum intervention to disrupt practices conducive to hazing.”

The student groups must meet additional requirements, which are stated from the press release as follows:

• The Texas Cowboys’ first two membership cohorts and Pi Kappa Phi’s first membership cohort will each be limited to 25 members.
• Each group’s first cohort must complete the Successful Student Organizations curriculum before the next cohort is recruited. Each subsequent cohort and future cohorts will receive onboarding and training about the organization created by the first cohort.
• Each group is required to have routine check-ins with the Office of the Dean of Students for one year after completing the Successful Student Organizations curriculum. 
• Both of the groups are barred from representing the University in any official capacity during their provisional returns. The earliest the Texas Cowboys can do so is spring 2024.
• Both organizations will be required to submit an advising structure and engagement plan for approval.
• The groups must submit a calendar with all activities to the Office of the Dean of Students for approval two weeks prior to the start of each term during the provisional return period.

The organizations may accept or appeal to the University’s terms of provisional return. Five other student organizations are participating in the program, according to the press release. The Texas Cowboys and Pi Kappa Phi are the first organizations selected for return.