Editor's note: This story was updated at 7:54 p.m. on Feb. 14 to include more details about Phi Gamma Delta infractions and violations. This story was updated at 10:22 p.m. on Feb. 14 to include information from a cover letter attached to the open records requested documents.
OU’s Phi Gamma Delta chapter, commonly known as FIJI, has come to a new educational agreement with the university following multiple alcohol and hazing strikes from last year.
Documents released through an open records request show the Office of Student Conduct interviewed 42 individuals associated with FIJI and found multiple university policy violations, including alcohol violations, disorderly conduct, drug possession, hazing and physical harm including paddling and degradation.
Infractions listed within the documents included various drinking games, including a game where members were dunked into troughs of waters, smacked in the face, and given a beer to shotgun. Another drinking game known as a "sidewalk slammer" had members consume alcohol in bottles taped to their hands.
Instances of hazing included new members eating "dip sandwiches," which were made of bread covered in tobacco dip spit and filled with tobacco dip. New members were also passed whole raw onions to eat. Another small group of new members performed a game which including packing their mouths with flour and blowing it onto each other while pirate music played.
Punishments administered against FIJI include an alcohol strike through Jan. 1, 2028, an administrative fee of $2,820 due Feb. 14, an alcohol education program to be completed by March 14 and 10 hours of community service per member to be completed by May 2.
The Office of Student Conduct determined that FIJI’s organizational culture must be addressed to resolve the violations. According to the documents, the educational agreement determines that through Jan. 1, 2027, FIJI is eligible to hold registered student organization status with OU under the management of seven graduate trustees identified and vetted by Phi Gamma Delta national headquarters. At least one of the trustees must be physically present at all chapter activities and events.
The FIJI president, two chapter cabinet members, two trustees, a member of the Office of Student Conduct and a member of Fraternity and Sorority Programs and Services must meet twice a semester to provide updates on the chapter’s progress under the trusteeship.
According to the educational agreements, FIJI is prohibited from participating in all social activities as a chapter, including but not limited to date parties, tailgate events, formal banquets, mixers and any event with alcohol present through Jan. 1, 2026.
The chapter is also required to engage in hazing prevention and education programs to be completed by March 14. FIJI members must complete a hazing prevention program and redesign the new member education process.
OU’s chapter is also not permitted to recruit during the spring semester. New member intake and recruitment can resume in fall 2025 after a new member education plan is approved by the Office of Student Conduct, Fraternity and Sorority Programs and Services and Phi Gamma Delta national headquarters.
FIJI’s chapter president, whose name was redacted from the documents; Sam Talley, FIJI’s local adviser and co-founder of Talley, Turner, Stice & Bertman law firm; and Rob Caudill, Phi Gamma Delta executive director, accepted and signed the educational agreement.
In an email to the OU Daily, Talley wrote that FIJI’s OU chapter and its graduates are committed to making the necessary changes after the events of last year. According to Talley, the chapter is already several months into the implementation of changes.
“We look forward to proving our change to our culture to the university community and our membership this semester and next semester while on probation, which we certainly earned and deserved,” Talley wrote.
Talley emphasized that all forms of hazing within FIJI has been eliminated with graduate involvement and oversight.
“We have positive plans in place to ensure hazing shall never be allowed back at our chapter,” Talley wrote. “We hope that other chapters at OU will learn from our mistake and also learn from how we have transitioned to a new model against all forms of hazing with the second chance the University has graciously given to our chapter.”
Prior to the above educational agreement, an earlier, harsher draft was proposed by the Office of Student Conduct which would have suspended FIJI and prevented the organization from being able to hold RSO status until Aug. 1, 2028.
According to the cover letter attached to documents released from the open records request, following investigation by the university, FIJI requested a formal hearing that was initiated but paused due to continued negotiations with Phi Gamma Delta's internal headquarters. After conversations among OU's chapter, the international headquarters and Student Conduct, an agreement was reached and the formal hearing request was withdrawn, the cover letter reads.
OU Marketing and Communications did not respond to questions from OU Daily about why a new educational agreement was offered as of the time of publication.
This story was edited by Ismael Lele and Peggy Dodd. Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
