In 1986, a student at the University of Texas at Austin died as a result of a fraternity hazing incident. Two former students have agreed to pay the student's parents $224,000 in compensatory damages.
In the 1987-88 academic year, three Rutgers students lost their lives as a result of alcohol. One student died after being run over by a motor vehicle while struggling with his friend in the middle of the street, another died from injuries sustained in an alcohol-related crash, and the third student, a freshman pledging a fraternity, drank himself to death at a party. As a result of this third incident, all greek houses were ordered to remove bar structures from their premises and brothers were required to complete community service ranging from 50 to 300 hours.
In 1986, Len Bias, a former All Star basketball player at the University of Maryland, died from a coronary brought on by cocaine use. He was celebrating in his dorm after signing with the NBA.
In 1988, a Florida State University fraternity house was closed after several members were charged with gang raping a female student. The instigator of the rape was convicted in 1990 for felony sexual battery. There are plans to turn the house into a Women's Center.
In 1989, a pledge at the University of Colorado was hospitalized with acute alcohol poisoning after being forced to consume shots of vodka at a fraternity trivia game. The chapter was suspended by their national organization.
In 1989, Dickinson College suspended a fraternity for no less than four years for alcohol-policy violations that may have contributed to the death of a freshman. The student, who fell from a third floor dormitory window, died from massive head injuries. The fraternity's suspension bars the organization from any campus activities and terminates its right to lease a residence hall. The fraternity's national office also has suspended the chapter's charter until the university reinstates it.
In 1991, the Texas Board of Pharmacy found that 16 forged prescriptions for anabolic steroids were filled at two drugstores near the University of Texas (Austin) campus during a 14-month period. The investigation followed March reports in several local newspapers about possible steroid abuse involving several Texas football players.
In 1991, a University of Florida junior drank himself to death by rapidly downing 23 shots of liquor in a Gainesville pub. The alcohol overdose was the result of a dare from friends to break some sort of drinking record.