"There's nothing more we could have done before the Wade incident," he said.
Wright, who assumed the presidency in 2003, said he believes Wade's death has attracted undue attention in part because it occurred at a historically Black institution. Students hazing elsewhere are considered "silly kids," he said, "where here they'll focus more on the institution and say, `I can't believe they allow these things.'"
Jones, who has agreed to serve as an expert witness in the Wade's lawsuit, said the hazing by Black student groups deserves special attention because it involves physical pain intended to prove one's manhood. That is more dangerous than rituals based on drinking games and pranks, he said.
Too many people "don't want to stop it because they see it as the primary identity building process for these groups," he said. Jones said one exception is Southern Methodist University, which revoked the charter of Alpha Phi Alpha in 2004 after a pledge nearly died from being forced to drink hot sauce and water.
At Prairie View, several organizations, including Phi Beta Sigma, still maintain their gathering spots for members under the broad trees on the main campus lawn despite suspensions for hazing.
In an interview, Wade's parents said their son was aware that the university’s Alpha Phi Alpha chapter was under investigation for hazing but wasn't alarmed.
"He felt like nobody in their right mind would actually try to haze somebody when you've already got an investigation going on," Donnie Wade Sr. said.
Associated Press writer Sarah Portlock in Houston contributed to this report.
