TDX Alumni File Appeal in Lawsuit Against Stanford

In January 2020, Stanford sophomore Eitan Weiner, son of a Stanford professor and Stanford hospital fundraising executive, died from an overdose after taking a fentanyl-laced Percocet in his Theta Delta Chi (TDX) fraternity house. What followed was a contentious disciplinary process that fraternity members claimed went far beyond addressing the tragic incident.

According to TDX representatives, Stanford officials initially assured fraternity members that the Office of Community Standards (OCS) investigation that began nine months later, had "nothing to do with" the overdose and that cooperation by TDX student members would help prevent severe penalties. The OCS initially recommended just one year of probation. Then, shortly thereafter, in a shocking move, then-Dean Mona Hicks and Vice Provost Emelyn Dela Peña overrode the OCS recommendation and replaced it with a six-year suspension in 2022, effectively eliminating the chapter since all current members would graduate before reinstatement. Associate Vice Provost Susan Baker Cole later modified the punishment to a four-year suspension. Still, TDX would remain unhoused for six years, a compromise that fraternity members considered unacceptable.

In January 2025, TDX alumni leadership, represented by specialized Los Angeles legal counsel Mark Hathaway, filed a formal appeal challenging the fairness of Stanford's disciplinary process. The fraternity seeks complete restoration of its previous status, including full university recognition and the return of its historic house on campus. The appeal cites explicitly procedural irregularities and disproportionate punishment compared to similar cases. 

Perhaps the most concerning allegation in the appeal involves Stanford's legal strategy. According to documents obtained by Save Stanford TDX supporters, Stanford's legal team allegedly agreed to remove the fraternity from campus to discourage the Weiner family from pursuing litigation against the university.

The strategy appears to have failed on both fronts: The Weiner family proceeded with their lawsuit against Stanford while TDX received what alumni characterize as an undeserved punishment. The timing of these decisions has fueled suspicions among TDX supporters that the decision to throw TDX off campus was made even before the OCS was convened. Several administrative changes occurred shortly after the initial ruling, with Associate Vice Provost Dela Peña departing for positions at other universities within months of finalizing the TDX punishment on March 22, 2021.

Supporters also highlight that the university identified Eitan, the Percocet owner, as solely responsible for the incident yet still invoked collective responsibility principles to penalize the fraternity. "Stanford attacked and blamed Eitan as the sole person in the wrong, which is precisely what TDX people were saying all along," noted one member who requested anonymity due to ongoing proceedings.

With Stanford now under new leadership, including new president Jonathan Levin and provost (former Law School Dean) Jenny Martinez, TDX alumni see the potential for reconsideration. The fraternity has requested meetings with the new administration, arguing that the previous decision contradicts Stanford's fairness and due process commitment.

Stanford's response to the appeal remains pending. For current students, many of whom were not on campus when the original incident occurred, the case represents an abstract but important principle: Even though TDX isn't present now, the outcome matters for setting a precedent about how the university treats student organizations. As both sides prepare for continued legal proceedings, the case continues to raise questions about the fairness and proportionality of the case and the proper role of Stanford administration in student life.