Hazing in Greek letter organizations

Hazing in Greek letter organizations is defined as any act or set of acts that constitutes hazing and occurs in connection to a fraternity or sorority.

Hazing is often cited as one of the most harmful aspects of fraternities and sororities and poses a major threat to their existence, drawing great criticism from educators and administrators (Whipple & Sullivan 1998). As fraternities and sororities are very diverse in their structures, regulations, governing entities, and memberships, and as hazing can take on many forms, the issue of hazing within these organizations is complex and multifaceted.

Definitions

While most educational institutions include hazing in their disciplinary procedures, definitions of hazing can vary substantially (Hollmann 2002).

The Fraternal Information & Programming Group (FIPG) defines hazing activities as:

Any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on or off fraternity premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule. Such activities may include but are not limited to the following: use of alcohol, paddling in any form, creation of excessive fatigue, physical and psychological shocks, quests, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips or any other such activities carried on outside or inside of the confines of the chapter house; wearing of public apparel which is conspicuous and not normally in good taste, engaging in public stunts and buffoonery, morally degrading or humiliating games and activities, and any other activities which are not consistent with academic achievement, fraternal law, ritual or policy or the regulations and policies of the educational institution or applicable state law.

Hazing is a crime in 44 states. For example, the Arizona Revised Statutes provides the following definition:

"Hazing" means any intentional, knowing or reckless act committed by a student, whether individually or in concert with other persons, against another student, and in which both of the following apply: (a) The act was committed in connection with an initiation into, an affiliation with or the maintenance of membership in any organization that is affiliated with an educational institution. (b) The act contributes to a substantial risk of potential physical injury, mental harm or degradation or causes physical injury, mental harm or personal degradation.

Most educational institutions have their own definitions of hazing, and many are required to by state statutes.

Generally, institutions of higher education will have their own definitions of hazing, though they may closely mirror definitions found in their respective state statutes. For example, the University of Arizona provides the following definition of hazing in its “University of Arizona Hazing Policy”, revised October 25, 2001:

"Hazing" means any intentional, knowing or reckless act committed by a student, whether individually or in concert with other persons, against another student, and in which both of the following apply: (a) The act was committed in connection with an initiation into, an affiliation with or the maintenance of membership in any organization that is affiliated with the University. (b) The act contributes to a substantial risk of potential physical injury, mental harm or degradation or causes physical injury, mental harm or personal degradation.

Note that the University of Arizona’s definition of hazing is virtually identical to the definition outlined in the Arizona Revised Statutes.

Problems in the quantitative analysis of hazing in Greek letter organizations

Due to the nature of hazing, the secretive nature of Greek letter organizations, and the fear of negative repercussions, hazing is largely underreported. Most, if not all, hazing activities take place either during pledge (or “interest”) activities or rituals, which are almost always secretive. Additionally, since many Greek letter organizations, such as those governed by the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO), prohibit their pledges (also known as “interests” or “new members”) from revealing their association with their organization until they have been initiated, it becomes increasingly difficult for institutions to reach out to members in anti-hazing efforts. It also becomes virtually impossible for these pledges or interests to reach out for help, especially if they wish to remain members, pledges, or interests of their organizations. However, Cheryl Drout and Christie Corsoro of State University of New York at Fredonia state, "Hazing, which is officially banned by all national Greek organizations, frequently comes to the public’s attention through the popular news media when the activities become fatal” (Drout & Corsoro, 2003). Unfortunately for multitudes of members of Greek organizations, “Sororities and fraternities have come to be synonymous with elitism, sexual assault, high-risk hazing (initiation ceremonies) and other bad behavior on American university campuses” (Marcus, 2007).

The True Alpha And Omega (Unmasking Spiritual Wickedness In Fraternities and Sororities)(Third Edition) co-authored by Minister Jerrod Smith and Brother Clifton Lucas gives information pass the secret veil of not only the collegiate organizations, but the graduate chapters of BGLO as well.

Fraternities and sororities are commonly associated with paddling of members, especially new members or pledges, as part of their hazing rituals.

Responses to hazing

Many educational institutions have developed anti-hazing programs, which encourage alternatives to hazing through the planning of purposeful activities, inform students of how to take action and avoid being a bystander, and provide clear consequences for those students and/or organizations who violate hazing policies (Hollmann 2002). Additionally, hazing has become a central focus of programs designed to help Greek letter organizations become more value congruent through institutionalized standards and expectations (Shonrock 1998).

Attempts at preventing hazing have also targeted Greek letter organizations at the national level. Cobb & McRee (2007) note the important role of culture change within the North American fraternity and sorority movement and even encourage the closure of chapters that consistently partake in illegal and risky activities and pose threats to their local and university communities. DeSousa, Gordon & Kimbrough (2004) propose the creation of a recognized pledge program in which national fraternity and sorority leaders participate, under the recognized supervision of university officials, as well as the yearly evaluation of fraternities and sororities to determine their eligibility for continued recognition and sponsorship. Again, such a proposal is difficult since many NPHC and NALFO organizations, not to mention other organizations not governed by these umbrella organizations, keep their pledge, interest, or new member programs completely secretive.

See also

• Hazing
• History of North American college fraternities and sororities
• Chuck Stenzel
• Matt's Law
• The Gordie Foundation

References

• Cobb, L. Martin; McRee, Michael (2007). "Why We Should Close More Chapters". Perspectives. Spring 2007: 4–8. 
• DeSousa, D. Jason; Michael V.W.; Kimbrough, Walter M. (2004). "Pledging and hazing in African-American fraternities and sororities". In Nuwer, Hank. The hazing reader. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. pp. 106–109. ISBN 0253216540. 
• Drout, Cheryl; Corsoro, Christie (2003). "Attitudes toward fraternity hazing among fraternity members, sorority members, and non-Greek students". Social Behavior & Personality: an International Journal 31 (6): 535. doi:10.2224/sbp.2003.31.6.535. 
• Hollmann, Barbara B. (2002). "Hazing: Hidden Campus Crime". New Directions for Student Services 2002 (99): 11–24. doi:10.1002/ss.57. 
• Jones, Ricky L. (2004). Black haze: violence, sacrifice, and manhood in Black Greek-letter fraternities. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. ISBN 9780791459768. 
• Smith, Minister Jerrod (2011). The True Alpha And Omega (Unmasking Spiritual Wickedness In Fraternities And Sororities)(Third Edition). Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1-46340-551-9. 
• Lucas, Brother Clifton (2011). The True Alpha And Omega (Unmasking Spiritual Wickedness In Fraternities And Sororities)(Third Edition). Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1-46340-551-9. 

• Kimbrough, Walter M. (2003). Black Greek 101. London: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. ISBN 9780838640241. 
• Marcus, J. (2007). "Driven by booze, hazing and sex". Times Education Higher Supplement 1798: pp. 10–11. 
• Parks, Gregory S., ed. (2008). Black Greek-letter organizations in the twenty-first century. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 9780813124919. 
• Shonrock, Michael D. (1998). "Standards and Expectations for Greek Letter Organizations". New Directions for Student Services 1998 (81): 79–85. doi:10.1002/ss.8107. 
• Taylor, K. (2001). "Is hazing harmless horseplay?". Education Digest 67 (2): 25. 
• Whipple, Edward G.; Sullivan, Eileen G. (1998). "Greek Letter Organizations: Communities of Learners?". New Directions for Student Services 1998 (81): 7–17. doi:10.1002/ss.8101. 
• Thwing, C.F., "College Hazing", Scribners Monthly, Vol.17, No.3, (January 1879), pp. 331–334.

External links

• "A revealing look at hidden rites". Cornell University. http://hazing.cornell.edu/cms/hazing/incidents/descriptions.cfm. Retrieved 6 August 2010. 
• "Anti-Hazing". Anti-hazing.tripod.com. http://anti-hazing.tripod.com/. Retrieved 31 May 2009. 
• Jones, Ricky L. (2004). Black haze: violence, sacrifice, and manhood in Black Greek-letter fraternities. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. ISBN 9780791459768. 
• Kimbrough, Walter M. (2003). Black Greek 101. London: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. ISBN 9780838640241. 
• "National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations By-Laws" (RTF). National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations. 2008. http://www.nalfo.org/images/stories/documents/NALFOBylawsAugust12008.rtf. Retrieved 27 May 2009. 
• "National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations Shared Standards" (DOC). National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations. 2008. http://www.nalfo.org/images/stories/documents/NALFO_Shared_Standards.doc. Retrieved 27 May 2009. 
• "NPHC Joint Position Hazing Statement 2003" (PDF). National Pan-Hellenic Council. 2003. http://www.nphchq.org/docs/NPHCJointPositionStatementAgainstHazing2003.pdf. Retrieved 27 May 2009. 
• Nuwer, Hank, ed. (2004). The hazing reader. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ISBN 0253216540. 
• Parks, Gregory S., ed. (2008). Black Greek-letter organizations in the twenty-first century. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 9780813124919. 
• "StopHazing.org — “Educating to Eliminate Hazing”". StopHazing.org. http://www.stophazing.org/. Retrieved 31 May 2009.