hazing hurts

a great video from Phi Delta Theta

Educational Video regarding Hazing

makes you think....

Fraternity Hazing

www.stophazing.org  is a great website, that works to educate readers to stop hazing, not just in fraternities, but in all realms of life. Below is a blurb from their landing page. We encourage all collegians and alumnae to check out the website, and sign the petition to stop hazing!!!

When most people hear the term "hazing" it conjures up images of fraternities. In reality however, hazing occurs in many arenas including fraternities and sororities, the military, athletic teams and student organizations (like marching bands) at both the high school and collegiate levels. Many believe that hazing in fraternities and in general is nothing more than silly antics and harmless pranks like those remembered from the 1980s hit comedy Animal House. The realities of hazing are dramatically different than the humorous images many people associate with the term. Hazing is an abuse of power that can have debilitating and life-threatening consequences. According to the research presented by Hank Nuwer (1990), journalist and author of several books related to hazing, hazing has been associated with more than 50 deaths in college fraternities and countless more physical injuries including paralysis, not to mention the devastating emotional effects that can result for so many young men and women.

More Information: Links Directory on Fraternity Hazing.

Eileen Stevens, a mother (and now grandmother) from New York lost her eldest son Chuck Stenzel in 1978 when he was a victim of hazing at Klan Alpine, a fraternity at Alfred University. One evening, the older fraternity brothers came to the dorms to pick up pledges (including Chuck who was a strong athletic young man) and bring them back to the fraternity house for a party. That night, Chuck died and the coroner told Ms. Stevens that the cause was alcohol poisoning. The fraternity and the university refused to accept responsibility or provide a thorough investigation. Incredulous, Eileen set out to investigate on her own. Over the next few weeks and months, Stevens refused to give up her quest to find out the truth. While she was stonewalled at nearly every turn by the institution and the fraternity, witnesses eventually came forward to share details of the night's events. Eventually, Eileen had a much clearer picture of what had happened to her son that fateful night. As it turned out, Chuck and two other pledges were locked in the trunk of a car and were allegedly given a pint of Jack Daniels, a 6-pack of beer and a quart of wine and was told to consume it all by the time the car stopped. Later, the pledges were coerced to drink even more at the fraternity house until many passed out. 

When Chuck passed out, he was carried upstairs and left on a mattress where he ceased breathing soon afterward (Adapted from Broken Pledges, Nuwer 1990).
Eileen Steven's story is not the only one of such tragic proportions. Far too many parents have been awakened in the night to receive the devastating news of the loss of their child to hazing. For example, many are familiar with the devastating death of Scott Krueger a promising young freshman who died of alcohol poisoning while pledging a fraternity at MIT in the Fall of 1997. That same year, Binaya Oja died of alcohol poisoning while pledging a fraternity at Clarkson University and in 1992 Jonathan McNamara was killed after falling from a cliff while participating in a pledge outing. Tragically, these are not the only incidents of this kind. The most up-to-date and comprehensive account of such tragedies is summarized in Wrongs of Passage (1999).

The story of Eileen Stevens and her son Chuck is familiar to some as it was detailed in the book and subsequent television movie Broken Pledges. The story describes Eileen's courageous battle to uncover the true cause of her son's death and to educate others about the realities of hazing. Stevens' tenacity in the face of such tragedy--her refusal to accept the notion that the fraternity had no responsibility for her son's death--resulted in a host of controversy and public attention to the issue. Her efforts to educate and eliminate such dangerous traditions eventually led to the passage of an anti-hazing law in the state of NY. Eileen's anger and grief were channeled, at least in part, to her amazing public awareness campaign that began in the state of NY and eventually spanned the country. Eileen's compassion influenced thousands of lives as she told her story to student groups, university staff, faculty and administrators at hundreds of campuses as well as national meetings of fraternities and sororities over a 20-year period.

One of the most commonly asked questions about hazing in fraternities is why do young men and women participate in such horrific and life-threatening activities just to belong to a group? This seems like a reasonable question--but it reveals the lack of understanding about the dynamics of the hazing process. For example, many states that have passed legislation to prohibit hazing have recognized that the intensity of the peer pressure prevents hazing victims from providing true consent to participate in the activities in question. Additionally, many prospective members don't realize and are not informed of what the pledging process and hazing will entail because this information is shrouded in secrecy by the brotherhood. This, combined with the increasing severity of the hazing over the weeks and months of the pledging process places the pledge in a very vulnerable position and hence, more susceptible to victimization. Compounding these dynamics in fraternities and other male groups is the desire for the pledge or prospective member to "be tough," "stick it out" etc. and prove his masculinity rather than risk being identified as a wimp or sissy.

Teasing, Bulling and Hazing.. and educational video

BH & ΞΩΞ Support National Hazing Prevention week

 National Hazing Prevention Week: September 20-24

National Hazing Prevention week is a great way to educate parents, faculty and staff, students, community members, chapter members and others so they can more easily recognize hazing. The goal of the week and continued efforts is to prevent hazing from happening. Hazing will only be eliminated through education, member commitment and adherence to national/campus policies.

HazingPrevention.Org is a non-profit organization whose goal is to encourage healthy and productive experiences for new members of teams, student organizations and fraternities and sororities. The site contains information about resources, programs and services of our organization including awards recognizing campuses and individuals for their hazing prevention efforts.

What Is Hazing?'

Hazing is any action or situation, with or without the consent of the participants, which recklessly, intentionally, or unintentionally endangers the mental, physical, or academic health or safety of a student.

This includes, but is not limited to any situation which:

Creates a risk of injury to any individual or group
Causes physical or mental discomfort to any individual or group
Causes embarrassment to any individual or group
Involves harassment of any individual or group
Involves degradation of any individual or group
Involves humiliation of an individual or group
Involves ridicule of an individual or group
Involves or includes the willful destruction or removal of public or private property for the purpose of initiation or admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in an organization
It includes physical injury, degradation, humiliation, the compromising of moral or religious values, forced consumption of any liquid or solid, placing an individual in physical danger, or at risk, which includes abandonment and impairment of physical liberties which include curfews or other interference with academic endeavors.

Alternatives to Hazing

New member activities should focus on the mission, purpose and role of Alpha Chi Omega. If an activity doesn't reflect favorably on the values of Alpha Chi Omega, then another activity should be used. Commitment and dedication to Alpha Chi Omega values and purpose will come from actually engaging in activities that promote our values and purpose.

Ropes/Challenge Course
Plan a trip to another Alpha Chi Omega chapter
Do a project to improve the community
Raise money for Domestic Violence Awareness
Plan a Family Weekend
Participate in intramural Sports
Do a hands-on service project
Attend campus events together
Invite alumnae to chapter events; create a Networking Night
Educational programming regarding the history of the group and/or the university
Movie night
Group dinners
Conduct a leadership development workshop
Participate in a mentoring program

Will the real MVP please stand up

The below article was initially posted Rise Partnerships Blog it addresses hazing in a different light..


Two weeks ago, Dallas Cowboys rookie Dez Bryant refused to carry pads for veteran teammate Roy Williams, and then later changed his tune.  More recently, Tim Tebow accepted a ridiculous haircut in order to gain the respect of his teammates.  A number of sports reporters then brushed off this poor example of role modeling as an ‘age old tradition’ which should be celebrated and upheld.  (Read Searching for Heroes to learn more).  Yesterday, Peyton Manning chimed in with his take on the issue and told a very different story.

So, are haircuts, errands, and pranks really hazing?  Should we be so concerned?  Are they truly harmless?  Which athlete’s example should we follow? The answers range dramatically depending on whose opinion you ask.  This is one of the great challenges in overcoming hazing practices: how can these seemingly insignificant incidents fall under the same policy which targets alcohol abuse, sexual assault and physical attacks?  We need some clarity here.

First, there’s the law. In its most narrow definition, hazing is a legal term defined by state law and organizational policy.  It is up to the authorities to determine whether these incidents qualify as hazing according to the language of the law.  Unfortunately the NFL isn’t doing anything, and I don’t see Tebow or Bryant pressing charges against their teammates.  These incidents might be unprosecuted instances of hazing, but we will never know.

Second, regardless of the written law, hazing is an insult to human dignity.  It is neither ethical nor dignified to ask a new member to participate in meaningless and irrelevant activities just for personal satisfaction.  It may be a tradition that veterans also went through, but that does not make it any more ethical.  This is little more than an expression of dominance – a power play disguised as ‘good fun.’ Even if state laws don’t yet recognize this type of emotional abuse as hazing, it’s still a problem.

There is also a third test.  Even if something is legal, ethical and dignified, it may simply have no place within the organization.  Dez Bryant said it best: "I'm here to try to help win a championship, not carry another man's pads."  What does a haircut have to do with team performance?  And how does requiring someone to run errands build dedication?  Does the humiliation of one person foster mutual respect among the larger group?  The fact is, these ‘techniques’ are ineffective at best, and detrimental to team dynamics at worst.  As a result, they earn their way into the hazing definition.

What is the alternative?  Manning’s answer: "We don't do that around here, because we don't treat the guys like rookies. We expect those guys to play this year and to play well."  This idea seems to have worked well for him as the leader of a championship team.

Drop the debate about whether an activity fits the definition of hazing, and ask yourself whether it helps the organization.  What is the best way to indoctrinate and assimilate new members?  When we’re working with fraternity/sorority chapters to improve the new member experience, the answer is not found in a series of ridiculous activities; the answer comes from genuine relationship building, hands-on coaching and a consistent expectation across the entire organization.

In the statements he made to the press, Manning shared a similar philosophy. “If they're on the team, we expect them to know the offense and to be in there. That's why we treat them all like veterans.”  And later he talks about a new teammate: “I think you have (to) spend the time with him. You have to watch some film with him. You have to go out and throw with him.”  Automatic respect, consistent expectations and an investment in talent.  Standing up to the controversy to tell a different story about what is possible?  Sounds like a real MVP to me.