Hazing: Fun-Filled Nightmare People of higher authority choose to haze others for a myriad of reasons. From inside the hazer’s mind, they may feel that what they are doing is not wrong and is tradition. Other reasons for hazing may include: keeping the new pledges under control, creating a rite of passage, and showing that a person is strong enough to endure the process (“Preventing Hazing – Reasons Not to Haze” 2). Furthermore, the hazer may not feel confident enough, resulting in bullying others in order to feel more powerful (“Hazing Fratricide of Brotherhood” 5). Paul Ruffins suggests television shows, such as Survivor, illustrate competition of who can best tolerate activities similar to hazing the longest and the best (6), thus suggesting to college students that hazing is acceptable. Girls in some sororities take pride in their hazing. During a Pig Run at Southern Methodist University in Texas, a young girl pledging her favorite sorority spoke, “Sororities are a completely different world, but especially in the South, you don’t even question the tradition. You just do it.” (Robbins 2-7). Hazing will never end because it is a vicious cycle of “we had to do it, you do too,” so hazees learn to accept it. When choosing to join Greek Life, students make a decision to be a part of a bigger society. Most times, hazing is a part of sororities and fraternities. College life can be intimidating for any new student, and joining a group such as a fraternity or sorority can decrease the intimidation (“Preventing Hazing – Reasons Not to Haze” 1). Engaging in hazing tends to be regretted by many who participate in it, even though they feel they do not have a choice. Adam Zwecker, a 2004 graduate of Cornell University, was hazed in his f... ... middle of paper ... ... Campus Health and Safety.org: Home Page. 1994-2005. Web. 17 May 2011. “Hazing: The Fratricide of Brotherhood.” Kappa Alpha Order. 10 Apr 2003. Web. 7 May 2011. Peluso, Alyson R. “Hazing in Sports: The Effects and Legal Ramifications The Sport Journal.” vol. 14 The Sport Journal. Web. 7 May 2011. “Preventing Hazing – Reasons Not to Haze and Why Hazing Sill Exists.” Preventing Hazing – Harvard U – Home. Web. 6 May 2011. “Research & Theory.” Hazing. 2011. 8 May 2011. Robbins, Alexandra. Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities. New York: Hyperion, 2004. Print. Ruffins, Paul. “Hazing Refuses To Go Away.” Diverse Issues Higher Education. 29 Oct 2009: 6. Print. Waldron, Jenifer J., and Christopher L. Kowalski. “Crossing the Line: Rites of Passage, Team Aspects, and Ambiguity of Hazing.” Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. 80.2 (2009): 291-302. 13 May 2011.
Every year students at an accredited university have a decision to join groups/activities. In many cases a lot of students choose to join either a fraternity or a
I decided to analyze and examine the social structure of the Greek System in Syracuse University mainly out of curiosity. When I was high school I remembered hearing from various of my former classmates, who were then freshmen at college, that one of the best activities students experience were attending the “frat” parties students threw. In high school, I thought that college parties were the same as the ones found in movies like “American Pie” so hearing people speak so fondly of college parties confirmed my beliefs of what the social aspect of college was. Now that I’m a freshman at Syracuse University, and have experienced the social atmosphere firsthand, I’ve noticed how different the social scene on campus really is in comparison to the movies and how it is greatly enhanced by the Greek community.
Greek organizations, such as, fraternities and sororities have been a part of the college experience for centuries. We pride ourselves in brotherly and sisterly love, academic success, and helping others. There are countless stereotypes and myths that surround the “Greek life” name. Just some myths include: all Greeks haze their members, they only care about physical looks not personalities, and they go to college just to party and get drunk. Kappa Delta Sorority upholds none of these stereotypes. We have a strong no haze policy. Hazing is defined as an activity or situation that can cause emotional, mental, or physical discomfort. If a member is caught hazing or if a new member is caught allowing herself to be hazed, there will be major consequences, such as, national probation or deferral of initiation. Kappa Delta also does not look at physical appearance as the only quality for possible new members. We look at personality and qualifications that can benefit our sorority; instead of having a group of women that are pretty and popular, we like to have women with strong morals, work ethic, and have the willingness to love each and every member of Kappa Delta. Kappa Delta Sorority is like no other fraternity or sorority on campus; we do not waste our time with partying and drinking. We pride ourselves in our historical background, philanthropies, and our values. I know Kappa Delta is the best sorority not only on MTSU campus but in the whole country.
Howard-Hamilton, Mary F., and Julie Sina. "How College Affects College Athletes." New Directions for Student Services (2011): 35-43.
Hazing is an issue that has attracted much attention over the last few decades. College fraternities, high school programs, professional sports, and the military have all had their fair share of attention. The military is frequently held to a higher standard than these other organizations and has developed a bit of a black eye since the 1991 “Tailhook” scandal. Motion picture portrayals like that in the 1992 film “A Few Good Men” showed the public, not inaccurately, the dark side of command sponsored hazing. Hazing is not in keeping with the high standards of conduct that the U.S. Military aims to uphold and the ethical implications of these behaviors are diverse.
Day in and day out we hear about high school and college students wanting to pursue a sorority and/or a fraternity based on the stereotypes these organizations uphold, well I chose to differ. I told myself if I ever decided to become a member of a sorority it would be based solely on their ethical standards, history, and values they are founded upon. Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated consists of ladies of distinction and exemplary character who excel in scholarship, leadership, and service, which are qualities I have chosen to uphold. From my perspective, I encourage myself to maintain a respectable appearance and reputation which doing so inspires me to embrace my self-concept; which helps me confidently excel academically and professionally as a “lady of distinction” and “exemplary character.” Most importantly, I continuously remain involved in community service, being involved allows me the opportunity to learn and understand the lives and circumstances of others by opening my mind, heart, and soul. Overall these qualities strengthen my passion to be a member of the prestigious Alp...
It receives much more attention than academics. Football players are often treated like celebrities, yielding confidence, and at the same time creating pressure. High school sports are approached with clashing opinions. Some of these opinions are positive, and supportive of athletics. “Athleticism, among many activities, offers teens a physical outlet to express their troubles, anger, emotions, and other feelings” (Chen 1).
In recent years several high profile national cases have brought hazing to the forefront in American society as a real issue and a problematic one at that. According to recent statistics from the University of Maine, 1.5 million high school students are hazed each year. Of the athletes who have reported hazing, 40% have reported that a coach or advisor was aware of the activity. 22% report that the coach was actually involved in the activities. (Allan & Madden, 2008). Moreover, 36% of students say they would not report hazing primarily because “there’s no one to tell,” and 27% feel that officials or coaches won’t handle the situation right. In additional research a survey was conducted in which coaches were questioned about whether they believe that hazing goes on in their community; 50% responded yes, that hazing was in fact going on. Of the coaches who responded 25% admitted that they themselves were hazed in some form at a younger age (“InsideHazing”, 2010). In light of these findings, the question of who should be responsible is raised. Specifically, it brings up the legal question of “whether a coach has a valid qualified immunity defense to a student athlete’s constitutional rights violation claim when the student is involved in a hazing incident.”
At parties on university campuses, drinking games are a way for students to leisurely interact while usually drinking more than they normally would. Although the objective of most students during these games may be harmless, there some students that have a hidden agenda. Thomas J. Johnson reports in a current article that “Drinking games are a popular context for college student drinking and appear to be strongly associated with incidents of sexual victimization” (304). He goes on to note, “As many as 80% of students may participate in a drinking game at some point during their college career” (304). It is clear that sexual aggression is an issue that affects every college student, whether he or she is dr...
This case poses the ethical dilemma of hazing; a dilemma that can be found throughout sports teams at all levels in today’s society. Hazing, as defined by the Hazing Prohibition Act of 2003, is “any assumption of authority by a student whereby another student suffers or is exposed to cruelty, intimidation, humiliation or embarrassment”. Moreover, the term hazing describes the rituals and other activities used as a way of initiating a person into a group that involves performing excessive exercise, committing dangerous activities, or consuming offensive foods and alcohol. In many circumstances, hazing is directed by team leaders, such as captains or seniors.
College is a time for young people to develop and grow not only in their education, but social aspects as well. One of the biggest social scenes found around college campuses are athletic events, but where would these college sports be without their dedicated athletes? Student athletes get a lot of praise for their achievements on the field, but tend to disregard the work they accomplish in the classroom. Living in a college environment as a student athlete has a great deal of advantages as well as disadvantages that affect education and anti-intellectualism.
Many high school or college clubs sometimes haze newcomers and it can be very dangerous. Imagine going to a new school and joining a club and the initiation is getting abused, mistreated, and threatened. Students probably do not think about getting hurt just because they joined a club, but it happens. Hazing in schools has become an issue in the United States throughout the years, and people need to help prevent it from happening.
Rees, Roger C. “Bullying and Hazing/initiation in Schools: How Sports and Physical Education Can Be Part of the Solution.” Journal of Physical Education New Zealand (2010): 24-27. Print.
Americans take pride in their sporting activities; be it the endeavors of American football or even the gentleman’s game, golf. What a majority of individuals do not know is that many players, especially rookies, are subjected to incidents of bullying and hazing. These incidents are thought to be a ceremonial act of welcoming to signify one’s readiness for being part of the group. In the mainstream media and for most of society, bullying and hazing are signs of exerting authority and seeking to enforce one’s influence over others. It is never the right thing to do considering it reeks of insensitivity, an outright condescending attitude, and thinly veiled hate and distaste. Bullying is not a new phenomenon in American society. In fact, a majority of institutions have reported numerous cases of bullying and hazing. If left unchecked, these activities are self-damaging and do serious and severe harm to the victims at whom these acts are targeting. The question that arises among all these arguments is whether American institutions are doing enough to curb this vice and protect innocent individuals who fall victim to such acts. Recent incidents in American culture have proven that bullying and hazing have escalated from a form of initiation that upholds tradition, to a malicious form of personalized bullying that needs dire attention.
He sprints up and down the court, as sweat pours down his face and on to the hardwood. The player’s legs are in severe pain, and he is out of breath, yet he continues to run, utilizing every last portion of energy that he maintains. He desires to better himself, not necessarily for his own benefit, but for the benefit of his team. He knows that every single member of the team, including himself, must work as hard as they possibly can on the court to reach their potential and achieve success. Organized sports teach athletes some of the most powerful moral values and life lessons that any individual can attain. Despite the opposing opinion that students who take part in organized sports suffer academically due to time deprivation and focus misdirected away from the classroom, involvement in sports teaches young men and women to maintain imperative values, such as hard work, selflessness, and commitment, which ultimately improves student-athletes’ academic performance.