Ernest Gomez | A haze-y situation

Hazing. With Greek rush coming to a close and pledge education on the horizon, the word creeps into the minds of students, parents and university administrators.

National news often reminds us of Greek initiation practices that result in injury and death. While these incidents are on the forefront of public scrutiny, students and parents beware: fraternities and sororities are not the only organizations on campus who supposedly "haze."

Non-Greek clubs and organizations at Penn perform questionable initiation practices as well. According to an anonymous online survey of over 250 Penn undergraduates, 82 percent of students have knowledge of hazing occurring in non-"social Greek" organizations (i.e. not members of the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, or Bicultural Inter-Greek Council).

While the survey did not collect any specific names of organizations, the category in question includes professional fraternities, athletic teams, special-interest clubs, academic societies and performing arts groups.

Among students surveyed, 63 percent believe that at least one of these initiation practices was harmful to the initiates involved. Surveyed students were given a link to the University's definition of hazing, which includes physical brutality, forced consumption of food or drink, forced mental stress, willful tampering with public property, undignified stunts, kidnapping and paddling.

The survey did not probe into the specific examples or severity of the hazing, but these numbers should be cause for concern to the University community.

According to Terry Conn, the associate vice provost for university life, "The anti-hazing regulations apply to all student organizations, not just Greek organizations. The University recognizes that violations of the policy may occur and when the University is aware of such violations, they are typically handled by the Office of Student Conduct."

However, 73 percent of surveyed students believe that Penn does not adequately regulate hazing of non-Greek organizations.

The Greek community has the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs to oversee initiation activities - no regulatory body actively observes initiation practices of non-Greeks. Reliance on student reporting of hazing will allow these practices to continue.

The Greek stereotypes perpetuated by movies like Animal House and Old School have serve as a smoke screen for non-Greek clubs. Why would a parent have to worry about little Johnny joining an acting group, honors society or the chess club?

They should worry because the lack of monitoring makes non-Greek hazing particularly dangerous. Without any threat of punishment, non-Greek clubs can push the limits of their initiation practices. There is no guarantee that today's spankings and public humiliation will not become tomorrow's forced alcohol consumption or bestiality.

My survey results are crude, but non-Greek hazing is documented in academic literature. A study reported by Campo,Poulos, and Sipple in the American Journal of Health Behavior in 2005 found that 36 percent of a random sample of 2000 undergraduates participated in at least one hazing activity.

The authors noted that "Many campuses try to address the problem of hazing solely within the Greek system and varsity athletics. Although they should continue to work with these groups, hazing is clearly occurring in other organizations."

Since non-Greek clubs do not have a residence formally associated with their organization, harmful initiation activities can occur behind closed doors. If a student is harmed by hazing, the club can avoid punishment.

OFSA can easily find a fraternity or sorority at fault for hazing when large Greek letters overhang the site of the incident. However, if a mixed group of club members happen to live in a house, they can distance the event from their organization.

The lack of regulation also sends a mixed signal to the University community. When initiates of a non-Greek club are doing pushups, taking shouted orders and chanting in public view at 2 a.m. outside dorms, the display can be a slap in the face to Greek organizations that are under constant surveillance and strive to make positive contributions.

The elimination of hazing practices from all student organizations is idealistic. Nonetheless, there is little excuse for allowing public acts of hazing to occur. University administration should take a proactive and preventative approach to this matter before the next hazing tragedy slips by through their fingers.

Perhaps the Student Activities Council can take initiative in monitoring SAC-funded groups. Penn's hazing policy states that non-Greek clubs who get caught hazing will lose SAC money and other university privileges. The University should gives some teeth to that policy and make all student groups think twice before making little freshman Freddie chug a beer.

Ernest Gomez is an Engineering and Wharton junior from Beverly Hill, Calif. His e-mail address is gomez@dailypennsylvanian.com. Please, Call Me Ted appears on Tuesdays.

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