Anti-hazing week at DePauw for first time
By: Meghan Kazer
Issue date: 9/25/07 Section: News
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On Wednesday, women are invited to attend "Connecting the Dots: Women, Hazing and Relationship Abuse." This program will take place from 5:15-6:30 p.m. in the UB Terrace rooms. Hansen said this program hopes to open the dialogue to women who may have been involved in abusive relationships and discuss the reasons it is harmful psychologically.
"We forget hazing is about power and control," Hansen said. "It's a form of victimization."
Greek Life Committee has designed a new hazing policy that extends to all groups on campus. The policy includes the Fresh Start Policy, which allows for any group to come forth with concerns of hazing, greek affiliated or not. The group will not be held accountable for past actions.
"Chapters can come to us, and we can provide them with alternatives," Hansen said. "We want chapters to be aware."
Michael Gentry, IFC's vice president of risk management, said he thought the Fresh Start Policy was a good step toward improving the new member education process.
"Instead of trying to come down on chapters who may have made mistakes in the past, it just offers an opportunity for chapters to come forward," he said. "I really respect that the University is willing to work with chapters that way."
The new policy has been publicized throughout campus, and students will continue to be steered toward the Fraternity and Sorority Life Web site. Trabert said sheet signs will hang from fraternity and sorority houses with the policy, as well as hazing facts.
On Friday, gravestones will line all major sidewalks, representing people who have died due to hazing nationwide since 1807. The gravestones will list the person's name, university, group affiliation, year and reason of death. Some of these gravestones will contain the new policy.
Hansen said one of the main problems is that "people don't know how to identify [hazing]. Something that may have started out with good intentions and someone took it a step further, that's when it becomes problematic."
The committee's overall goal for this week is to increase awareness and attention.
"The goal is to open the door for dialogue, in any way," Hansen said.
"We forget hazing is about power and control," Hansen said. "It's a form of victimization."
Greek Life Committee has designed a new hazing policy that extends to all groups on campus. The policy includes the Fresh Start Policy, which allows for any group to come forth with concerns of hazing, greek affiliated or not. The group will not be held accountable for past actions.
"Chapters can come to us, and we can provide them with alternatives," Hansen said. "We want chapters to be aware."
Michael Gentry, IFC's vice president of risk management, said he thought the Fresh Start Policy was a good step toward improving the new member education process.
"Instead of trying to come down on chapters who may have made mistakes in the past, it just offers an opportunity for chapters to come forward," he said. "I really respect that the University is willing to work with chapters that way."
The new policy has been publicized throughout campus, and students will continue to be steered toward the Fraternity and Sorority Life Web site. Trabert said sheet signs will hang from fraternity and sorority houses with the policy, as well as hazing facts.
On Friday, gravestones will line all major sidewalks, representing people who have died due to hazing nationwide since 1807. The gravestones will list the person's name, university, group affiliation, year and reason of death. Some of these gravestones will contain the new policy.
Hansen said one of the main problems is that "people don't know how to identify [hazing]. Something that may have started out with good intentions and someone took it a step further, that's when it becomes problematic."
The committee's overall goal for this week is to increase awareness and attention.
"The goal is to open the door for dialogue, in any way," Hansen said.
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