Anti-hazing week at DePauw for first time
By: Meghan Kazer
Issue date: 9/25/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 2 next >
National Hazing Prevention Week is being recognized on DePauw's campus this week. Depauw's Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council and Greek Life Coordinators have set up events to raise awareness and dialogue among the DePauw community.
Autumn Hansen, Greek Life Coordinator, said this week is designed to educate students on hazing, as well as encourage discussion on campus. Hansen said this is the first year the week has been recognized by formal programming.
"We're trying to draw some attention to the week," she said.
In the past, DePauw has recognized Anti-Hazing day, which is Friday, but never the whole week. The Vice President of Risk Management for Panhel, Shannon Trabert, said they are looking for "a better, bigger event" for this year.
"We hope to bring about a program we've never done before," Trabert said.
In the 1990s, DePauw's chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority dealt with issues of hazing, in the form of branding by cigarette butts. Hansen believes there is still hazing occurring in the community. More recently, Beta Theta Pi, Phi Kappa Psi, Alpha Tau Omega, Sigma Chi and Delta Tau Delta fraternities have all been put on probation for hazing.
"The problem [with hazing] is that it's an in-group thing, and the pressure to keep it internal keeps it from being reported," she said.
Hansen also said that not all hazing is physical. It can be psychological or emotional as well.
"Chapters know hazing is bad, but they don't know what it is," she said. "The challenge is we don't know what someone's breaking point is. [An act of] hazing may seem minor, but you can't understand or control all factors."
Hansen said generally psychological hazing takes place among women, and physical hazing among men. To address these different forms, a presentation titled, "Take it Like a Man: Hazing Through the Lens of Masculinity," will take place tonight from 6:15-7:30 p.m. in the Union Building Terrace rooms.
Autumn Hansen, Greek Life Coordinator, said this week is designed to educate students on hazing, as well as encourage discussion on campus. Hansen said this is the first year the week has been recognized by formal programming.
"We're trying to draw some attention to the week," she said.
In the past, DePauw has recognized Anti-Hazing day, which is Friday, but never the whole week. The Vice President of Risk Management for Panhel, Shannon Trabert, said they are looking for "a better, bigger event" for this year.
"We hope to bring about a program we've never done before," Trabert said.
In the 1990s, DePauw's chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority dealt with issues of hazing, in the form of branding by cigarette butts. Hansen believes there is still hazing occurring in the community. More recently, Beta Theta Pi, Phi Kappa Psi, Alpha Tau Omega, Sigma Chi and Delta Tau Delta fraternities have all been put on probation for hazing.
"The problem [with hazing] is that it's an in-group thing, and the pressure to keep it internal keeps it from being reported," she said.
Hansen also said that not all hazing is physical. It can be psychological or emotional as well.
"Chapters know hazing is bad, but they don't know what it is," she said. "The challenge is we don't know what someone's breaking point is. [An act of] hazing may seem minor, but you can't understand or control all factors."
Hansen said generally psychological hazing takes place among women, and physical hazing among men. To address these different forms, a presentation titled, "Take it Like a Man: Hazing Through the Lens of Masculinity," will take place tonight from 6:15-7:30 p.m. in the Union Building Terrace rooms.
Be the first to comment on this story