Tradition, Honor, Power, and the Rise of Hazing

Ahmed Sheikh ‘18

From eighties themed parties and rampant drinking, to blazers, khakis, and bowties, fraternities serve as a haven for tradition and lifelong camaraderie among male college students. With fraternities present on just about every college campus, it is not a surprise that eighty-five percent of Fortune 500 CEOs are lifelong members, as well as famous politicians and presidents such as John F. Kennedy (Phi Kappa Theta, Harvard University) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (Delta Kappa Epsilon, Harvard University). However, the rise in alcohol related casualties associated with fraternities have increasingly tarnished schools’ reputations, prompting them to take stringent measures.

Within the last decade, there have been approximately thirty three deaths related to fraternity hazing according to research conducted by Hank Nuwer, a professor of journalism at Franklin College [1]. On February 4, 2017, Timothy Piazza, a freshman at the Pennsylvania State University, passed away after his fellow fraternity brothers refused to dial 911 after Piazza plummeted down a flight of stairs; all of the fraternity brothers, including Piazza, were extremely intoxicated. As a result, Penn State banned the fraternity for five years and subsequently revoked their recognition of other fraternities on school property. Similarly, Florida State University suspended all Greek life after the death of a fraternity pledge, Andrew Coffey. In response to hearing about these tragedies, Vamsi Talasila ‘18 recognizes that “this is is truly devastating. I believe that institutions need to take a stand and crack down on hazing. Taking small measures will help to slowly eradicate this problem.”

As hazing incidents have become an imminent threat, more and more schools nationwide have pushed for stricter rules on initiation, alcohol sponsored events, and the presence of fraternities on their campus. Even so, some schools have implemented policies towards Greek organizations long ago. For example, at Oberlin College, all Greek life was banned in 1847. At other small, prestigious liberal arts institutions, students cannot rush until their sophomore year. Following the recent death of Timothy Piazza, Penn State and other universities have curtailed the amount of fraternity sponsored events with alcohol present. In efforts to prevent the dismantling of fraternities, some organizations have restructured their platform to to be more community service oriented, such as Alpha Phi Omega chapter of Georgetown University, which Bill Clinton took part in.  Rohan Sambasivan ‘18 exclaims, “Being a member of a fraternity entails a lot of responsibility. If institutions have to take measures to ensure that students are safe and still able to have fun, I am all for it.” It seems, despite the staunch efforts of institutions nationwide to prevent hazing deaths, fraternities will continue to boast their presence on campuses and preserve a legacy through enticed young men.

 

[1]:https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/11/16/are-colleges-really-doin g-enough-to-stop-fraternity-hazing-deaths/?utm_term=.69d4a2650b10