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... virtually no associations that actively monitor the actions of fraternities and sororities. They are trusted to act in a responsible manner. As stated in Hank Nuwer's Broken Pledges: The Deadly Rite of Hazing, What possibly could be expected from a group of adolescents when you leave them alone to govern their own activities (Nuwer 34).
One may parallel these activities to those expressed in William Golding's Lord of the Flies to what may happen when such adolescents are left unsupervised to run a members-only organization. National Fraternities and sororities have neglected their parental responsibilities and have left pledging up to these adolescents. It is important that these actions are stopped by any reasonable means necessary. Since hazing has been a process that virtually all these members had been subject to, they will be reluctant to change. The idea of hazing has been placed in their heads as a test to foster unity, to instill a sense of membership, to promote scholarship, and to build awareness of the specific chapters history (Chenowith 20). Therefor, an alternative must be able to instill these exact qualities.
Believers in the supposed benefits of hazing may be more likely to change their opinion if they can envision some alternatives. In many cases, those who are most vocal against eliminating hazing are those who are bitter and angry about the hazing that they themselves endured, but dont want to eliminate this publicly. They expect others should be abused in order to gain true membership in the group. In this case, specific programs should be established to teach the devastating effects of hazing. A new sanction reduction policy has been established at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey to tackle some of the problems. The fraternities at this college that have been sanctioned for committing violations are now able to participate in a program that will possibly reduce their sanctions.
This OPTIONS program offers students to take one of two four-credit elective courses: The Psychology of Well Being, which explores principles of physical and mental health, or Alcohol 101, which teachers the dangerous effects of alcohol, especially those involved in college situations. Along with this, they had established a Greek self-study committee, through which a Greek Council was formed (Kempert 12). This will educate students about the dangers they are placing on the pledges and change their ways while offering them the incentive of lowered sanctions at the same time. Incentives seem to be the best way to reach these organizations and hopefully it will subject them to the knowledge of what their actions may cause others. An alternative replacement to hazing activities would be another way to eliminate this problem. They could foster their unity in ways such as involving the whole group in a community charity.
By asking the pledges to involve themselves in charities, or present the group with specific ideas for charitable work, would show the pledges sense of commitment to the group, along with helping to show the public the goodness that can become of these groups (Crothers 50). Instead of making the pledges do chores or excessive exercise, why not promote scholarship by designating study hours. What better way to prove an organizations worthiness but by setting an example scholastically. These fraternities or sororities could invite leaders of the national groups or advisors to speak at a meeting instead of forcing these pledges to incessantly recite names or worthless facts about the group they are pledging to. Many alternatives are out there; one just has to have the strength to bring it to mention. Of course other solutions such as the undercover spies have been thought of.
But, this would only seem to tear the organization apart and make them more careful in whom the choose as pledges, make them more dangerous and secretive in their activities, and less likely to help someone once they have been injured for fear of getting caught. A combination of incentives, alternatives, and a council to create a forum to discuss these alternatives to the hazing process is the most reasonable solution to this problem. Using otherwise sneaky tactics could only increase the problem and drive it further underground. As stated before, it can be hard to talk members into changes this tradition of the organization, but through time and education they will see its benefits. By performing such alternatives as previously mentioned, the dangerous hazing process will be eliminated and the good-side of these groups will become evident. Working together on a project, such as one that will help the local community, will bring a sense of accomplishments to the members and a sense of pride to both the community and the institution (Kempert 12).
Of course the only way these solutions could come into effect is if the organizations and the institution work together. The school has to realize tha. t, even if there has been no public incidences regarding hazing in their school, hazing probably does exist. It is this thought that should cause them to form some sort of incentive program of their own to counteract it. However, the members also have to take responsibility and go to the school for help in organizing the possible incentives and alternatives. Bibliography: Works Cited Bradley, Lydia.
Collective Murder. Campus. org. 23 Mar. 1994. Online. Internet. 10 Dec. 1999. Chenowith, Karin.
When Hazing Leads to Death: One Campus Response. Black Issues in Higher Education 25 Jun. 1998: 20. Crothers, Taylor C. Hazing Days: The Fraternity Initiation Remains the Most Secret of Former Student Wins # 375, 000 in Omega Psi Phi Hazing Suit. Jet 4 Aug. 1997: 23. Kempert, Jim.
New Education Options Reduce Punishment for Greeks. National On-Campus Report. 12 Apr. 1999: 12. Nuwer, Hank. Broken Pledges: The Deadly Rite of Hazing. Atlanta: Longstreet, 1990.
Pennsylvania Hazing Law. Stop Hazing. org. 30 Nov. 1999. Online. Internet. 9 Dec. 1999. The Persistent Madness of Greek Hazing: Psychologists Provide Insight on Why Hazing is going Mad.
Ruffins, Paul. Frat-ride: Are African American Fraternities Beating Themselves to Death? Black Issues in Higher Education 12 Jan. 1997: 18. Wagner, Betsey.
Hazings Uses and Abuses. U. S. News & World Report 27 Jan. 1997: 16.
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Research essay sample on Fraternities And Sororities Higher Education
