HAZING HOTLINE CONTINUES TO DETER HAZING

Tim Burke, Manley Burke, tburke@manleyburke.com

While the efforts of national fraternities and sororities to stamp out hazing continue unabated, there are still incidences of serious hazing combined with the abuse of alcohol occurring across the country.

At the University of Arkansas, the Phi Delta Theta Chapter has been closed because of a hazing and alcohol incident that led to the hospitalization of one student. The Arkansas Democrat Gazette warned the Chapter members in an editorial on December 19, 2009:

“These young men are mighty lucky that their 18-year-old guest, Nicholas Brown, is still alive.  He had to be hospitalized for alcohol poisoning.  Young Brown’s blood had roughly eight times the legal limit of alcohol allowed in this state.”

Similarly, recent stories in the Columbus Dispatch and other newspapers reported that at Ohio University two pledges of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity were hospitalized because of the excess consumption of alcohol and alleged physical abuse.  The fraternity was charged with hazing, a fourth degree misdemeanor under Ohio law.

In both instances, the International Fraternities responded promptly.  Phi Delta Theta closed its chapter at Arkansas in spite of the fact that recently more than 4.5 million dollars had been spent to totally renovate the Arkansas chapter house.  The fraternity is considering re-colonization, but will do so only with members clearly committed to complying with their standards and policies.

Delta Tau Delta suspended chapter operations at Ohio University and in a press release issued by the International quoted it’s Executive Vice President Jim Russell as saying “The International Fraternity takes these allegations seriously.  We are working closely with University officials to investigate the incident.  Once the facts are established, the International Fraternity will work cooperatively with the Administration of Ohio University and the Chapter’s alumni leadership to determine an appropriate course of action.”

Delta Tau Delta also noted its role as a founding member of the National Anti-Hazing Hotline.

The National Anti-Hazing Hotline, which has been in existence since 2007, continues to receive wide attention and use.  The Hotline — 1-888-NOT-HAZE (1-888-668-4293) — accepts telephone messages 24 hours a day from individuals who have concerns about hazing or suspected hazing activities.  Those audio reports are transmitted by email to the fraternities or sororities about whose chapters complaints are made. This is true whether or not the reports are about sponsors of the Hazing Hotline or organizations that are not sponsors.  In some instances, reports involve organizations and activities other than fraternities and sororities, such as athletic teams, bands or other clubs.  When those kinds of calls are received, the school where the organization is located is contacted.  Fraternities and sororities also receive a copy of the hazing law of the state involved.  Forty-six (46) states now have specific laws making hazing a crime.

During the 2009 Fall Semester, the Hotline received 52 calls containing allegations of hazing. Thirty-five (35) of those calls were regarding chapters of the Hotline sponsors, undoubtedly because the sponsors are broadly advertising the Hotline number and encouraging its members, new members and pledges to use it.  While historically men’s groups had been more broadly known for hazing, the calls this past semester were roughly evenly divided between men’s and women’s groups.  In the case of fraternities and sororities, the investigations are expected to be conducted by the headquarters offices of the chapters involved.

There is no question that the national fraternities and sororities that sponsor the Hotline take these allegations very seriously and uniformly are acting to attempt to stamp out hazing.  Unfortunately, members of some chapters are still not listening, as the Democrat Gazette concluded in it’s editorial:

“Meanwhile, every Greek organization on every college campus should draw the right lesson from the Phi Delt’s sad experience.  The grown-ups aren’t kidding when they tell you to stop with the alcohol and hazing.  Both are dangerous.  Not just because a fraternity house might be closed but because lives could be endangered.  Just ask Nicholas Brown.  And his buddies.

“Surely not one of those Phi Delts, or any of the alums, will contend that one night of partying was worth the consequences.   You men – in this case, boys – should beware of partying like there’s no tomorrow.  Because in this instance there won’t be.”

The Hotline sponsors are: