Memphis denies hazing
 

Pix @ http://www.wmcstations.com/Global/story.asp?S=4386832

University investigates alleged hazing incident
Jan 19, 2006,

Three University of Memphis student athletes painted up and dressed in revealing clothes. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but the question behind this one is, whether one of those words is "hazing."

When the Daily Helmsman hit the stands Thursday morning, the picture was plastered on the front page. Three freshman cross-country athletes dressed in revealing clothing, and painted up with the terms "frosh" and "fresh-meat."

The independent student newspaper claims the picture shows an apparent hazing incident. The University says, that's just not the case.

According to the University of Memphis Code of Student Conduct, hazing is defined in part as an act that, "induces or coerces a student to endanger his or her mental or physical health or safety, and includes treatment of a shameful, insulting or humiliating nature."

Associate Athletic Director Bob Winn says the school takes steps to insure its athletes know that definition and don't step over the lines. However, Winn says the University is continuing to look into the matter.

While the athletic department is continuing to investigate the hazing allegations, the girls could be in violation of the student code of ethics as it pertains to underage drinking.

All three girls are under the age of 21.

http://community.webshots.com/album/449115612tQnZuM

This Webshots page has a whole series of pictures of the XC girls being hazed, including
one with QB Will Hudgens signing a girl.

If this was a fraternity, they would be history.

If the coach/AD don't believe it's hazing, they have their heads where the sun don't
shine.

If they expect the victim of hazing to squeal on their elder team mates, they'll
never see hazing.

The webshots pictures shows that several fraternities and the soccer team participated. However, it looks like the girls showed up at the house requesting the signatures as opposed to the fraternities arranging anything.

I think that if nothing happens to the Cross Country team then nothing should happen to the men in the photos. That being said, I think that the university should handle this no differently than if it was sorority women. A sorority would be punished as a chapter, in addition to the inidividuals. So the entire team should be penalized for this lapse of judgement.

If the team, nor the women, are held accountable for their actions I think that the school is wide open for hazing. It'll set a precedent that teams can get away with it. The captions for the pictures "All dressed up for humiliation" and "Beer chugging contest with the Pi Kappa Fraternity" fully support the school's hazing definition "induces or coerces a student to endanger his or her mental or physical health or safety, and includes treatment of a shameful, insulting or humiliating nature."

My question is would the fraternities that were involved get in trouble too for being accomplices (for lack of a better word)?

First of all, let me say that this is a good opportunity for all of us (and others) to see that hazing is a plague that affects not only fraternities/sororities, but many student groups.

Second, and perhaps most importantly, when is someone going to stand up and say enough is enough?

Do these three women appear to be emotionally or physically abused or threatened in any of these photographs?

TRUE hazing is an illegal and dangerous activity that must be dilligently addressed. At the same time, HAVING FUN is something that more of us need to engage in. Let's not criminalize or condemn the latter.

Too late.

I think almost anyone on this site would agree with your sentiment. Unfortunately GLOs are held to a much stricter standard when it comes to hazing. This stricter standard is enforced not only by the national leadership of each GLO but by the local university officials as well. I just want all student groups to be held accountable for the same behavior. Based on the photos, I do believe the girls were enjoying themselves, however, I was always taught that being a willing participant does not change the fact that it's hazing.

While I would love to live in a world where everyone can agree where having fun ends and hazing begins, it's just too subjective for there to be a consenous. GLOs have to protect themselves from lawsuits and increasing insurance costs. The way to do that is to have a zero tolerance policy. Yes, it takes away a lot of good times but it also keeps the organizations in existance.

That may be bacause we generally are the groups killing more people.

Whether we like or agree with the anti-hazing laws and regulations passed by state legislatures or imposed by university administrations, we have to abide by them if we want to survive.

If this is "fun", why are only the freshmen and rookies having "fun"??

If they deny it, then believe them. Who cares if they're being hazed.

Unfortunately, a lot of chapters feel the same way, and sooner or later some of them lose their charters.

Hazing is illegal and it's dangerous.

Doing a scavenger hunt, and things of that nature, are not illegal or dangerous. Nor is having your pledges dress in coat and tie for class one day a week. They are however, enough to get you in trouble at many schools. Once the Universities get their way, fraternities will simply be groupings of the student body with no connection at all.

You would want your daughters paraded to the fraternity houses wearing little outfits, having the words "Fresh meat" written on them, and would be OK with someone's form of entertainment as the girls just had to do whatever (good, bad, who knows?) to get items on a scavenger hunt list?

I didn't realize Southern gentlemen pimped out their daughters.

-Rudey

Rudey, are you serious? Please show where I condone "pimping out" anyone. I'm referring to the fact that most schools will not allow even non offensive scavenger hunts to take place, as apparently having pledges work together for a common goal belittles them as people. God forbid one would wanna test the drive and dedication of a potential member before allowing them into your organization. Sorry if using the word "God" offended anyone on here...oh wait, I'm not.

Is this a non-offensive scavenger hunt?

-Rudey

I have no idea. Apparently there was degradation of females, which I don't think is non-offensive. I was originally making a comment about the idea of hazing as a whole, in response to some of the "hazing kills" comments posted above.

Look at the pictures and let us know if you would be OK with your 18 year old daughters doing that.

Nobody would complain if the task was to take a picture of a deer at a zoo. And it seems chapters are rarely smart enough to draw a line in the sand and make sure never to cross it as the tasks get more and more "fun" in the future.

-Rudey

hey
 

ok.. so i attend the university of memphis, and this was some sort of news to our campus, yet the girls were in their sense just having fun. the gentlmen in the picture were not involved, for those of you were questioning what should happen to the fraternity. the girls went to different fraternity houses, having to sing and dance.. with a variety of writings written on them. But they were claiming to only have fun, and that this was not hazing.

everyone hazes, but not many will admit it. whenever it hits the news, its usually some random ass fraternity or sorority who had some losers pledge and did some dumb shit. ie what happened at chico state, if thats even a real school, it sounds like a made up college for a movie

This sounds like a made up post.

excuse me?

well, my parents were both in prominent fraternities and sororities in the 70's and 80's (SAE at Texas and Pi Phi at SMU), so anything that happens now was probobly done alot worse to them. So, no...having some guys sign them would probobly not get them very mad. Physical shit, sure, they may have a problem.....but so long as it is not abusive or harmful.

moron......this thread should cease now that adpigrl09, who attends Memphis has informed us. let it go greekchat....hazing is good.....just....let....it.....go

paddle me, George Wallace!

if george wallace saw you in public, i highly doubt he would even acknowledge you, let alone paddle you

I'm sure he would, you know, if he were alive.

And why should you be talking? I'm not really into bashing other greeks, especially online. :rolleyes:

did I bash any other greeks? what jumped up your ass.

You bashed me, and I am greek, so therefore you bashed my house. But I'm alum, so it doesn't really matter.

gamma phi beta isnt much of house at bama

Again, how did I "bash" you?


Furthermore that is the most outlandish analogy I have ever seen. So if I called you dumb.....and because you are Greek? I am really calling your house dumb? I feel sorry for you, and the fact that you are a Gamma Phi

You guys are confusing me. It was oldrowphi who bashed me, not you.

I put my letters on here because I'm proud of my house, so saying you feel sorry for me doesn't affect me one bit. I had a great four years.

Phi isn't much of a house at Bama, though the death of their president was very sad.

oh wait, i thought that everyone here on Greekchat was supportive and tolerant of everyones organizations. i guess not, since you're now bashing my fraternity

What? You just bashed my sorority. This is how it all got started, by you bashing me for making a sarcastic joke about being paddled.

Honestly, I don't hold anything against any greeks at Bama. I had a great time, and I miss it. But you provoked me.

its the internet, who really cares

apparently you do.

lollers. OK, back to work.

oldrowphi and george are the same person... that asshole just tried to doubleteam me with himself lmao... what a loser... all to prove a point on an internet forum...

I thought george was saetex...

I am starting to feel sorry for the Alabama fraternities, being misrepresented like this.

how are we the same person if we are both online at the same time