Quote:
Originally posted by James
So for example lol, it is considered hazing to require pledges or NM to memorize/learn your history, symbols, poems, songs, and ideals.
When I am reading this post I am simply amazed by the sorority women that are posting in denounciation of hazing while they are in full knowledge that their chapters haze. Thats not even mentioning required library hours, or meeting times.
How can you ladies reconcile your rampant hazing of NM with the rhetoric you post on here? [/B]
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James, by state law, university policy, NPC code and individual sororities within NPC, hazing is not allowed. Sorority HQ's have a hierarchy in place to ensure that each chapter is functioning with accordance to the sorority policies, and even send out leadership consultants a couple times a year to ensure that these policies are being followed.
However, sometimes, chapters slip through the cracks and support hazing activities, unbenownst to the national group. Why? These chapters lack strong leadership and understanding of the values of their parent group. Many times, it is also due to a lack of alumnae advisers and alumnae support. Mostly, it is a lack of consistency of those three core principles: mature leadership, alumnae advisory support and understanding of the org's values & vision.
You know that saying, "It's all fun and games until someone pokes an eye out?" Quite literally, this is when the whistle blows-- when someone gets hurt, recognizes the problem, complains, etc. We've all read "Lord of the Flies." As much as young adults wish to be treated as and act as adults, many students of college age are learning life skills, time management, ethics and leadership for the first time. They will make errors and learn from those mistakes; they will try out new ideas and be elated at their successes. Greek leadership is an excellent training ground for learning how to be mature, work with people, take direction and criticism, etc. Without an advisory hand to guide them, however, these young leaders can unintentionally take the name of their national group and turn their local chapter into its own operation; and over time, the national policies and values deteriorate until the chapter is hardly recognizable as a member of the national group, except for the letters they wear.
It is not considered hazing to have the entire chapter participate in activities equally, including events for learning chapter songs, policies and history. In Alpha Delta Pi, for example, the new member period consists of 4-6 weeks, during which time new members meet for 30 minute pre-scheduled education meetings where they learn about the sorority and Greek life, according to lesson plans that have been approved by the sorority chapter executive board and the regional alumnae directors. These lessons culminate in a final "exam" that every member must take each year she is actively involved as a collegiate member. All members are on study hours, and members with less-than-the-required GPA are carefully monitored. The first priority of a collegiate Greek is her school work. If she is not making grades, the sorority is not helping her achieve her longterm goals.
It becomes hazing when those education sessions are sprung on the new members without warning, or at 2 AM, forced to line up and recite things, etc. It becomes hazing when the new members are the ones who are being taken advantage of, or are treated as though they are inferior to the initiated members. A new member is still a member, and is not supposed to be having to prove herself worthy of membership-- that is what recruitment week and bid matching are for. The new member period is rather like a 90-day trial period at most workplaces where both employee and employer/team can assess the relationship once the person is hired, and give that new person an opportunity to become acclimated to the company's functions and policies and learn their job well. The same is true of the new member period-- if at the end of the new member education, it is not really for them, or they have broken every sorority policy in the book, it is time for them to consider the value of their membership in that org, and for the org to consider keeping this member "employed" (for lack of a better term) and representing the org.
Hazing is any activity that separates one group of members from another group of members that is not outlined in the approved new member education plans. Using common sense and maturity, something that chapters do have a tendancy to lack when there is little alumnae presence, hazing can become a non-issue. If a person feels hazing made her a stronger, life-loyal member, that is your idea and your decision. But it is not a policy supported by institutions of higher learning, most of the states in the US, nor the national/international sororities and fraternities. You are welcome to your opinion, but it is a disconnect to the teachings of your parent org and your university.