A long one about hazing and lavaliering at Purdue; KKG's opinion too

[hoosier]

Staff questions fraternity actions
By Clare Walters
Assistant Campus Editor

The Office of the Dean of Students questioned the actions of a Purdue fraternity after receiving an e-mail Feb. 25 which contained pictures of a post-lavaliering ceremony.

The dean's office, President Martin Jischke and The Exponent were among those who were e-mailed pictures that were taken at the Kappa Sigma fraternity. The pictures, which are over two years old, depicted a post-lavaliering practice in which a member of the fraternity was duct-taped to a pole and covered with what appears to be ketchup and mustard.

With the reception of the e-mail, the Office of the Dean of Students, Panhellenic and the Interfraternity Council took immediate action.

"Our first response to the situation was to contact the fraternity in question and hear its response to the situation," said Justin Brown, president of the Interfraternity Council. "We requested the pictures be removed from the Internet and they were very compliant in our requests. Prior to removal, we saved the pictures for evidence in the future."

Andy Robison, assistant dean of students who advises the Council, Panhellenic and Purdue's 63 Greek chapters, investigated this case.

"At first, when I saw the pictures I was very concerned," said Robison.

Yet, after speaking with the Kappa Sigma president, investigating the background and fitting the evidence, "I determined that it was not hazing," he said. "I found out it was a lavaliering ceremony."

"More complicating factors would have been if alcohol was involved or if they transported him somewhere," said Robison. But, this was not the case.

Lavaliering ceremonies are, in a lot of cases, done in fun and jest, he said.

Brown explained what it means to be lavaliered and how it relates to this case.

"The practice of lavaliering is somewhat of a pre-engagement," he said. "In many fraternities, the practice of lavaliering is followed by the person's brothers teasing him about what he had just done."

"I believe the person who had just lavaliered is in agreement with this. At no time is he forced and he is usually laughing and joking while this is happening."

"We do not consider this hazing due to the willingness of the person involved, the absence of alcohol and the fact that no transportation is involved," said Brown. "There may be cases that this practice would fall under the definition of hazing; the Kappa Sigma situation was not one."

Robison also said, "As far as lavaliering events go, this Kappa Sigma one was pretty tame."

The photos documenting this event were taken over two years ago. Whether it happened now or two years ago, the fraternity would still be held accountable if the investigation had determined it was hazing, he said.

The hazing cases that are investigated normally tend to be no more than six months old, said Robison.

NOT EXCLUSIVELY GREEK

Hazing is not something isolated to the Greek system. It exists across organizations and can even exist in the workplace. Hazing can occur when the rules are so much different for new people versus old, said Robison.

He cited a recent hazing case, which occurred in Attica last month, to show how hazing spans ages and organizations. This particular instance involved two students on Attica High School's basketball team who allegedly physically hazed underclassmen teammates.

"It's a common issue," said Robison. "Purdue, itself, and as an office, we've really taken a zero tolerance policy with hazing."

But, it's the cases that involve fraternities or sororities that tend to get a lot of attention, he said.

Brown also said, "I believe the Greek system gets a stigma for hazing due to the amount of hazing that has been exposed over the years. I believe that hazing was much more an issue in the past than it is today."

Tamara Rice, assistant dean of students who advises Purdue's cooperatives, also agrees that hazing is not as much of a forefront issue as it may have been in the past.

But, "I would imagine some habits die hard," she said.

Any organization, even athletic clubs and honor societies, that has "new members" would be subject to hazing. Whenever there's an invitation for membership, there is the vulnerability to haze, said Rice.

Citing the withdrawal of the Rochdale Cooperative in October 1998, Rice said organizations have reevaluated their programs.

"I think it really was an awakening for cooperatives in particular," she said. "They knew they had to clean up."

Rochdale Cooperative was punished for the violation of university regulations and state laws with regard to hazing and alcohol. Withdrawal of recognition is the most severe punishment Purdue can impose.

WHY HAZING?

Rice said students involved in organizations where hazing is practiced are often hesitant to make changes. Some may experience pressure from other members and/or alums to maintain traditional practices.

"There is a mindset that (new members) have to respect us and respect the membership," she said.

Practices that were originally designed as teambuilding activities have become "twisted'" into demeaning and degrading things, said Rice.

Brown can also comment on the element of tradition in organizations.

"These organizations often may practice things that non-members would consider hazing, but the members feel that the practice does not fall under the category of hazing," he said. "(Interfraternal Council) tries to be as proactive as possible in regards to hazing. We have numerous speakers throughout the year to educate them on what hazing is and isn't."

Robison also said, "With peer-to-peer accountability, tolerance (for hazing) goes up."

Surprisingly, "About 10 percent of the people out there want to be hazed," he said. "They want to go through something to prove themselves."

With those wanting authority and power and those wanting to be accepted, "it's a real nasty cycle," he said.

Society no longer approves of this "boys will be boys" attitude, said Robison. Individuals involved with hazing know what is right and what is wrong and they know they can get caught.

"There really are no secrets," he said.

There is a continual push for Purdue's organizations to honestly uphold university regulations with regard to these issues.

"We want clubs and organizations to support the mission," he said. "We don't want them to foster alcohol problems and hazing because that could force them to leave school."

THE KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA LETTER

In an effort to support University regulations, the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority wrote and sent a letter this semester to Purdue's fraternity presidents, sorority advisers and Robison about their disapproval of fraternities bringing their post-lavaliering ceremonies onto their property.

"The whole purpose was to take a proactive approach to support University policies against hazing and in regard to lavaliering," said Kristi Fick, president of Kappa Kappa Gamma.

The letter was an effort to say, "This is what we are going to do," she said.

The sorority wants to make sure lavaliering is something positive because it is a happy event. When the sorority finds out that a member has been lavaliered, the house will plan to invite the fraternity member over for a formal dinner, said Fick.

Robison said he was proud of the sorority for writing the letter.

"The sororities have more power than they think," he said. "With the Kappas sending that letter out, it will make the guys think twice before doing anything to Kappas."

Ultimately, the formal dinner is a more appropriate tradition, said Robison.