New Sister with a Chapter Problem

[ForeverRoses]

How big is your pledge class compared to the rest of the chapter? Can you create a voting bloc to get like-minded people elected to New Member Educator/Pledge Mom, etc.?
I can totally understand why you don't want to contact your HQ. I've experienced a chapter that asked HQ for help only to have them come down on us after an "investigation" (but ours wasn't for hazing).
If you, your pledge class, and other like-minded members can create a buffer between the new members and the people who want to haze, then it will be much harder for the hazers.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by cuteASAbug

I think that your new member class should refuse to come to recruitment or all request inactive status (if that's a possibility in your organization) if your sorority doesn't change its practices. Having a ton of girls not pay dues or show up at recruitment will have a bigger impact than saying that you don't like hazing.

But then if they don't show up at rush, or all go inactive, word will get around campus that something's seriously wrong and that will most likely kill the chapter anyway. The OP wants to prevent her chapter from going down the tubes.

[basket96]

Twenty-one fraternity and sorority organizations have teamed up to create an anti-hazing hotline that anyone can use to report incidents of hazing anonymously. The toll-free number — (888) NOT-HAZE, or (888) 668-4293 — will connect callers with a voice-mail service at the office of Manley Burke, a law firm in Cincinnati that publishes Fraternal Law, a newsletter that chronicles legal issues involving fraternities, sororities, and higher education. According to a news release, the law firm will forward reports of alleged hazing to the appropriate fraternity or sorority, whether or not it is a sponsor of the hotline, and will notify the authorities, if required by law. The 21 founding sponsors account for just over one-third of all members of campus fraternal organizations

[Thetagirl218]

Originally Posted by basket96

Twenty-one fraternity and sorority organizations have teamed up to create an anti-hazing hotline that anyone can use to report incidents of hazing anonymously. The toll-free number — (888) NOT-HAZE, or (888) 668-4293 — will connect callers with a voice-mail service at the office of Manley Burke, a law firm in Cincinnati that publishes Fraternal Law, a newsletter that chronicles legal issues involving fraternities, sororities, and higher education. According to a news release, the law firm will forward reports of alleged hazing to the appropriate fraternity or sorority, whether or not it is a sponsor of the hotline, and will notify the authorities, if required by law. The 21 founding sponsors account for just over one-third of all members of campus fraternal organizations

I saw this post earlier, I thought Theta was part of that or something similar. It maybe they have a hotline just for the sorority. I agree with many of the ideas listed above, but I do believe this needs to be reported to HQ. If you are in an NPC, anti-hazing policies should be in your New Member handbook, and also ways it can be reported. If a new member ever feels threatened about a hazing situation she should report it! And believe me your HQ will listen to you!!!

[beautifulnite12]

Update: Hi all. Just wanted to make a quick update for anyone who is interested. After bringing up the situation at chapter and seeing the large amount of resistance from alumnae and active sisters, one of my pledge sisters decided to make a call to Head Quarters. After an investigation, I am sad to report that our chapter is no longer open. My sorority experience ended before it really began.

[ree-Xi]

Yikes, I am really sad for you but the safety of members is paramount. What is the official status of your sorority now? Suspended? Was the charter revoked?

Best of luck to you and congratulations for those of you who spoke up. Sometimes doing the right thing is really hard.

[fantASTic]

Originally Posted by beautifulnite12

Update: Hi all. Just wanted to make a quick update for anyone who is interested. After bringing up the situation at chapter and seeing the large amount of resistance from alumnae and active sisters, one of my pledge sisters decided to make a call to Head Quarters. After an investigation, I am sad to report that our chapter is no longer open. My sorority experience ended before it really began.

That is unfortunate. Did they allow you alum status? I hope so. Don't forget that you can STILL be involved as an alumna.

You did the right thing. It's better to blow the alarm now than it would be to wait until something terrible happened and the police got involved.

[beautifulnite12]

We are waiting for final confirmation on who has been offered what status - some sisters are being offered alum status while others are not. Our chapter's charter has been revoked.

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by beautifulnite12

Update: Hi all. Just wanted to make a quick update for anyone who is interested. After bringing up the situation at chapter and seeing the large amount of resistance from alumnae and active sisters, one of my pledge sisters decided to make a call to Head Quarters. After an investigation, I am sad to report that our chapter is no longer open. My sorority experience ended before it really began.

I apologize for your loss.

However...

People said this was going to happen:

Don't go to nationals... that would destroy your entire chapter. Stand up for the pledges when its happening or refuse to be present at any such events- threatening a call to nationals if you receive punishment for your refusal to participate. Its hard to change tradition though, as you've discovered.

or..

Don't go to the anti-hazing hotline.

Seriously, deal it yourself, ply power around. It's not hard to change the chapter unless it's more than 200 people.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by beautifulnite12

Update: Hi all. Just wanted to make a quick update for anyone who is interested. After bringing up the situation at chapter and seeing the large amount of resistance from alumnae and active sisters, one of my pledge sisters decided to make a call to Head Quarters. After an investigation, I am sad to report that our chapter is no longer open. My sorority experience ended before it really began.

(my bold)

Shame on them. I hope that you have a chance to be involved with a really wonderful alumnae association, and learn what your sorority is really all about. And if you so desire, become an advisor to a chapter. You seem to have exactly what's needed!

[wildcatfan]

Originally Posted by beautifulnite12

We were hazed and I hated it, but stuck it out because my Big and the other sisters I was close to said that once I got in, I could help to change it.

Can I ask what constituted the hazing, or do you feel like that specificity would give away your location?

The reason that I ask is because I am amazed what some people consider hazing. My home chapter no longer give tests over fraternity history during pledgeship because it might be considered hazing!! oh please. I also read another post on GC that said some consider not letting pledges wear letters is hazing.

I assume from your comments the incidents were much more significant than this. To that I would ask, did they endanger life or health (ie forced alcohol consumption), were they truly degrading or just silly?

If the answer if "life endangerment", I would say tell someone--tell everyone!!--in authority right now. As an alum and a mom, I don't care NEARLY as much about my GLO as I do my daughter's (or any NM's) safety!! Period.

If the experience was degrading, I would be more apt to work within the chapter as others have suggested. Obviously it needs to be dealt with (and I'm proud of you for wanting to be the change agent), but my response might be different.

I can honestly say nothing in my pledgeship came close to hazing. It saddens me that many of the fun and meaningful experiences I had as a pledge 20+ years ago have been banned in the campaign for "no hazing", but true hazing still exists. *sigh*

[SthrnZeta]

Originally Posted by beautifulnite12

We were hazed and I hated it, but stuck it out because my Big and the other sisters I was close to said that once I got in, I could help to change it. Well, my new member class and I agreed that we would stick it out because we would be able to change it once we got in.

Back up here, there are initiated sisters who also don't agree with what's going on...? Seems to me you should have more than enough people to challenge this. How big was your pledge class in relation to the chapter size? And what sorts of hazing happened, if you don't mind sharing? (Co-sign the post above).

[exlurker]

According to an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education not too long ago, several sororities and fraternities have set up a national hotline to report hazing:

http://chronicle.com/news/article/29...and-sororities

Excerpts:
Anti-Hazing Hotline Is Set Up by 21 Fraternities and Sororities
Twenty-one fraternity and sorority organizations have teamed up to create an anti-hazing hotline that anyone can use to report incidents of hazing anonymously. The toll-free number — (888) NOT-HAZE, or (888) 668-4293 — will connect callers with a voice-mail service at the office of Manley Burke, a law firm in Cincinnati that publishes Fraternal Law, a newsletter that chronicles legal issues involving fraternities, sororities, and higher education.
Posted on Wednesday August 29, 2007 . . . .

Comments
The 21 Greek organizations responsible for this initiative include:

Fraternities
Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Sigma Phi
Delta Chi
Delta Sigma Phi
Delta Tau Delta
Delta Upsilon
Kappa Alpha Order
Lambda Chi Alpha
Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Kappa Psi
Sigma Pi

Sororities
Alpha Chi Omega
Alpha Delta Pi
Alpha Epsilon Phi
Alpha Phi
Alpha Sigma Tau
Chi Omega
Gamma Phi Beta
Kappa Kappa Gamma
Sigma Sigma Sigma
Zeta Tau Alpha

[AGDee]

As a volunteer that works with collegians in our hierarchy, I would say go to someone from your headquarters instead of your Greek Advisor. I think things like this should be handled internally. From reading things on GC, it seems like the university is very quick to close a chapter whereas an international/national org has some investment in wanting to keep chapters open if at all possible, but just changing the behaviors of those chapters (especially if there have been no injuries/deaths). They would be more likely to "clean house" and rid the chapter of those who refuse to follow a "no hazing" policy. And, usually, when something like this happens, it is a small (but powerful/intimidating/bossy) group who are leading it. Almost always, there are more women against it than for it, but they are afraid to say anything. Once a Greek Advisor has the info though, anything goes... university can pull recognition, it can end up in the campus newspaper, etc.

[Elephant Walk]

Don't go to the anti-hazing hotline.

Seriously, deal it yourself, ply power around. It's not hard to change the chapter unless it's more than 200 people.