1. Participate in Ropes Course
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2. Teambuilding Activities (can be facilitated by campus professional – there are hundreds of these activities that you could use)
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3. Participate in and/or plan a Community Service project
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4. New Member Surprise Party hosted by members
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5. Have a Resume Writing Workshop presented by Career Services
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6. Attend Educational Speaker of new member’s choice and discuss as a chapter
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7. Leadership Book-of-the-Month/Semester Club facilitated by new members
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8. Invite Faculty Advisor to lunch with new members
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9. Have a discussion about the relevance of your organization’s Principles and Obligations today
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10. Study Skills Workshop presented by the Learning Center
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11. Successful Alumni Speaker to talk about how the organization gave him/her the skills to succeed
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12. Develop arts and crafts as a community service project
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13. Participate in a Recruitment Workshop
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14. Invite IFC/PHC/MGC/DGC/NPHC Officers to Speak about Community Governance
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15. Invite a Student Activities representative to speak about membership privileges and benefits
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16. Dinner and a Movie
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17. Shadow an Officer and assist in planning of a program/event
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18. Create a vision and goals for the organization
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19. Plan a fundraiser to pay for initiation fees
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20. Include new members in chapter meetings
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21. Include new members in regularly scheduled chapter activities
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22. Discuss fraternal values and how they apply (or don’t apply)
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23. Plan and present a speaker on a health/wellness topic
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24. Require active membership in at least one organization outside the group
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25. Evaluate the process during and after new member education
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26. Host a Parents Weekend activity
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27. Have consultant or national visitor talk about national programs
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28. Discuss what the General Fraternity does for the chapter with dues money
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29. Attend a Panhellenic or Interfraternity Council meeting
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30. Participate in all-Greek events
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31. Review parliamentary procedure and its purpose
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32. Ask leadership experts to discuss issues such as motivation and group dynamics
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33. Have new members take the Meyers-Briggs Personality Type Inventory or StrengthsQuest and discuss
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34. Ask a faculty member to discuss ethical decision making
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35. Ask a faculty member to facilitate a conversation on diversity in organizations
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36. Ask campus health educator to do a presentation on eating disorders or depression, etc.
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37. Ask Department of Public Safety to discuss the prevention of violence against women
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38. Ask a Student Activities representative to describe what the college offers student organizations
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39. Plan a philanthropy project for a local charity
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40. Have a contest for who can recruit the most new members to join and reward the winner with a fully-paid membership badge or initiation fee
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41. Members and new members make “secret sisters/brothers” gifts for each other
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42. Discuss risk management and liability with the University’s Office of General Counsel
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43. Brainstorm ways to recruit new members to present to chapter
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44. Have an all-campus or all-organization community “Meet Our New Members” Picnic
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45. Have new members play on the organization intramural teams
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46. Plant a new member class tree in the community
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47. Sponsor a big/little academic challenge with free textbooks to the winner
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48. Have a candlelight/pass the gavel ceremony about “what membership means to me”
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49. Have a senior Student Life administrator talk about history of student organizations at the University
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50. Brainstorm ways to improve scholarship (other than study hours)
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51. Attend theatrical production or athletic event of the new members’ choosing
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52. Ask the library to give a lecture on effective research methods
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53. Attend a program or event another organization is sponsoring
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54. Have a discussion about membership standards and expectations
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55. Have a chapter goal-setting retreat
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56. Ask new members to accompany members to regional leadership conferences
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57. Attend Student Organization Leadership Development workshops
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58. Deconstruct past hazing activity to determine intent and brainstorm alternatives
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59. Write a “letter to the founders” to thank them for the opportunity (not to be shared)
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60. Attend an Executive Board meeting
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61. Have new members help Executive Board develop an icebreaker for each meeting
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62. Develop a leadership “wish list” or time line of chapter and campus activities
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63. Invite the Chapter Accreditation Program Coordinator to speak about the rationale and benefits of the program
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64. Invite the Learning Center or Career Services to explain their services
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65. Develop a faculty advisor appreciation gesture
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66. Collaborate on a campus improvement project
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67. Develop an event with another organization that requires new members to ask Student Congress for additional funds from the Student Life Fund a campus event or activity
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68. Have new members develop a list of ways to end chapter motivation issues
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69. Ask the Mayor to discuss city issues and how the group can help
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70. Ask the Elections Commissioner to discuss politics in the city/county/nation
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71. Require members to register to vote. Give an incentive to those who do
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72. Require members below a 3.0 to attend a study skills program
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73. Develop a program that allows you to begin calling them “new members” rather than “pledges”
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74. Discuss the founding of the group and how the organization has evolved over time while maintaining the vision. If it hasn’t, how can the group return to its’ roots?
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75. Host a cross-organization mixer with a sister or brother organization
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76. Review the history of hazing, the evolution of new member education and the direction organization recruitment is headed
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77. Discuss the “old way” of pledging versus the “new way” with a panel of alumni, administrators and council officers
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78. Attend a Theatre production as a group
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79. Have a Student Life professional discuss the “Millennial Generation” and how groups can better recruit based on this research
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80. Offer a discount or reimbursement of part of the initiation fee if a new member completes Alternative Winter or Spring Break Extra money if completes Greek Alternative Spring Break
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81. Give highest new member GPA recipient a plaque or $25 gift certificate to nice restaurant
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82. New member who develops best recruitment plan (or scholarship plan) gets a free _____________
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83. Ask alumni to speak about lessons learned while in the organization
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84. Do a chapter fundraiser to send a new member to a professional or national conference
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85. Have a discussion about wearing pins
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86. Attend New Member Education and Hazing Awareness workshop hosted by Student Activities
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87. Select a book as a group and read it during a pledge period with occasional discussions
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88. Allow new members time for themselves to do and be what they want–Don’t monopolize their time
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89. Have a weekly forum for the new members to discuss their feelings
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90. Invite another group to develop a program to benefit the entire student organization community
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91. Invite a Campus Fitness Specialist or Dietician to discuss dietary fads – pros and cons
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92. Ask each member to list the offices/chairs they would be interested in. Have them list five things they would do differently about each. Compile results without names attached and have a constructive conversation
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93. Develop one memento of the new member class to present to the campus
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94. Eliminate the creation of pledge class “paddles”, no matter their use. They’re symbolic of hazing. Come up with an alternative
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95. Ask a professor to do a workshop on etiquette
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96. Have lunch together once a week in a dining hall with the entire organization
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97. Invite faculty advisor to new member meetings
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98. Visit the national headquarters
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99. Support Athletic programs by attending events as a group
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100. Question each activity and evaluate the program each semester with the help of the advisor and a Student Activities representative

Although hazing has often been thought to exist primarily in fraternities and sororities, a 1999 study by Alfred University and the NCAA found that approximately 80% of college athletes had been subjected to some form of hazing. Half were required to participate in drinking contests or alcohol related initiations while two thirds were subjected to humiliating hazing. Additionally, much of the reported hazing in high schools occurs during initiations related to athletic teams with many problems arising during pre-season sports camps. Some of the recent high profile hazing incidents in the news have involved brutal initiations in high school sports. Hazing also occurs among professional sports teams as documented in numerous news media accounts.

According to the Alfred/NCAA study, despite widespread reports of hazing in sport, many coaches and athletic directors did not identify hazing as a problem on their teams. However, many educational institutions and associations are seriously addressing the problem of hazing and athletes. Much education is still needed to eliminate harmful hazing in athletics. Something on which most educators, coaches and advocates agree is the best way to end hazing is to begin by sending a clear anti-hazing message. Then, implement a strong anti-hazing policy, communicate it clearly, and enforce it when incidents occur.

We hope you found our series on hazing helpful! Next week, we’ll tackle Event planning!

Regardless of the age group, hazing is incredibly harmful. Hazing at the high school level is particularly troubling because the developmental stages of adolescence. It’s a time when students are more vulnerable to peer pressure as a result of the overwhelming need for belonging, making friends and finding approval in one’s peer group. Another big factor is that the danger of hazing at the high school level is heightened because students are unaware of the rules and regulation that are in place to help prevent hazing.

Unlike colleges and universities in the U.S, which have instituted anti-hazing policies and educational awareness programs related to hazing, very high schools have done so. It is crucial to promote anti-hazing education and support for victims at the middle and high school levels, because hazing at any level is unacceptable.
Stay tuned for more on the different types of hazing.

We’ll kick off with this interesting show from the students at UW and their take on greek life and the varying types of hazing.

Stay tuned for more on hazing types

Myth #4: Hazing is an effective way to teach respect and develop discipline.
Fact: First of all, respect must be EARNED–not taught. Victims of hazing rarely report  having respect for those who have hazed them. Just like other forms of victimization, hazing breeds mistrust, apathy and alienation.

Myth #5: If someone agrees to participate in an activity, it can’t be considered hazing.
Fact: In states that have laws against hazing consent of the victim can’t be used as a defense in a civil suit. This is because even if someone agrees to participate in a potentially hazardous action it may not be true consent when considering the peer pressure and desire to belong to the group.

Myth #6: It’s difficult to determine whether or not a certain activity is hazing–it’s such a gray area sometimes.
Fact: It’s not difficult to decide if an activity is hazing if you use common sense and ask yourself the following questions:
Make the following inquiries of each activity to determine whether or not it is hazing.
1) Is alcohol involved?
2) Will active/current members of the group refuse to participate with the new
members and do exactly what they’re being asked to do?
3) Does the activity risk emotional or physical abuse?
4) Is there risk of injury or a question of safety?
5) Do you have any reservation describing the activity to your parents, to a professor or University official?
Would you object to the activity being photographed for the school newspaper or filmed by the local TV news crew?

If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” the activity is probably hazing.

Coming up next week, we’ll discuss some of the specific types of hazing.

Myth #1: Hazing is a problem for fraternities and sororities primarily.
Fact: Hazing is a societal problem. Hazing incidents have been frequently documented in the military, athletic teams, marching bands, religious cults, professional schools and other types of clubs and/or, organizations. Reports of hazing activities in high schools are on the rise.

Myth #2: Hazing is no more than foolish pranks that sometimes go awry.
Fact: Hazing is an act of power and control over others — it is victimization. Hazing is pre-meditated and NOT accidental. Hazing is abusive, degrading and often life-threatening.

Myth #3: As long as there’s no malicious intent, a little hazing should be O.K.
Fact: Even if there’s no malicious “intent” safety may still be a factor in traditional hazing activities that are considered to be “all in good fun.” For example, serious accidents have occurred during scavenger hunts and kidnapping trips. Besides, what purpose do such activities serve in promoting the growth and development of group team members?

Stay tuned for more myths and facts about hazing.

Today we know that hazing extends far beyond college fraternities and is experienced by boys/men and girls/women in school groups, university organizations, athletic teams, the military, and other social and professional organizations. Hazing is a complex social problem that is shaped by power dynamics operating in a group and/or organization and within a particular cultural context. 

Hazing activities are generally considered to be:  physically abusive, hazardous, and/or sexually violating.  The specific behaviors or activities within these categories vary widely among participants, groups and settings.  While alcohol use is common in many types of hazing, other examples of typical hazing practices include: personal servitude; sleep deprivation and restrictions on personal hygiene; yelling, swearing and insulting new members/rookies; being forced to wear embarrassing or humiliating attire in public; consumption of vile substances or smearing of such on one’s skin; brandings; physical beatings; binge drinking and drinking games; sexual simulation and sexual assault.

Some common definitions and examples of hazing are below:
In the Alfred/NCAA survey of college athletes, hazing was defined as:
“any activity expected of someone joining a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses or endangers, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate. This does not include activities such as rookies carrying the balls, team parties with community games, or going out with your teammates, unless an atmosphere of humiliation, degradation, abuse or danger arises.”

“Hazing is an activity that a high-status member orders other members to engage in or suggests that they engage in that in some way humbles a newcomer who lacks the power to resist, because he or she want to gain admission to a group. Hazing can be noncriminal, but it is nearly always against the rules of an institution, team, or Greek group. It can be criminal, which means that a state statute has been violated. This usually occurs when a pledging-related activity results in gross physical injury or death” (from Hank Nuwer’s book Wrongs of Passage , 1999, p. xxv).

Hazing is defined by the FIPG (Fraternal Information Programming Group) as:
“Any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on or off fraternity premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule. Such activities may include but are not limited to the following: use of alcohol; paddling in any form; creation of excessive fatigue; physical and psychological shocks; quests, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips or any other such activities carried on outside or inside of the confines of the chapter house; wearing of public apparel which is conspicuous and not normally in good taste; engaging in public stunts and buffoonery; morally degrading or humiliating games and activities; and any other activities which are not consistent with fraternal law, ritual or policy or the regulations and policies of the educational institution.”

Stay tuned for more to come about hazing!