New Member Education New Member Education and Hazing Awareness: and Hazing Awareness:

Member WellnessMember Wellness

Susan Matlock-Hetzel, Ph.D.Susan Matlock-Hetzel, Ph.D.

Staff PsychologistStaff Psychologist

BUCCBUCC

Pledge ProcessPledge Process

Purpose of Pledge Process: Purpose of Pledge Process:

Organization PerspectiveOrganization Perspective Build Unity Build Unity Develop TeamworkDevelop Teamwork Cultivate LoyaltyCultivate Loyalty togetherness, communication, respect, courage, and a togetherness, communication, respect, courage, and a

huge sense of accomplishment. huge sense of accomplishment.

Pledge ProcessPledge Process

Purpose of Pledge Process: Purpose of Pledge Process: Member PerspectiveMember Perspective

Establish identity with a groupEstablish identity with a group Earn respect Earn respect To get to know othersTo get to know others For others to know youFor others to know you I can't tell you the feeling I got when at the end of hell week I I can't tell you the feeling I got when at the end of hell week I

was able to take off my blind fold and all of the sisters were was able to take off my blind fold and all of the sisters were gathered around us and a banner saying congratulations was gathered around us and a banner saying congratulations was there. I had earned something. I had accomplished something. there. I had earned something. I had accomplished something. And for that I am a much stronger person and I can accomplish And for that I am a much stronger person and I can accomplish anything I want to no matter how big or small. anything I want to no matter how big or small.

It taught me so much about myself and my line brothers It taught me so much about myself and my line brothers

So What’s the Big Deal About So What’s the Big Deal About Hazing?Hazing?

Definition: Any activity expected of Definition: Any activity expected of someone joining a group (or to maintain someone joining a group (or to maintain full status in a group) that humiliates, full status in a group) that humiliates, degrades or risks emotional and/or degrades or risks emotional and/or physical harm, regardless of the person’s physical harm, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate.willingness to participate.

Let’s Break It DownLet’s Break It Down

Any activity Any activity

that humiliates, degrades or risks that humiliates, degrades or risks emotional and/or physical harmemotional and/or physical harm

regardless of the person’s willingness to regardless of the person’s willingness to participateparticipate

Pledging Activities: Group ContextPledging Activities: Group Context

Group thinkGroup think I'm going to break away from my polite attitude and comment I'm going to break away from my polite attitude and comment

that if anyone decided to really follow your "alternatives to that if anyone decided to really follow your "alternatives to hazing" they'd be branded as Pansies on ANY team.hazing" they'd be branded as Pansies on ANY team.

In closing leave these people alone because I think you are all In closing leave these people alone because I think you are all just a bunch of people that were the ones who were never just a bunch of people that were the ones who were never picked to play with all of the other kids in school, and the one picked to play with all of the other kids in school, and the one who always got cut from the team.  This is probably your way of who always got cut from the team.  This is probably your way of trying to get back at the ones who made you an outcast and a trying to get back at the ones who made you an outcast and a "loser" in high school.  "loser" in high school. 

Kitty GenoveseKitty Genovese Bystander EffectBystander Effect Disperse of ResponsibilityDisperse of Responsibility

Pledging Activities: Pledging Activities: Individual ContextIndividual Context

Personal values conflict with Group valuesPersonal values conflict with Group valuesPersonal values conflict with Personal Personal values conflict with Personal behaviors – Personal Integritybehaviors – Personal IntegrityLifestyle value congruenceLifestyle value congruenceRationalizationRationalizationHumiliation of ALL members – not just Humiliation of ALL members – not just new membersnew members

Noble Purpose of Pledge TraditionsNoble Purpose of Pledge Traditions

Build Unity Build Unity Develop TeamworkDevelop Teamwork Cultivate LoyaltyCultivate Loyalty Establish identity with a groupEstablish identity with a group Earn respect Earn respect To get to know othersTo get to know others For others to know youFor others to know you

Questions and Challenges: Questions and Challenges:

Is it possible to have a pledge process Is it possible to have a pledge process without Hazing?without Hazing?

Is it possible to have a pledge process Is it possible to have a pledge process where the organization stays TRUE to where the organization stays TRUE to their values?their values?

We’d love to ……How?We’d love to ……How?

Hazing is EVERYONE’S business not just leaders of organizationHazing is EVERYONE’S business not just leaders of organizationClearly articulate and understand the values, goals, and objectives Clearly articulate and understand the values, goals, and objectives of the organization with all members and individually. of the organization with all members and individually. Be Proactive: Anticipate times and actions that lend themselves to Be Proactive: Anticipate times and actions that lend themselves to hazing…..activities at 2:00 a.m.hazing…..activities at 2:00 a.m.Review organization history and look for patterns of behavior. Review organization history and look for patterns of behavior. Ask yourselves, where could we (I) do things differently, where is Ask yourselves, where could we (I) do things differently, where is our (my) personal responsibility?our (my) personal responsibility?While planning, seek guidance and counseling from objective, non-While planning, seek guidance and counseling from objective, non-emotionally involved, wise people. emotionally involved, wise people. Avoid confirmation bias.Avoid confirmation bias.

Case StudyCase Study

Floor unityFloor unity

Best friends of two yearsBest friends of two years

THE PLAN: To have funTHE PLAN: To have fun

The Event: Truck, sack, rope, tapeThe Event: Truck, sack, rope, tape

THE AFTERMATH: Not so much funTHE AFTERMATH: Not so much fun

What if I told you……What if I told you……

Other Things Not ConsideredOther Things Not Considered

Date of Incident: 9-28-01Date of Incident: 9-28-01

Time: 2:00 a.m. Time: 2:00 a.m.

Friends: CaucasianFriends: Caucasian

Victim: IranianVictim: Iranian

Father: United Nations DelegateFather: United Nations Delegate

Setting: Christian SchoolSetting: Christian School

Victims Religion: MuslimVictims Religion: Muslim

Hindsight 20/20Hindsight 20/20

Where did they go wrong?Where did they go wrong?

What could they have done differently?What could they have done differently?

What should they have done differently?What should they have done differently?

Web ResourcesWeb Resources

www.teambuilding.comwww.teambuilding.com

www.coe.cornell.edu/tb/index/jspwww.coe.cornell.edu/tb/index/jsp

www.businessballs.com/teambuilding.htmwww.businessballs.com/teambuilding.htm

““No one should compromise their dignity to belong to No one should compromise their dignity to belong to any group. If you are allowing yourself to be hazed, or any group. If you are allowing yourself to be hazed, or looking the other way when someone else is being looking the other way when someone else is being hazed, you are enabling this ugly practice to continue hazed, you are enabling this ugly practice to continue and jeopardizing the emotional and physical well being of and jeopardizing the emotional and physical well being of others. You are the future of fraternity. You have rights others. You are the future of fraternity. You have rights and an important voice. This is a time of growth and and an important voice. This is a time of growth and personal development. You are in a unique position to personal development. You are in a unique position to strengthen your chapter, implement change and set a strengthen your chapter, implement change and set a tone for the future. Only you can eradicate the cancer of tone for the future. Only you can eradicate the cancer of hazing. You will face many challenges and choices. I hazing. You will face many challenges and choices. I implore you to do so with leadership and courage.” implore you to do so with leadership and courage.”

Eileen Stevens lost her son Chuck Stenzel when he died as the Eileen Stevens lost her son Chuck Stenzel when he died as the result of a hazing incident at result of a hazing incident at Alfred UniversityAlfred University in New York in in New York in 1978. 1978.