Hazing:
It’s Not an Option
Molly Bechtel
Coordinator of Fraternity & Sorority Life and Women’s Programs
Office of Student Life
mbechtel2@ucmerced.edu
Goals for Today’s Presentation
• Define “hazing.”
• Explore hazing myths and understand the
facts.
• Understand the relationship between hazing
and consent.
• Identify ways to prevent hazing and take
action.
Basic Goals of an
Education Program
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New/Prospective members get to know the other
prospective members
New/Prospective members get to know the
initiated members
New/Prospective members get to know how the
chapter operates
New/Prospective members get to know how to
navigate the campus
Non-Goals of
an Education Program
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•
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To “mold” prospective members
To make them “ready”
To “earn” brotherhood/sisterhood
To have janitors
To have telephone receptionists
To “build better” new/prospective
members
• To know their stuff
Hazing, Defined by the UC
“Participation in hazing or any method of
initiation or pre-initiation into a campus
organization or other activity engaged
in by the organization or members of
the organization at any time that
causes, or is likely to cause, physical
injury or personal degradation or
disgrace resulting in psychological harm
to any student or other person.”
(UC Student Code of Conduct, 102.12)
Hazing, Defined by the State of CA
“‘Hazing’ or ‘haze’ is conduct which
causes, or is likely to cause, bodily
danger, physical harm, or personal
degradation or disgrace resulting in
physical or mental harm to another
person in the course of the other
person’s pre-initiation into, initiation
into, affiliation with, holding office in, or
maintaining membership in any
organization.”
(California Penal Code, Section 245.6)
Ask Yourself…
• Would you conduct this activity if your parents
and/or members of the inter/national board
were present?
• Will any member of the group refuse to
participate?
• Is the purpose to exclude or punish?
• Will the activity involve emotional or physical
abuse?
• Does this activity violate any value statement set
forth by the organization?
• Would you openly invite the media to attend this
event, take photos and film your event for the
evening news?
Is It OK To…?
Require new/prospective members
to carry $5.00 with them at all
times.
Mislead new/prospective members
about ceremonies or ritual with the
excuse that it will be a surprise.
Ask new/prospective members to
recite the names and hometowns
of other members.
Require new/prospective members
to keep the fact that they are
pledging or participating in a
new/prospective member
education process a secret.
Wake up new/prospective
members in the middle of the night
and ask them to go on a milkshake
run.
Not allow new/prospective
members to wear the
organization’s colors or insignia
before initiation.
Organize a scavenger hunt to lead
new/prospective members to a fun
party in their honor.
Kidnap new/prospective members
and take them to an amusement
park for the day.
Keep the date of
Initiation secret.
Physically, verbally or sexually
harass someone.
The answer to all these questions is…
NO.
Hazing Myths
Myth #1
Everyone does it.
Myth #2
Hazing is just good,
clean fun – nobody
suffers from it.
Myth #3
As long as there's no
harmful intent, a
little hazing should
be okay.
Myth #4
Hazing motivates
members, shows
them how valuable
their membership is
and teaches respect.
Examples of Hazing
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Blindfolding for any purpose.
Creation of excessive fatigue or hunger.
Physical or psychological shocks.
Treasure hunts.
Scavenger hunts.
Kidnaps of any kind.
Wearing apparel which is conspicuous and not in
normally good taste.
• Engaging in stunts.
• Degrading or humiliating games and activities.
• Late work sessions.
Hazing & Consent
• “If you don’t want to do this, you can leave.”
• “We wanted to do it and they weren’t forcing us,
so it wasn’t hazing.”
The fact that an activity is done with the
consent of the persons involved does NOT
exempt it from being hazing.
There is no gray zone in hazing.
Hazing is an action, not a degree of
action.
YOU
What
can do
to Prevent Hazing
• Speak out against it.
• Talk about it with your advisers and/or
inter/national board if you need guidance
or help.
• Report hazing violations to your college or
university’s administrative officers.
• Simply refuse to be a part of it…don’t
haze or be hazed.
Resources & Contacts
• Office of Student Life & Student Judicial Affairs
studentlife@ucmerced.edu
209-228-5433 (209-CAT-LIFE)
• UC Merced Police Department
police@ucmerced.edu
209-228-2677 (209-CAT-COPS)
• Anti-Hazing Hotline
888-688-4293 (888-NOT-HAZE)
Questions?