The Seton Hall University community, especially the Greek organizations on campus, celebrated National Hazing Prevention Week, a period of education and awareness.
On a national average, 55% of college students involved in some sort of organization have reported being hazed. According to Hank Nuwer, a journalism professor at Franklin College, 40 students have died from hazing-related accidents in the United States in the past decade.
The Assistant Director of Leadership Development and the Greek liaison Michael Davis hopes to end hazing through initiatives like National Hazing Prevention Week.
“The Greek Municipal Assembly is hosting a number of educational programs in which fraternities and sororities are encouraged to participate in,” Davis said. “Many of our chapters are even hosting hazing prevention programs internally with their membership.”
Seton Hall’s Greek community did host a number of different events for the week including poster making in the Galleon Hallway, an event on the green called “We DONUT Haze,” and a vigil as well.
“I do think SHU does a good job at hazing prevention,” Zachary Case, a senior accounting major who is a member of the fraternity Phi Delta Theta, said. “These events provide the opportunity to unify Greek life to stop hazing as one big community.”
The basis of this week and the basis of preventing hazing is education, according to Davis.
“Any education we can provide on the topic may significantly reduce the presence of hazing or will allow potential victims or bystanders to identify and intervene when if hazing occurs,” Davis said.
Case also said he believes that education through these events would be helpful in reducing hazing.
“I hope each organization that attends these events learns a little more about how hazing negatively affects people’s lives and why it should not be allowed in Greek organizations,” Case said.
Joseph Ramos, a sophomore undecided major, believes that Seton Hall can do a better job at preventing hazing and raising awareness for hazing prevention.
“I only saw the posters in the Galleon Hallway that were made during the week,” Ramos said. “I do not think they do a good job on campus because I would say that I am pretty involved on campus, including being an RA (resident assistant) and I do not really see Seton Hall’s efforts.”
Ramos said he believes that Seton Hall should really enforce the anti-hazing education towards freshmen and especially potential new members.
Hazing is a crime in the state of New Jersey and is also against the values of Seton Hall according to Davis.
Seton Hall has their own policy regarding hazing in addition the law that New Jersey has in place.
“The purpose of this policy is to prohibit acts of hazing in connection with the admission, acceptance, or retention process of any group, organization, or athletic activity and to prohibit retaliation for bringing a claim alleging a violation of this policy or participating in a review of any such claim.”
This, along with the rest of the non-hazing policy can be found on the Seton Hall website.
Elizabeth Rodriguez can be reached at elizabeth.rodriguez@student.shu.edu
