WRIGHT LIFE: Hazing public information | Photo by Christian Peters | The Wright State Guardian
Past incidents of hazing at Wright State University (WSU) led to educational programs and faculty taking a stand against such behavior.
Hazing History
According to the National Study of Student Hazing, “More than half (55%) of college students involved in clubs, teams, and organizations experience hazing.” Approximately 90 % of students do not realize when they have been hazed.
The Ohio Anti-Hazing Act (Collin’s Law) defines hazing as “doing any act or coercing another, including the victim, to do any act of initiation into any student or other organization or any act to continue or reinstate membership in or affiliation with any student or other organization that causes or creates a substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm to any person, including coercing another to consume alcohol or a drug of abuse, as defined in section 3719.011 of the Revised Code.”
Collin’s law also requires all universities to report any hazing incidents within the past five years to law enforcement as well ast the university. These reports then have to be posted publicly on the university’s website semi-annually.
WSU prohibits any act of hazing by university community members as outlined by university and student guidelines.
As of October 2021, hazing is a second-degree misdemeanor with a sentence of up to 60 days in jail and $500 in fines. WSU has only two confirmed incidents of hazing in the community within the past five years, none of which resulted in the death of a student.
On March 4, 2021, three individuals of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity (Sigma Phi Epsilon Ohio Pi chapter) were found to have engaged in the act of hazing. Two new members of the fraternity participated in a “cookie run.”
Sigma Phi Epsilon as an organization received a warning, administrative fee and was made to participate in numerous educational programs on hazing. Two members received loss of privilege and limited probation, the other individual received limited probation and required attendance of an educational program.
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority (Lambda Rho chapter) engaged in hazing on June 1, 2019, according to WSU’s webpage on hazing history.
“A prospective member reported hazing including unauthorized late meetings, yelling, threats of physical violence, being blindfolded and burned with hot candle wax,” according to the report.
Sanctions against the Lambda row chapter include being suspended until August 1, 2023, making a reorganization plan and completing a petition to return to campus at the appropriate time. There were no sanctions against individuals.
Both fraternities and sororities alike have measures and leadership in place to prevent such incidents from continuing to happen.
Student and Faculty Opinion
Once prospective members have received their bids (formal invitations to join a sorority or fraternity) they start a new member education program. Students will spend 45 minutes on hazing education and then an additional 45 minutes on alcohol education.
Emily Chandel is a member of the sorority Alpha Xi Delta. In addition to the other sororities and fraternities on campus, Alpha Xi Delta is vehemently opposed to any act of hazing.
“I think that we should continue to push for open awareness, laws, and consequences if it [hazing] does happen,” Chandel said.
Chandel also mentioned there will be an anti-hazing week for Greek life in the future.
Jonathon Farrow is the President of Sigma Phi Delta. Sigma Phi Delta is a fraternity that values science, duty and friendship.
“Going off the order of the chain of command, if someone felt uncomfortable at something someone else did they would go to their Big. If their Big did something wrong, they would go to their pledge master, and if the pledge master did something wrong, they would go to me, If I did something wrong, they would go to Gina Keucher,” Farrow said.
All incidents that qualify, or may qualify, as hazing would be reported to Gina Keucher, WSU’s fraternity and sorority life program director. Keucher would start an investigation if there is any reason to believe that hazing occurred.
“The university’s goal is to make sure that we can educate as many faculty, staff members and students as we possibly can. So that their eyes are open to say ‘oh, that’s hazing. I never would have thought that,’” Keucher said.
Keucher adds that hazing is not exclusively in Greek life. Hazing can happen in athletics, theater, clubs and more as long as it fits the definition as defined by the Ohio Anti-Hazing Law.
If you or another student has experienced hazing, fill out the form here.
To learn more about Theta Phi Alpha, visit their website.
