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"Your mission, should you choose to accept it, and you will, is to finish all these beers. In under five minutes. Naked."
Hazing takes many forms on the Boston College campus. This example above, although fictitious, is not totally exaggerated. Consuming large amounts of alcohol, sometimes in embarrassing or compromising situations, is not an unusual event. Hazing itself can be an ambiguous term, because drawing the line between what is and isn't hazing is not easily done. Harmless initiation practices that are good hearted do occur, but the more memorable (or in some cases not memorable) events are sometimes dangerous. Many student organizations ranging from athletic teams (both club and varsity) to a cappella groups haze their new members. BC takes a very formidable stance against hazing, staying true to its Jesuit mission - and maybe even more importantly, to the Massachusetts state law.
According to the Office of Student Development's Statement of Student's Rights and Responsibilities, hazing is defined as "any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person." This definition comes from the pages of the Massachusetts General Law, defined in Chapter 269, Crimes against Public Peace.
The serious stance that Massachusetts takes on hazing is evident in the punishment: "a fine of not more than $3,000 or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than one year, or both such fine and imprisonment."
BC echoes this seriousness: Anyone who is involved in hazing will have their student status reviewed. Dean of Student Development Paul Chebator says, "Traditions, when not harmful and not psychological abuse, are fine. The New England Patriots have all the rookies sing their college fight songs on tables. But there is a fine line."
When you cross into the areas of peer pressure, and physical and emotional harm, then BC is legally obligated to take action, he says. BC is required to distribute copies of the Massachusetts law to all student organizations every year, and those leaders have to sign their compliance. Massachusetts makes sure everyone is aware of the consequences, and the University makes sure everyone follows through with their agreement.
Even though laws bar students from contributing to this kind of activity, hazing has found its way onto college campuses since the first documented hazing incidents in 1873 at Cornell University. From an athletic standpoint, according to a Cornell study on hazing, the NCAA reported that in 1998-1999 out of 325,000 athletes, "More than a quarter of a million experienced some form of hazing to join a college athletic team." Many people consider hazing to occur in excess for athletic teams and in Greek life. According to a CBS report, during the 1999-2000 season, University of Vermont's hockey season was canceled because of a disturbing hazing event. There have been countless accounts of sororities and fraternities getting terminated because of hazing deaths and harmful tasks. The book Pledged by Alexandra Robbins focuses on many of these instances at a single school.
Zeroing back in on BC, Chebator suggests that "because athletics is a much tighter organization, and since there is less administration over student-run groups, it is much harder to control their initiation activities than athletic teams." Interestingly enough, Katie Foster, CSOM '11, compares the hazing at BC to that of Greek life."The hazing we have here is a lot like pledging for a frat. And since we don't have frats here, sports take that role," she says. Whether or not athletics or any other group has the most hazing, the students, the administrators, and almost every other college agree that it is prevalent.
And although the University draws a very blunt and hard line against hazing every fall, it seems inevitable. Freshmen and new members of many popular student organizations (both funded by the school and student-run) have required tasks that need to be completed. They can be, at times, embarrassing and even physically harmful, and many of the activities are alcohol-related. Some common occurrences are case races, shot taking, and other aspects of binge drinking. There are other tamer rituals, however, including dressing up in costumes and belting out songs.
Inside a group, the negative view shared by many on hazing is not vocalized. Many of these students went through the same or similar hazing themselves, so now as the elders, it is their chance to revel in their seniority. Among the ones being hazed, you can find some grumblings, but most find it a fun, even enjoyable experience, and at the very least a way to be bonded to their peers. Out of loyalty to their groups, there are many students who refuse to discuss specifics of what happens or acknowledge that there is hazing. Most students, however, know at least a few friends who have undergone a hazing rite at some time.
Alex Rikleen, LSOE '09, says, "I've known a lot of people who were joining a group and went through what would be considered the process of hazing, and that was what convinced them to join or stay in the group. It's because it can be a strong source of bonding with people. The idea can be a very powerful way to bring new faces into a group and reconnect older people to the group."
The togetherness and tradition that comes with hazing are two of the extremely positive aspects. A sense of fraternity and connection with fellow "hazees" is achieved every year and continues after graduation. When asked what hazing activities contributed to a group, a member of a popular student group, responded, "Hazing is a misappropriation. Brotherhood and a sense of unity among the group is a better description of the activities we do. It has created a very positive, cumulative effect. In regards to our activities, we are just doing what buddies do." In addition, knowing that all those before you accomplished the same feats gives a sense of pride and belonging that make the group stronger and better for it. John reinforces this from his group, saying "any of the times and activities we have spent together [outside of the group's main role] has created better chemistry and love for each other."
It is when the hazing takes a harmful spin that it raises so many concerns. Deaths, alcohol poisoning, suicide, and other unspeakables are examples of when hazing becomes a problem, and are the reasons why hazing is seen in such a negative light. Furthermore, group-mates toasting to a successful show, season, or event is very different than the five freshmen having to drink until someone should call an ambulance.
Hazing at BC has not been an out-of-hand problem so far. Chebator only recalled one major instance in the last few years in which they had to investigate and suspend the group. Hazing, however, is an activity that does happen around our hallowed Heights. In this case, it really is all fun and games until someone gets hurt.
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