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Tag: hazing

  • Frat Pledge Dies From Brain Trauma After Hazing

    A 19-year old freshman at Baruch College has died as a result of injuries he gained during hazing, authorities say.

    Chun Hsien “Michael” Deng, who was pledging Pi Delta Psi, took part in a hazing ritual while on a retreat in Pennsylvania over the weekend. The game involved blindfolded pledges making their way through a tunnel formed by people with a weight strapped to their backs; the goal was to see who could make it to the end of the tunnel still standing after the members of the “tunnel” tried tackling them. Deng was reportedly knocked down several times and suffered major brain trauma.

    Pi Delta Psi’s National Executive President Andy Meng said the event was unsanctioned by the fraternity and assured the public that the organization is working with investigators.

    “We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Michael and request privacy during this period,” Meng said. “Michael will be greatly missed.”

    No charges have been filed at this point; the college issued a statement on the incident, saying they had a zero-tolerance policy regarding hazing.

    “Baruch College has a zero tolerance policy regarding hazing. Michael’s death is a deeply painful reminder that no individual should ever be put into a position where his or her personal safety is in jeopardy,” the statement read.

    Part of the investigation will include why Deng was not taken to the hospital for at least 30 minutes after he was injured; reports say he was brought into the house, where he was unresponsive, before fraternity members sought help. He was placed on life support but died on Monday morning.

    Image: Thinkstock

  • Cornell Hazing Leads To Suspension Of Lacrosse Team

    Cornell is facing some heat after the lacrosse team participated in hazing, causing the program to be suspended. The hazing has caused the men’s lacrosse team to be suspended for the entire fall season. Cornell announced last week that the fall games would be cancelled, after finding out about the seniors hazing the freshman in a very mean way, through an investigation done by the university.

    The seniors on the team forced the freshman to do a number of outrageous things, mostly involving drinking, for students that were obviously under 21. College officials have said that the freshman were forced to stand in a circle and drink beer up until the point where multiple members vomited. CBS News mentions that the team held a party which featured a “keg race,” where freshmen were challenged to drink large amounts of beer in a competition against other team members. Hazing can often be a problem for high school and college students, but it is sad to see it having such an effect on a sports team at this level.

    Especially after Cornell’s successful Lacrosse team that they had last season, it is sad to see them start the year off this way, not even eligible to play. In the spring, they went 14-4, losing in the national semi-finals to Duke. The team finished at No.3 in the nation, according to ESPN. This is a serious problem that needs to be addressed at the university level, and hopefully after cracking down and suspending the team for a season, Cornell’s players will take a hint and quit their awful antics.

    Rob Pannell, who played lacrosse for Cornell from 2008-2013, said “In my five-plus years as a member of the Cornell lacrosse family, I can confidently say that no hazing took place.” It is sad to see such a negative turn around from players. This cannot be tolerated and it is a good thing that the Cornell administration. The decision was made within the university and was not enforced by NCAA. The team has previously had a great reputation, and will hopefully be able to get back to that soon, but will have to rest up this season.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah-_aTvyVLc

    Image via Youtube

  • FAMU Hazing: Band Finally Takes the Field

    After being suspended for nearly two years due to a hazing scandal, the Florida A&M University marching band made its return to the field on Sunday. The once popular Marching 100 band performed during the FAMU Rattlers season-opener against Mississippi Valley State. This marked the first time in almost 22 months that the marching band performed on a football field.

    Marching 100 came under fire after one of its band members, Robert Champion, was killed during a hazing incident. The 26-year-old drum major died because of injuries sustained during a beating following a football game on November 19, 2011. The hazing involved band members removing their shirt and walking down the aisle of a bus while being beaten with fists, drum sticks and other objects. According to another student, Champion was beaten excessively and eventually collapsed. After unsuccessful CPR attempts, Champion died of internal bleeding.

    As a result of Champion’s death, the marching program was suspended and 15 band members were charged. Twelve of the band members were charged with manslaughter while two others were charged with third-degree felony hazing. FAMU has tried to reach a settlement with the Champion family and offered $300,000, but the Champions rejected the offer. The family is currently pursuing a wrongful-death lawsuit against the university and feels that the Marching 100 program was resurrected too quickly. “I don’t see anything that’s different to ensure the safety of those students,” Pam Champion said. “Everything that has been put in place is not something that was done voluntarily.”

    The 400-plus member marching band was very popular prior to the hazing death, and the suspension of the program was a blow to the university. Even though Marching 100 brings back painful memories, many FAMU students and alumni are ready to put the past behind them and were happy to see the band back in action.

    In addition to getting to see Marching 100 take the field, many fans were equally excited to see Tracy Martin, father of Trayvon Martin, lead the football team out on the field before the game. FAMU, a historically black college, named Martin the honorary captain of the team. Martin has been working with the football program after George Zimmerman was acquitted of murder charges relating to the 2012 shooting death.

    Image via YouTube

  • Towson Hazing No Tolerance; Cheerleaders Suspended

    Thursday, officials from Towson University announced a one-year suspension for the Towson Tigers cheerleading squad as punishment for allegedly disobeying Towson’s hazing policies. An anonymous tip sparked an investigation earlier this month. Towson was founded in 1866 and is located eight miles north of Baltimore, Maryland.

    “Hazing in any form will not be tolerated at Towson University,” vice president for student affairs, Deb Moriarty vowed. Moriarty explained that more information was being withheld to protect students’ privacy and rights, “that includes their right to appeal the suspension.” The head cheerleading coach, Edy Pratt, was instructed not to comment.

    The cheerleading team took first place in April at the National Cheerleaders Association’s collegiate championship. That win gave them an automatic place in this year’s competition however, performances at competitions and athletic events, as well as practices, are forbidden with the suspension. The team can appeal through next week. Moriarty says the university will look to its fan development program to carry the spirit at events.

    Suspension of an entire team may be the exception, not the rule, according to Jim Lord, executive director of the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators. “I have never heard of a whole team getting suspended.”

    Universities have long struggled with hazing on teams and at sororities and fraternities. In 2011, a Florida A&M drum major, Robert Champion, died due to a hazing incident. The band will make its comeback on Sunday after two years of reorganization following Champion’s death. The University initiated several standards designed to prevent future hazing tragedies including a new code of conduct, anti-hazing research and refreshed reporting and investigating protocols.

    HazingPrevention.Org, a 5-year-old group whose mission is to empower people to prevent college and university hazing, is currently sponsoring the fourth running of #40 Answers 2013 a Twitter-based campaign that precedes National Hazing Prevention Week, September 23-27. The Week is also sponsored by HPO, which was originated when the Association of Fraternity Advisors decided a national symposium on the issue was warranted.

    [Image via Towson University website.]

  • Northbridge Hazing: Football Team at the Center

    On August 19, several football players on the Northbridge High School football team allegedly pressured a freshman player into drinking urine. The incident happened because, as the freshman claims, he “lost a sled pad race” in the locker room.

    After losing the race, the freshman says he was encouraged to take a swig from a gallon jug containing urine. He spat out the sip almost immediately after he took it. He is uninterested in filing charges against the four juniors who pressured him, who were suspended from the school. There were no indications that physical force was used to make the freshman drink the urine.

    The school released a press statement about the incident that reads: “The Northbridge Public School District takes all incidents of hazing seriously, and follows strict protocols whenever an incident occurs. We do a thorough investigation, and apply appropriate consequences that match the seriousness of the situation. We also report the incident to the police as required by law. The law prohibits us from releasing any names or details of the incident, or commenting on the consequences that were given to students. It is unfortunate that this hazing incident has occurred. It does not reflect the true nature of the Northbridge Schools. We stress respect and good sportsmanship in all our programs, and are proud of the maturity, responsibility, and sensitivity of our students. We will continue to work with students to emphasize the prohibition on all forms of hazing and bullying, while administering suitable consequences to deter future incidents.”

    Northbridge High School’s athletic director, Al Richards, after reporters suggested that the public would want to know if criminal activity was taking place at the school, said that “the parents of the so-called victim don’t want anything to happen. It was kids being kids. That’s their attitude. End of story.”

    For an extended article on this story, see the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

    [Image via a local news broadcast on Youtube about the subject]

  • Dartmouth Hazing: Fraternity Slapped with 3 Years Probation

    The Dartmouth hazing perpetrated by some individuals of questionable moral standing at Sigma Alpha Epsilon finally has a bit of closure. In a letter to the fraternity sent on Friday, Associate Dean of the College for Campus Life April Thompson said that the Organizational Adjudication Committee panel had found SAE responsible for a series of hazings in 2009 and for providing minors with alcoholic beverages in 2011.

    The fraternity was given three years probation. Additionally, SAE will have to participate in a series of educational programs as a result of their impossibly heinous behavior. No word yet if any lessons were learned in the process, though I suppose only time will tell if the frat will straighten up their act.

    “Consistent with the specific behaviors involved and the OAC sanctioning guidelines, the OAC imposed a three-term probationary period and an extensive series of educational requirements on SAE,” Thompson wrote in her letter to the Dartmouth community. 27 people were originally fingered in the hazings, though these individual charges were later dropped.

    Sigma Alpha Epsilon is apparently a pretty rowdy group, engaging in a number of peculiar hazing events aimed at fraternity pledges. Scenarios listed in Thompsons’s letter included forcing folks to swim in kiddie pools filled with food, take copious shots of saltwater or alcohol, and run through public areas while donning formal dresses. Although more disturbing behavior was reported by various sources — anyone interested in chowing down on a vomit omelete? — Dartmouth officials could not confirm the legitimacy of these horrifying allegations.

    Despite the ruling, some people believe school officials aren’t taking the hazings seriously.

    Andrew Lohse, a 22 year-old member of SEA, stated in an email, “The sanctions against SAE are a slap on the wrist and proof that the college just isn’t serious – and proof that these organizations can lie with impunity.” Other students have claimed that hazing is endemic of the Dartmouth experience.

    Regardless of whether or not this sort of behavior is the norm, the end result is nothing short of horrifying. It’s a shame that people feel the need to treat others in this manner, particularly when everyone is simply attempting to better themselves. As you can see, those who have been following this story on Twitter are equally as disgusted.

    (image)@Twiggy1000
    Hanna Christine    Seriously read the most messed up article about hazing at Dartmouth college in fraternities. The way they haze the pledges are horrible.(image) 2 days ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@MirandaMammen
    Miranda Mammen    Truly horrifying piece on frat culture at Dartmouth. Read it, but not before, during, or after eating. http://t.co/Oj3s6gme?(image) 1 day ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@hereandnow
    Here & Now    Dartmouth student tells of being forced to eat omeletes made with vomit as part of fraternity hazing http://t.co/xoQzxg2M(image) 1 day ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto