Hazing and the Student Experience Su Bartlett- Assistant Director of Fraternity & Sorority Life

1. Hazing and the Student Experience Su Bartlett- Assistant Director of Fraternity & Sorority Life Gantt Center for Student Life OrgSync Presentation

2. Trampled for a Wii? “There are so many realtors doing it the right way, It seemed senseless there wasn’t strategic and operational planning here” – Burt Flickinger, managing director for Strategic Resource Group “It is a recipe for disaster, and that’s what happened here” – Police commissioner Trampled for a Wii: -a worker trampled to death -had no experience in crowd control -placed at the entrance because of his hulking frame -crowd estimated at 2,000 strong broke down the doors in pursuit of the bargains on sale -Damour, 34 died of asphyxiation -Damour had not been trained for any security assignments and had no background in crowd control -the store lacked the adequate security for that type of crowd -Police had been on the scene at 3am (an hour before the doors opened) but left after about half an hour when the crowd was calm -fact: Retailers can attract massive crowds if they promise amazing savings and limit the inventory or availability of the sale items to a few hours Click Here for Video

3. Trampled for a Wii -Creating an unmanageable situation (giant crowd) -Playing on consumers desire and materialism -Victim not adequately trained to deal with situation -Neglect of persons in crowd to act or react appropriately -Lack of responsibility and leadership Key Points:

4. Trampled for a Wii a type of thought within a deeply cohesive in-group whose members try to minimize conflict and reach consensus without critically testing, analyzing, and evaluating ideas. It is a second potential negative consequence of group cohesion. Groupthink • Symptoms of Groupthink: • Invulnerability: Members ignore obvious danger, take extreme risk and are overly optimistic • -Rationalism: Members discredit and explain away warning contrary to group thinking • -Morality: Members believe their decisions are morally correct, ignoring the ethical consequences of their decisions • -Stereotyping: The group constructs negative stereotypes of rivals outside the group • Conformity: pressure anyone who expresses arguments against the group’s stereotypes, illusions, or commitments, viewing such opposition as disloyalty • Self-Censorship: Members withhold their dissenting views and counter-arguments • Unanimity: Members perceive falsly that everyone agrees with the groups decision, silence is seen as consent • Mind guards: Some members appoint themselves to the role of protecting the group from adverse information that might threaten group complancency

5. Trampled for a Wii Click Here for Video Factors of Bystander Behavior: -Diffusion of Responsibility: This occurs when observers all assume that someone else is going to intervene and so each individual feels less responsible and refrains from doing anything. -Bystanders monitor the reactions of other people in the emergency situation to see if others think that it is necessary to intervene. Since everyone is doing exactly the same thing (nothing), they all conclude from the inaction that help is not needed -people assume that other bystanders are more qualified to help, such as doctors or police officers -Assume intervention is not needed -Fear of losing face in front of the other bystanders -Fear of being superseded by a superior helper -Fear of offering unwanted assistance

6. Hazing Your Definition Think about it: What is your definition of hazing?

7. Hazing Clemson Students Said: “The act of bullying in order to be accepted by certain social groups” “Physical, mental, or emotional harm” “Manipulation” “possibly dangerous” “creating an ‘obstacle’ as part entrance into a group” “Peer pressure” “Public Humiliation” “Emotional Distress” “making a person complete tasks to join your group” “Any action or treatment towards an individual(s) that is harmful, humiliating and/or degrading perpetrated by a person or persons with power over the individual, or group of individuals.”

8. Definition Clemson University Policy: “No student shall engage in hazing. Hazing is defined as any mental or physical requirement, request or obligation, implied or stated, that could cause discomfort, pain, fright, disgrace, or injury to any person or that violates University policy or any federal, state, or local law for the purpose of initiation, admission into or affiliation with or as a condition for continued membership in an organization. Organizations are defined as those entities, which are chartered, registered or sanctioned by the University.”

9. Consequences University Intervention: -Personal action with OCES -Organizational action with OCES -Loss of organizational recognition Legal Claims: -Assault -Battery -Negligence -Premises Liability -Social Host Liability South Carolina Law: (4) "Hazing" means the wrongful striking, laying open hand upon, threatening with violence, or offering to do bodily harm by a superior student to a subordinate student with intent to punish or injure the subordinate student, or other unauthorized treatment by the superior student of a subordinate student of a tyrannical, abusive, shameful, insulting, or humiliating nature. (B) Hazing at all state supported universities, colleges, and public institutions of higher learning is prohibited. When an investigation has disclosed substantial evidence that a student has committed an act or acts of hazing, the student may be dismissed, expelled, suspended, or punished as the president considers appropriate. -Injury -Emotional Trauma -Death

10. Identifying Hazing -Would I feel comfortable participating in this activity if my parents were watching? -Would we get in trouble if the Dean of Students or VP of Student Affairs walked by? -Am I being asked to keep these activities a secret? -Am I doing anything illegal? -Does participation violate my values or those of my organization? -Is it causing any kind of stress or distress to me or anyone else? Unsure if its hazing? Ask yourself these questions:

11. What can YOU do? -Notice hazing -Interpret hazing as a problem -Recognize a responsibility to change it. -Acquire the skills to take action. -Take action!

12. Resources -www.hazingprevention.org -www.stophazing.org -Gantt Center for Student Life -Your organizations bylaws or headquarters (if applicable)

13. Works Cited -www.stophazing.org -www.hazingprevention.org/ Interdisciplinary Institute for Hazing Intervention handouts Hazing in View: College Students at Risk, Initial findings from the National Study of Student Hazing: Allan, E.J. Ph.D. Madden, M. Ph.D. College of Education and Human Development, University of Maine, March 11, 2008. “Trampled for a Wii?” Burns, Derek, Butler University and Claybrook, Randy: University of Alabama, Butler University. Adapted for Delta Tau Delta Fraternity.