RARE RECRUITMENT, ACCEPTANCE, RETENTION AND EDUCATION

1. RARERECRUITMENT, ACCEPTANCE, RETENTION AND EDUCATION ENDING PLEDGING AS WE KNOW IT Report of Draft Recommendations: April 29, 2012 CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

2. Table of Contents CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

3. Greek Life at Cornell, after 144 years, is at a tipping point. The Greek Community has a choice – We can recognize and respond to threats like dangerous hazing and high risk drinking or – We can cease to exist. An Imperative CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

4. RARE – Recruitment, Acceptance, Retention and Education – is a task force focused on hazing prevention within Cornell’s Greek community • RARE is now sharing its draft recommendations • Cornell has not approved these recommendations • RARE’s dialogue with key stakeholders, to review and refine these recommendations, will continue until final approvals are received in October Disclaimers CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

5. Established in 1868 • Successive administrations have reaffirmed support • “Freedom with responsibility” and self-governance provide a positive learning opportunity • Importance of aligning fraternities and sororities with academic values • Greek members, at their best, symbolize leadership, independence, scholastic achievement and service • Greek life at Cornell must adapt and respond to challenges to remain relevant and strong Greek Life at Cornell CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

6. Top Ten, Historic, Well Regarded, and Strong 64 3,647 26% 1,249 Chapters Members Undergrads that are Greek New Members 48 1,778 19,720 $176K Greek Life at Cornell Houses Housing Capacity Service & Advocacy Hours Funds for Charity CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

7. Complaints Processed Through Greek Judiciary System Greek Life at Cornell CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

8. Current Initiatives • Dartmouth Collaborative • Recruitment, Acceptance, Retention and Education (RARE) • Four Quarter System • Recognition Policy Greek Life at Cornell CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

9. National call Eliminate hazing Hazing defined as…. “End pledging as we know it….” Create a better Greek system Not providing all the answers Challenge to Students, Alumni, University President Skorton’s Challenge CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

10. He’s not a Greek…eliminating pledging will destroy tradition and create “paper members” Pledging and hazing are not the same thing!! The question is “What Should Greek Life Look Like at Cornell?” Why focus on Greeks? Sports teams…even the Band hazes new members. Take the right step - eliminate the Greek system altogether. Students will drink and hazing will continue – as they have for decades. President Skorton’s Challenge – First Glance CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

11. Re-examine recruiting and initiation new member process • “End pledging as we know it” • Develop an appropriate process …welcome new members….free of degradation, humiliation or any other form of hazing. • Promote the founding values…recognize each group has unique information, positive traditions and rituals • Base (new process) on mutual respect and dignity President Skorton’s Challenge – The Charge CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

12. Launched in Fall 2011 • 24 members, representing undergraduate Greek leaders, alumni Greek leaders, Greek national presidents, subject matter experts, administrators and faculty • 13 members are current undergraduates, which is essential to our mandate • Graduations, implementation in second year, will require reconstitution of members and leaders RARE Task Force CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

13. RARE’s Mandate CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

14. RARE Phases One to Four CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

15. 1870 - 1899 Cornell’s History CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

16. Statement On Hazing At Cornell Over Time “Hazing goes against all the ideals of fraternities: cooperation, trust and brotherhood. Let‟s work together to eliminate it.” 1982 1874 “We have strict rules against hazing.” “Hazing is the one offense in Cornell University for which students are expelled, sent away never to return or to go to any other college.” 1904 “Hazing is an immature, dangerous act that serves no useful purpose…. Remember: hazing can kill” 1981 Cornell’s History CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

17. “Remarkable Comeback” of dangerous hazing behavior reported by Sun, ‘61 • 1968 – Phi Kappa Psi – hazing pledges • 1970 – Chi Psi – indecent student left in sorority • 1973 – Zeta Psi pledge – 2nd degree burns from branding ritual Elimination of alcohol during initiation and use of “repulsive food” for pledges, 1967 IFC reviews of initiation practices, 1968 NYS Anti-Hazing Law, 1980, 1983 IFC Legislation increases penalties to fines and expulsion, exempts secret rituals, 1980 Pledge Education Committee Updated Campus Code of Conduct, 2002 Sunshine Policy, hazing.cornell.edu, 2005 Dartmouth Collaborative, RARE, Cornell outdoor Education program, 2011-12 • Numerous incidents reported - 80-90’s • 3/95 Beating and hospitalization of a freshman, Alpha Phi Alpha, most serious Avg of 3 reported serious incidents per yr 60% of fraternities believed to have hazed PiKA, SAE, TKE lose recognition Death of George Desdunes ‘13 Cornell’s History • Excerpts from “An Overview of Hazing-Related Issues at Cornell University” Compiled by Corey Ryan Earle ’07, 1/11 CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

18. Death of Robert Champion, Florida A&M drum major on November 19, 2011 ruled a homicide, creating a focus on an “unsanctioned tradition of hazing.” • Binghamton suspends pledging for all chapters and begins investigation due to serious increase in hazing claims, April 2012. • Duke launched a strong anti-hazing campaign, including encouraging reporting from anyone with information. Received 17 reports for 2011-12 year to date, compared to 7-9 the previous two academic years. Recent Hazing News CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

19. 2008 National Collaborative Study on Hazing Research and Prevention: • 55% of members of student clubs, teams and organizations experience hazing • 95% of hazing that occurs goes unreported • 73% of fraternity and sorority member had experienced one incident of hazing • 74% of varsity athletes had experienced one incident of hazing Dr. Susan Lipkins, insidehazing.com, from studies of fraternity and sorority members • 65% of respondents agree that the primary goal of an initiation is to bond. • 57% of respondents agree that it is important to tolerate psychological stress. • 31% of respondents agree that a significant element in an initiation rite is humiliation. • 29% of respondents agree that extreme consumption is often part of an initiation. • 29% of respondents agree that it is important to tolerate physical pain. • 29% of respondents agree that they are concerned with the overuse of alcohol during pledge activities. • 25% of respondents agree that initiation usually involves the use of paddles Hazing Research CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

20. National Study of Student HazingUniversity of Maine, 2007 Drs. Elizabeth Allen & Mary Madden • Sample: 1,482 full-time students aged 18 to 25 years, 53 universities/colleges Key Findings: • More than half (55%) of students report that they experienced a specific behavior that is defined as hazing. However, 91% of these students do not identify as having been hazed. • 47% of students report they were hazed in high school. Hazing Research CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

21. National Study of Student Hazing (continued) Common types of college hazing activities that participants report: Hazing Research CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

22. National Survey: Initiation Rites and Athletics for NCAA Sports Teams Alfred University, August 1999 
Dr. Nadine C. Hoover, Principal Investigator • Sample: 2,027 NCAA athletes across 224 colleges/universities Key Findings: • 79% of respondents reported experiencing some kind of hazing activities • 19% experienced a questionable hazing activity that was humiliating or degrading • 39% experienced an alcohol-related hazing activity • 21% experienced an unacceptable hazing activity that was unsafe and could result in injury or criminal violations Hazing Research CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

23. National Survey: Initiation Rites and Athletics for NCAA Sports Teams (continued) • When these data are projected to the national population, there are estimates that over a quarter of a million NCAA athletes were hazed. • One in five athletes participated solely in non-hazing teambuilding activities (e.g. ropes courses) • 42% of the respondents indicated that they consumed alcohol when they visited colleges or universities for team recruitment • Nearly half of the athletes surveyed reported that they drank alcohol as part of a team initiation Hazing Research CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

24. National Survey: Initiation Rites and Athletics for NCAA Sports Teams (continued) • The athletes who were at greatest risk of being hazed through a team initiation met were males, non-fraternity members, soccer players, lacrosse players and swimmers or divers. • The athletes who are at greatest risk of being subjected to unacceptable hazing behaviors that are unsafe and could result in injury or criminal violations includemales, swimmers or divers, football players and water polo players. • Female athletes were more likely to have been subjected to alcohol-related hazing than to other forms of hazing, if they were hazed Hazing Research CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

25. Hazing Research CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

26. Hazing Research CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

27. Cornell Campus Code of Conduct (Article II.A.1.f)
“To haze another person, regardless of the person’s consent to participate. …endangering the physical health of an individual or causing mental distress… President Skorton’s “A Call to Lead”, CDS, 8.29.2011
Hazing is any act that, as a condition for group membership, humiliates, intimidates, abuses or endangers any person — regardless of the person’s consent to participate. New York State Law §120.16 and §120.17 A person is guilty of hazing if…in the course of initiation or affiliation with any organization…creates a substantial risk of physical injury Definition of Hazing CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

28. Hazing may be: • Subtle - emphasizing a power imbalance between new and active members • Harassment - causing emotional anguish or physical discomfort, confusing, frustrating or causing undue stress • Violent – having the potential to cause physical, emotional and/or psychological harm • Voluntary or Involuntary – may occur with or without consent • Examples of Hazing: use of alcohol; forced eating; paddling; creation of excessive fatigue; physical and psychological shocks; quests, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips; wearing of inappropriate or degrading apparel; engaging in public stunts and buffoonery; morally degrading or humiliating games and activities Definition of Hazing CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

29. Hazing in history dates back centuries – to pre-industrial societies (ie Germany in the 1400’s) • Hazing occurs across many cultures and around the world. It is an “equal opportunity disgrace” (Hank Nuwer) • Hazing begins early in life – not just at college • Hazing occurs in many student organizations, not just Greeks • Hazing is “sticky and persistent” as a human behavior (Aldo Cimino) Defining the Problem CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

30. Hazing is driven by culture, tradition, group behavior and power dynamics between individuals • Hazing escalates during certain behaviors, for example drinking large amounts of alcohol to join or maintain membership • Over 80% of hazing deaths involve alcohol • Students often recognize certain physical acts as hazing, but less so non-physical activities Defining the Problem CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

31. Efforts to eradicate hazing have failed for more than a century • Hazing is complex, making it difficult to answer key questions with available studies: • Is hazing getting worse? • Are hazing-prevention initiatives effective? • Is hazing just receiving more press/attention? • Does social media or the internet increase hazing? • It is clear rules, laws and enforcement alone cannot prevent hazing – it is about culture Defining the Problem CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

32. Membership in Greek organization is a lifetime commitment – not to be entered into lightly. Recruitment alone does not prepare the chapter or the candidate for this commitment. Pledging enables a candidate to reaffirm compatibility, learn the values and history of the organization, and experience the expectations of membership. The chapter too needs to confirm compatibility and to assess whether the candidate will be a reliable and committed member. Pledging is a promise, not a person. Actions performed to educate pre-initiates on various aspects deemed (justifiably) important to the chapter and/or the organization. Pledging is a series of activities designed to educate new members, bond them together, create cohesion with the chapter, and instill an individual and collective feeling of accomplishment through a rite of passage. Pledging and Hazing – Positive Views CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

33. Hazing practices have caused deaths and injuries after fraternity leaders subjected pledges to dangerous tasks like binge drinking, locking them in enclosed spaces or asking them to perform risky physical stunts. Hazing practices are not only dangerous to the individuals who must perform them, but they also compromise the reputation and integrity of the fraternity as a whole. Mara Tyler, eHow Pledging and hazing are synonymous. All of the negative things associated with pledging occur during the hazing process. Hazing refers to the hazardous initiation rituals, customs or traditions new pledges must endure in order to be accepted into full membership. Pledging and Hazing – Negative Views CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

34. When is pledging in fact hazing? • Does the activity add to the development of the new member personally, academically or professionally? • Does the activity exclude new members as “pledges” or include them as brothers or sisters? • What is being asked of new members and is it acceptable to you? • Would it be acceptable if it was done to you? • Is the activity healthy and related to the group you are joining? • Is the activity questionable to you, your friends, your parents, the University, police, or if read in tomorrow’s paper? Pledging and Hazing CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

35. To change Greek culture, where hazing norms are integral to many rituals and traditions, and embraced as a “rite of passage”, requires major change • Change must occur at the individual, the interactional, and the organizational levels • Not a short term initiative or an incremental set of reforms but a long term effort to enforce among Greek members that hazing is inappropriate behavior • Change is possible by building upon the exceptional values of Greek life (i.e. leadership, fellowship, scholarship, and philanthropy) and emphasizing that hazing is not compatible with these values. This means: • Greek members refrain from hazing • Greek members are responsible for ensuring that their peers do not haze and report hazing incidents when they do occur • Greek organizations  strictly discipline members who do engage in hazing and those who do not report it when it does occur • The bandwidth of solutions must be broad and engage all stakeholders, as there is no magic bullet…no rule or law that can be dictated or driven from “the top” Changing Greek Culture CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

36. Close the Greek system • Lower drinking age to 18 for college students • Make Greek housing co-ed • Eliminate all conditional membership • Make Cornell a dry campus and/or a dry Greek system • Greek housing for juniors and seniors only • Eliminate all Greek residences; convert to social clubs • Convert all private Greek houses to university ownership/control • Defer membership to sophomore year Solutions Not Adopted CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

37. Require alumni/national to supervise entire intake process • Create separate Greek residential college (like freshmen on North Campus) • Prohibit all off campus membership intake activities • Immediate Greek chapter and membership suspension for any hospitalization; require program attendance by involved parties and officers for reinstatement • Establish faculty in residence in every house • Harshly punish/expel chapter and individual hazers as an example – zero tolerance • No freshman access to Greek houses during social events Solutions Not Adopted CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

38. To be Greek is to be a leader, a scholar, a person of character, athletic and an inspiration to others • Membership is and should remain a lifetime privilege • Criteria for selection and retention should set a high standard for membership • Raising the bar builds a stronger community from the ground up, and over time possibly a larger community • A community that raises itself up is more likely to thrive • Embracing the positive values, norms and beliefs that define Greek culture – and establishing explicitly what is and is not appropriate behavior – must be the personal objective of each and every member of the community Raising the Bar CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

39. To be Greek at Cornell is to: • Accept and strive for a higher standard in all respects • Promulgate and adhere to shared values, for example leadership, scholarship, service and responsibility, befitting all Cornellians • Develop and participate in a character building process, common for the entire community • Establish and adhere to self-governance standards that are best practice, not minimum requirements • Foster the belief that hazing is contrary to Greek life and unacceptable at every level - individuals, leaders, chapters and the community • Be a member of a community that emphasizes its basic values - free from the dangers of hazing, excessive use of alcohol and other drugs, violence, and sexual assault • Accept the responsibility individually to act when hazing behavior occurs and prevent harm to fellow Greek members Raising the Bar CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

40. A community is only as strong as its weakest link • A tragedy is a failure of the entire system, not just a failure of an individual, a small group or one chapter • Individuals who are predisposed, or conditioned, to haze others will always attempt to join the community • Alcohol and drug abuse, while prohibited, are ever present and produce a toxic mix when combined with hazing • The disconnect between national guidelines and local “traditions” is a systemic flaw that can reappear • The turnover of all participants – students, parents, alumni, national representatives and administrators – produces short term reactions and relapses Minimum Standards CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

41. Research into hazing and cultural change demonstrate that these are persistent and complex issues • Cornell’s Greek community, like Cornell itself, is a diverse collection of individuals, chapters and councils • A comprehensive approach is needed to address the destructive, corrosive and dangerous activities referred to by President Skorton in his challenge to “end pledging as we know it” • While we cannot transforms an entire culture, we can transform certain parts of the culture. Greek life has some wonderful values and those are critical for changing the norms surrounding hazing • The critical and most important step we recommend taking is to build the One Cornell Greek Community • Further changes at the individual, chapter, council, alumni, university, and community levels must also be made to effect real and lasting results and to create a Greek community at Cornell that is a national standard A Comprehensive Approach CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

42. Create the Cornell Lifelong Education & Membership (CLEM) Program • Building One Cornell Greek Community • Welcomes new members into one community (before individual chapters create boundaries and introduce reckless and high-risk behavior) • Intensive education and social programs built around values common to the Cornell Greek community, for example: • Leadership, Scholarship, Service & Responsibility Greek Community CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

43. CLEM (continued) • Building One Cornell Greek Community • Two weeks of compulsory classes and activities • Attend as new members in cohorts (ie dorms, Greek letter “alpha”, houses), including men and women, all councils • All Greek active members participate in activities (not new classes) alongside, without letters, and equal to new members • Designed by students, alumni and professionals • Coordinated by VP, Memberships of Councils • Requires scaled back chapter new member process Greek Community CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

44. CLEM (continued) • Building One Cornell Greek Community • Creates marketing opportunities for the community and councils under four quarter system • Integrate current activities like Greek Week, Greek 101, and other programs now running independently • Consider program activities like Greek Olympics, charities and service projects, COE for entire audience • Community demonstrates strong advocacy for the vast majority of Greek members who are individuals of character Greek Community CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

45. Modifications to Existing New Member Process • Eliminate the words “pledge”, “pledging”, and other derogatory terms meant to separate new and active members • Reduce new member intake process duration • Written plan for new member process must be approved annually by national and alumni reps • Prospective members submit applications for membership – academics, references, rationale • Anti-hazing certificates earned annually by all members required to complete education program • Random interviews of new members and exit interviews of those not completing new member process Greek Community CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

46. Focus on Academic Excellence • New & existing members to maintain a minimum of 2.5 GPA • Prospective members below 2.5 GPA are deferred • Chapters to maintain a 3.0 GPA or better • Greek “suspension” process for individuals or chapters falling below GPA requirement • Greek mentorship program and access to other academic resources to encourage brothers and sisters to excel • Develop a rewards program for highly performing academic chapters • Drop in GPA penalties changes from social probation to restricted or reduced recruitment the following year Greek Community CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

47. Four Year Education Model • New member education program for each chapter based on national requirements • Chapter-focused education for sophomores and juniors – i.e. officer development, house management, budgeting, event planning, communications, crisis and risk management • Leadership, internship and career guidance for juniors and seniors, i.e. networking, entrepreneurship, international markets, marketing, social media, personal brand management, writing for business • Chapters responsible for developing own education models supported by council and university resources Greek Community CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

48. Live-In Advisors • Required for new and “at risk” chapters • Not effective or cost efficient for well performing chapters • At risk chapters to be identified by low tier ratings, failure to address audit findings, judicial incidents or other sources • Minimum four year period for live-in advisory period • Prefer Greek alumni as advisors but not mandatory Greek Community CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

49. Hire Hazing Specialist for All Campus Organizations/Teams • Promote National Hazing Hotline • Develop “Real Life, Real Hazing” film of Cornellians (students, alumni, advisors, administrators etc.) in short stories about hazing and its effects • Create a “Bystanders Group” - members from each chapter to train all members to educate, identify and intervene in hazing • Develop a sophomore “Break the Cycle” program • Develop other programs using PDSA methodology • Promote adoption of national hazing legislation, improved state law language • Create a national anti-hazing campaign like DD&D Greek Community CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY

50. University Standards Set for Greek Chapters • Expand rating (EOY) system to four tiers to create more meaningful measurement of chapter performance and success of RARE initiatives • Base Tier Ratings Criteria on core values, for example - Academic, Leadership, Service, and Responsibility • Quarterly self-reporting using tier ratings process • Quarterly reviews undertaken by chapter officers, alumni advisors and council officers; reported to OFSIL annually • Underperforming chapters on a quarterly basis are subject to audits initially by alumni advisors; more serious by RMC Greek Community CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT ONLY