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Cal Poly sorority facing hazing investigation

February 22, 2013

Chi Delta Theta sororityCal Poly officials are investigating a hazing allegation against an Asian-American interest sorority.

Dean of Students Jean DeCosta said the university received an anonymous tip that hazing had occurred within the Chi Delta Theta sorority, but would not specify as to the type of alleged behavior. DeCosta said Chi Delta Theta must suspend all activities while the Greek Life Coordinator and the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities conduct an investigation.

Cal Poly defines hazing as “any activity that causes physical or emotional harm, degradation or humiliation during initiation into a student organization.”

“It’s anything where we believe people are asked to do something as a condition to their membership that is against their will,” DeCosta said.

The university conducts about three hazing investigations each year. Punishment for organizations found to commit hazing can range from suspension of activities for a few months to loss of affiliation with the university.

The investigation is expected to last a week.

 


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The only way to insure that Greek Societies comply with school rules is to make all members responsible for the group actions.

If the is suspended from activities on campus all members must also be suspended from classes.

When the group is affected will the group control their actions.


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Insert “group” before “is”.


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I never understood the whole anti-hazing movement. If you don’t want to be hazed, don’t join a house that does it. Wait… That would make people responsible for their own actions. Silly me, never mind!


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Welcome to the college experience; some things never change. As for Cal Poly, you’ll never get the truth out of them on matters such as these. Jean DeCosta is Cal Poly first line of defense making sure that Cal Poly is not liable or receives any bad press for anything; she’s far from being a problem solver. Cal Poly in general puts more effort into making sure they don’t get blamed for problems than they do constructively dealing with problems.


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Forcing or requiring initiates to drink to the point of black out is hazing. Physical abuse or punishment crosses the line as well.


On the other end, I am less inclined to consider a certain degree of ritualistic activity all bad. For instance, part of my pledging experience included mandatory dressing up (shirt and tie) and daily runs and flag raises.


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Most organizations have initiations that instruct their prospective members on the duties and obligations of membership. Usually these obligations revolve around the paying of dues and binding each other to common goals and interests.


Unfortunately, all too often groups try to cement their bonds to each other by forcing an initiate to undergo some extreme event that they would normally avoid. This sort of behavior is more descriptive of a cult or a gang with loyalties transcending social and legal norms.


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