Hazing 101

     In the last three years, four Greek organizations have been disciplined for hazing by the Dean of Students as stated in an email sent to over 36,000 students last Tuesday.

The Greek chapters that have been disciplined over the last three years for hazing are: Lambda Theta Alpha, Beta Mu Chapter; Alpha Epsilon Pi, Mu Gamma Colony; Sigma Phi Epsilon, Texas Beta Chapter; and Pi Beta Phi, Texas Epsilon Chapter that are a part of the Pan-Hellenic council. 

Jonathan Zerulik,   senior associate of student affairs, is in charge of handling any hazing accusations. He is also in charge in the type of punishment the group receives.

“What happened and the risk involved in the activity tells us what we should do,” said Zerulik. “It can be from someone drinking a gallon of milk to someone being forced to do push-ups.”

Zerulik states that someone submits a report and an investigation begins to see if there is adequate evidence to consider it hazing. They notify the group or individual they are under investigation and allow each party to share their side of the story.

Once they put together the evidence to see if it constitutes as hazing; then the group is put on probation. Probation can include no social events, new member activities to be supervised, and completion of an educational program on hazing.

The email went on to further explain that hazing does not have to be committed on campus in order for organizations to be punished. If someone knows of hazing, encourages it, or participate in the hazing process they will be prosecuted as well. Fines can range from $500-$10,000 and jail time depending on the crime.

            The hazing policy is available on the UNT website and explains what the university considers as hazing. Any type of activity that can risk a person’s mental and physical health is defined as hazing. 

Brianna Medonza, alumni of the Pi Beta Phi chapter, gave her opinion on the school’s definition of hazing.

“What I’ve learned is that it all boils down to perception,” Medonza said. “The definition of hazing is so vague that ultimately any activity could be classified under one of those categories by an outsider with a vivid imagination”

A group of students known as Peer Advocates advise students and groups on the Code of Conduct.  Their mission is to provide support and information to groups during the discipline process.

“There [are] a lot of stereotypes about hazing, such as only fraternities and sororities haze or hazing only involves drinking,” Kai Henderson, one of the Peer Advocates, said.  “A student who is getting hazed may not recognize it is hazing due to the hazing activities not fitting with the stereotype,”

  Anyone can call and report activities they believe to be considered hazing.  The number is 940-369- STOP (7867) and it will notify the school immediately.