By Danielle Marano
Staff Writer
Hazing, a word often talked about in colleges and universities by both fraternities and sororities, as well as non-members of these groups. The word portrays controversial views of these specific groups. Many schools, including Post, do not permit hazing because of its possible dangers. The news often features stories about tragedies associated with hazing, as well as Greek organizations that were banned for partaking in hazing during recruitment process to induct new members.
Chiara Marangelli, a junior Elementary Education major, was initiated into Alpha Epsilon Phi in the spring of 2014. Alpha Epsilon Phi supposedly does not haze the recruits, like some other Greek organizations at Post. Members of the sorority feel very strongly about staying away from the stereotype of Greek hazing.
“We don’t haze because we want Greeks to be seen in a positive light,” Marangelli said. “We want to teach girls about our values and traditions without embarrassing or humiliating them.”
Marangelli added that there are more positive ways to bring girls into Greek life. “We mostly just try to befriend the girls and help them to befriend each other. We want to be really close; that’s why we call ourselves sisters,” she said.
Victor Ramirez, a senior Marketing major, is a member of Phi Iota Alpha. He went through the recruitment process without being hazed, to join his fraternity in fall 2013. “During my initiation and the process to join, I went to workshops that were run by the older brothers in the fraternity,” Ramirez said. “They taught us about the history of the organization and educated us.” According to Ramirez, hazing is not a problem in Greek life here. “We do not haze because we make better use of our time. We’d rather create a strong brotherhood,” he said.
I personally believe that hazing does happen, but Greek organizations would not admit to it. That said, I don’t think every organization hazes their recruits. It seems as though it depends on the specific fraternity or sorority. In one story I have heard from a friend at another school, a freshmen who was pledging a sorority had to basically be a slave to the sisters of that organization in order to become a member. This is not an acceptable way to treat people, regardless of whether or not they’re a member yet. I would never want to join a group of people that require me to embarrass, hurt, or offend others to be a part of an organization.
Be First to Comment