Greeks push against hazing

This week, UCF's Greek organizations are observing the annual National Hazing Prevention Week, an opportunity for campuses, schools, communities, organizations and individuals to promote the prevention of hazing, a nationwide phenomenon.

According to the National Study of Student Hazing recorded by the National Collaborative for Hazing Research and Prevention, 55 percent of college students involved in clubs, teams and organizations experience some form of hazing, which can occur in, but extends beyond, varsity athletics and Greek-letter organizations.

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"National Hazing Prevention Week is a time for the UCF community to come together and express its stance against hazing through hosting events and speakers," said Ian Stecher, the Interfraternity Council's vice president of risk management.

The Fraternity and Sorority Life office along with the five Greek councils have worked to coordinate and participate in such activities to bring attention to the issue of hazing, including a showing of the movie Haze, signing of a banner that reads, "We refuse to abuse, we choose to UKnight," a silent march across campus to create a moment of silence for those whose lives have been lost due to hazing, a speaker to talk about bullying and a donation drive for the Gordie Foundation.

The Gordie Foundation is dedicated to the memory of Gordie Bailey, who was a freshman at the University of Colorado when he died of alcohol poisoning. The foundation's mission is to provide today's young people with the skills to navigate the dangers of alcohol, binge drinking, peer pressure and hazing.

"We chose this foundation because it gives generous scholarships, as well as the fact that the movie Haze that we chose to show depicts his life, and people will have a better sense for what the foundation is all about after watching the film," said Sarah Palmbach, the Panhellenic Council vice president of risk management.

IFC members hope that their involvement in this week's events has educated the UCF community on topics such as what the definition of hazing is as well as the resources UCF offers if this behavior is observed.

"As a developing campus, it is important for the leaders to create a safe and comfortable environment for its students," Stecher said. "Many students may experience behavior that is deemed hazing within student organizations without any knowledge of how to prevent or report these actions. With rush week wrapping up this past Friday, we encourage these new members to attend and become educated on hazing as they begin their pledging process."

Hazing Prevention Week is a series of events that occur each year, but with the recent death of freshman and new Delta Delta Delta member Ann Marie Hefferin, this year's events were also created to inspire unity among the Greek community.

"The Greek community recently suffered a tragic loss which called upon an act of Greek unity that I have not witnessed since becoming a student at UCF," Stecher said. "In striving to keep that unity, I believe this week will also succeed in helping Greek organizations by showcasing the effort of Greeks to prevent hazing to its many new members. New members will know that its leaders have created a Greek system that abides to the anti-hazing policies of this school, and failure to cooperate results in judicial sanctions."

This week's events not only revolve around Greek unity but also around UCF's increasingly louder voice against hazing, with several events involving the entire UCF community rather than just a handful of UCF students who were involved in previous events.

"This year, we want to make a louder and bigger statement that UCF does not in any way condone hazing, especially in light of recent events," Palmbach said. "This week's goal is to educate and eliminate hazing and to make the community aware of hazing."

Perhaps one of the most outspoken events to occur this year was the silent march from the Student Union to the Reflecting Pond to create a moment of silence for those whose lives have been lost due to hazing.

Junior micro & molecular biology major Nick Fusco participated in the walk.

"I believe hazing is a problem that needs to be taken seriously," Fusco said. "Many have lost their lives to an incident that they might have seen as harmless, and I really think this silent walk is a loud statement that needs to be heard."