Anti-hazing site debuts, will educate new students

Hazing is and has been a problem for quite some time in various types of institutions across the nation, especially in schools. UCF recently released a website to help curb this issue by offering knowledge. Students are now just a hyperlink’s click away from advice, tips and information regarding this social atrocity.

Student Development and Enrollment Services hosts the new anti-hazing website, which is a collaboration of many different groups from UCF such as SDES, several sports clubs, housing and campus life, Fraternity and Sorority Life and the Office of Student Conduct, Associate Vice President of SDES Kerry Welch said.

“We are always looking at ways to educate our community on hazing prevention," Welch said. “It’s an ongoing initiative. We have to be relentless in out pursuit of hazing education.”

The UCF Hazing Policy, according to The Golden Rule Student Handbook states, “The University does not condone hazing in any form.” These forms include “any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health and/or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into, or affiliation with, any organization operating under registration with the University,” according to the policy.

The policy also covers any form of physical brutality as well as any activity that could cause an individual mental distress or lack of sleep. The hazing policy condemns any hazing activity violating university policies, federal, state or local law.

The website offers a frequently asked questions section regarding the hazing policy, as well as loads of information for students. There are links to other websites regarding research and statistics, as well as links to informative websites about high-school hazing and hazing deaths. One research source links students directly to the “Chronology of High School Hazing Incidents,” a website maintained by Hank Nuwer, author of High School Hazing.

UCF’s new anti-hazing website is thorough in educating about the different types of hazing. There are even video clips discussing hazing. One of the links brings students to a documentary film titled Haze. Aside from links to informational and statistical websites, the website also links students to the UCF Creed as well as the Counseling Center and the Office of Student Conduct.

“The website is clearly in full swing, but there will be more of a rollout come fall,” Welch said. “We finished the website already so why not go ahead and start using it to educate students now?”

All incoming students will be educated using this website this fall, Welch said.

Erika Keller, a sorority member on campus and a junior math education major, likes the idea of the website.

“I think the website is a good idea because there are different types of hazing," Keller said. "Once hazing becomes actually harmful to a person’s body then it’s better to know what the consequences are so I think it’s a good thing.”

Belinda Boston, director of Fraternity and Sorority Life at UCF, said that sorority and fraternity members are already well-educated about the dangers of hazing and risk management.

“The anti-hazing website has been in the works for a while. A committee formed of members from across the university put the site together. Hazing is something that every student needs to be aware of,” Boston said. “In fraternities and sororities, there is always a lot of conversation about risk management. The website will definitely be part of the risk management education for the fall term.”

Welch said that students are encouraged to visit the new website at www.antihazing.sdes.ucf.edu in order to gain information, ask questions, make contacts or even report a hazing incident.

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