AltErnAtIvEs

[SilverTurtle]

So I was thinking that we have talked about hazing, it's definition, why it's good or bad, how tough it did or didn't make members, etc. And then I thought that maybe it was time we took the discussion a little further; not just right or wrong. But also how do you get chapters, even those whose members' have undergone some serious hazing, away from hazing without destroying their pledging/ new member process?

So I thought it was time for us to talk about + share alternatives to hazing.

Here's my take: GLO's that haze usually do so for lots of reasons. (If you are/were a psych major, you can analyze the power struggle or whatever you want ). I'm going to stick to some of the common reasons that hazers themselves give for their actions + behaviors:

• builds unity/bonding (within the pledgeclass/line)
• i went through it, so can they
• builds loyalty to the GLO
• proves their loyalty to the GLO
• proves they are a man (fraternities, obviously )
• teaches respect (for the actives, the brother/sisterhood, the GLO, etc.)
• what doesn't kill ya' only makes ya' stronger
• 'tradition'

So here are just some ideas that accomplish the above goals without hazing

• Have the new members (pledges) plan, organize, and run a service project or kind of philantropy. Just for them or with the actives. (teaches them to work together + helps bond them as a team to accomplish something important)
  
• Have the new members (pledges) plan, organize, and run a party or other gathering (with actives, or all Greeks, or whatever)
  
• Give the new members responsibilities--> stuff that the entire chapter has to rely on (shows true loyalty + dedication to the chapter when they take on important responsibilitis, not cleaning your room)
  
• have a new member outing(or include actives) to a ropes course (forming bonds, working together, dedication)
  
• chapter retreats; do goal setting for the whole chapter, do teambuilding games, etc. (goal setting gets new + old members excited for the present and future + encourages dedication from all, time together always increases your bonds together)
  
• Naturally, learning history, ideals, etc. is important. Get together with new members + help them learn. Can be a good experience for bigs/littles!

Ok, so those were just a few things that came to my mind as I was typing. I tried to also note the goals these helped meet, but I think most of us here are intelligent enough to figure it out

Anyone else? Your alternatives to hazing practices?


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Phi Beta Fraternity

[mgdzkm433]

All your ideas are great! I love the ropes course. My nationals require that incoming pledge classes have to learn history and info about the sorority. They also require incoming pledge classes to plan and carry out service projects and fundraisers.

I think that there should be more sisterhood activities. Dinners, movies, sleepovers. . . just little things to bring you closer to those in your organization (bonding)



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Mikki Gates
Delta Zeta Alum
Kappa Mu Chapter
Sigma Alpha Iota Alum
Eta Tau Chapter

"I would rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special."

--Julia Roberts
(Steel Magnolias)

Visit me at:
http://homepages.go.com/~dzkm433/index.html
and
http://www.calypso.com/dzkm433/welcomtomyworld.chtml

[LXAAlum]

Silver, This might also be a tool for organizations to use - with all the discussions pro/con on hazing, I'm reminded of something I learned (sigh, a LONG time ago...) in graduate school about the phenomenon of GroupThink (Irving Janis):

GroupThink is a concept that refers to "faulty" decision making in a group. Groups experiencing GroupThink do not consider all alternatives and they desire unaminity at the expense of quality decisions (Bay of Pigs, Watergate, and the Challenger disaster are all "worst-case" scenarios of GroupThink).

Negative outcomes can be caused by (1) Examining few alternatives, (2) Not being critical of each other's ideas, (3) not examining "early" alternative, (4) Not seeking expert opinion, (5) Being highly selective in gathering information ("Tradition?" - some "traditions" that I have seen or been told of are less than one year old in many instances!), and (6) not having contingency plans.

Groups (in this case picture a fraternity or sorority chapter) showing symptoms of GroupThink will have (1)having an illusion of invulnerability (anyone ever hear "it can't happen to us"?), (2) Rationalizing poor decisions (tradition), (3) Believing in the group's morality (what doesn't kill you makes you stronger), (4) Sharing stereotypes which guide decision making (makes a "man" out of you, or I did it, so can they (to me the WORST excuse of all)), (5) Exercising direct pressure on others (tradition), (6) Not expressing your true feelings (fear of retailiation), (7)maintaining an illusion of unanimity (if no one speaks out against it, we must all agree it's right), (8)using "mindguards" to protect the group from negative information (don't listen to nationals, they don't know what REALLY works - ever hear that one?)

Some potential solutions/fixes for the symptoms of GroupThink are (1) Use a policy-forming group which reports to the larger group (do all "hazing" activities have a tie back to the ideals of the founding fathers/sisters?), (2) Having leaders remain impartial (keep an open mind to new ideas, always hard to do), (3) Divide into groups and then discuss differences (are there consequences that we hadn't considered - is this "hazing" activity worth perpetuating at the cost of the 30, 40, 50 year old charter?), (4) Using outside experts (objectivity!), (5) Using a "Devil's Advocate" to question ALL the group's ideas, and (6) hold a "second-chance" meeting to offer everyone one last opportunity to choose another course of action.

I really think there are ties to this phenomenon when it comes to hazing - being in college, you are still young and impressionable, and it is VERY hard to question the beliefs/traditions of those who came before you at the cost of not fitting in (which everyone desires to do) - if the entire chapter can start utilizing tools such as these, and the suggestions Silver has listed, I would bet you would see some behavioral changes. If not, then I would believe the chapter has lost it's moral compass, and what will happen will happen, and I only hope the worst-case outcome is the loss of the charter, for it could be much much worse.

Sorry I was so long in this post - but I think it bears posting. Let me know...


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Don't be your brother's keeper; rather, be your brother's Brother.

[SoCalGirl]

SilverTurtle

Personally, I love your ideas.

Unfortunately, my nationals would label at least half of your alternatives as HAZING!

That's how bad it is. We're not allowed to do anything that sets them apart from the chapter, so no pledge class only projects. And forget having them have tasks to do!

Basically the only thing we can require of them is that they attend meetings, pinning, and initiation. Anything else is optional.

We can do stuff as a chapter with the pledges, but they need to bond between themselves too.

[mgdzkm433]

socalgirl,

You have failed to see that these ideas can be used in your favor! You don't have to set the girls apart to accomplish these activities. Ok, when you have a fundraiser, usually their is a head and a committee for the ideas and work part of planning. If the girls can't be set apart. . . Make one of them the head or make them the committee! That will give them the experience. Change the rule a bit. All pledges must participate in the planning of an activity. The sisters can help. It doesn't have to be entirely pledge run.

I'm sure you have new member education, so that would take care of learning the history of your organization.

Chapter retreats, this is for everybody! The pledges can practice goal setting and brainstorming. They can also voice their ideas for the organization, when they might otherwise be scared or intimidated to do so.

New member outings. . .involved the whole chapter, but make it like a pledge appreciation outing. They decide what they want to do and the chapter follows. Or, the ropes course is a great idea for the whole chapter.

New member responsibilities. I've got a great idea for this. They will have to learn eventually about each office that the sorority holds. As part of their education, have each officer come and explain their job and the tasks inolved with the office. Then, for say one meeting, a designated pledge acts for new member educator, or secratary, or treasurer. (however you sorority does offices). That way the know what is involved and they learn the responsibilities of being an officer. One pledge per meeting. It isn't setting them apart, it is incorporating them into the meetings and activities.

Yes, I can see your point that your nationals might consider this stuff hazing (a bit extreme though). But you can use all of the ideas to your advantage. You can change the ideas to fit your organization. I hope that I've helped.

Oh, and one more thing. For the girls to bond together as a pledge class, they have to do that on their own. Even sororities that have pledge only functions can't make them bond. It is something they have to feel for each other. There is nothing you can do about that. All the girls in my pledge class were friends, but I really bonded with only a few. Those girls I bonded with I was not drawn to them because of the sorority, but because we just really had a lot in common, we got along great, and because we could identify with each other. We were very close, but the others I was just friends with.

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Mikki Gates
Delta Zeta Alum
Kappa Mu Chapter
Sigma Alpha Iota Alum
Eta Tau Chapter

"I would rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special."

--Julia Roberts
(Steel Magnolias)

Visit me at: http://homepages.go.com/~dzkm433/index.html
and http://www.calypso.com/dzkm433/welcomtomyworld.chtml

[This message has been edited by mgdzkm433 (edited April 06, 2000).]

[SilverTurtle]

socalgirl-

If you are ever concerned about national's considering your activities hazing, why not submit a list to them ahead of time? List activities, like say a fundraiser that all the sisiters are participating in, and the pledges are responsible to put it together with the help of active sisters or whatnot. Since they are your national governing body, it's not like you have to be secretive with them.

The responsiblities I mentioned weren't like the old 'pledge tasks' many GLO's require. I was referring to duties like what I said above, where they are learning about the GLO + how it funtions.

mgdzkm gave more detailed examples of what I was talking about .

mgdzkm said
New member responsibilities. I've got a great idea for this. They will have to learn eventually about each office that the sorority holds. As part of their education, have each officer come and explain their job and the tasks inolved with the office. Then, for say one meeting, a designated pledge acts for new member educator, or secratary, or treasurer. (however you sorority does offices). That way the know what is involved and they learn the responsibilities of being an officer. One pledge per meeting. It isn't setting them apart, it is incorporating them into the meetings and activities.

One of the things we did during our new member education was "shadowing officers". You had to choose any 2 (or maybe it was 3?) offices you thought you might be interested in. Then you spent time w/ the officers, + got to ask them questions + help them out. This was cool because it got the pledges involved in chapter operations.



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SilverTurtle@greekchat.com
Phi Beta Fraternity

[Sputnik]

SilverTurtle, I just want to thank you. You seem to be the voice of reason. I associated Phi Kappa Tau in the Fall Rush of 1999 and my associate class did all the things that you have listed. It is obvious to me that my Brothers and I are much closer from these events than other Fraternities on my campus that actually haze. I commend you on helping everyone understand what Brother/Sisterhood is about.

[mgdzkm433]

SilverTurtle has a boyfriend. . . la, la, la, la, la. . . Just kidding, anyway, I agree. We have finally stopped talking about hazing and now we are finding ways to overcome it. Good for you SilverTurtle!

------------------
Mikki Gates
Delta Zeta Alum
Kappa Mu Chapter
Sigma Alpha Iota Alum
Eta Tau Chapter

"I would rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special."

--Julia Roberts
(Steel Magnolias)

Visit me at:
http://homepages.go.com/~dzkm433/index.html
and
http://www.calypso.com/dzkm433/welcomtomyworld.chtml

[SilverTurtle]

~*blushing*~

thanks

I think it helps that I was the person responsible for new member education (pledging) in my chapter--> it gives you a whole different perspective.

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SilverTurtle@greekchat.com
Phi Beta Fraternity

[This message has been edited by SilverTurtle (edited April 07, 2000).]

[equeen]

This is an interesting list, SilverTurtle! These are all things that our chapter does! At the end of their candidate period, the candidate class gets together and does something for the chapter. It's failry loosely defined, I think the only requirements is that it be tangible or inclusive of the entire chapter in some way. A couple classes ago, the class made a beautiful display for our future house; this past class did a take-off on the Blair WItch project, filming everyone from active sisters to our advisor in the process. That one will be laughed over for years to come. Our candidates are also encourage to take on as much chapter responsibility as they can - we're a small chapter, so even shadowing an officer has a lot of merit. There are a lot of team building activities going on, both during retreats, as well as leading up to initation - none of which involve alcohol or force. All that is asked for proof of love and committment to the sisterhood is that the candidates comes and participates...and there's no punitive action if isolated events are missed.

Just wanted to say, this sort of thing does work!

Originally posted by SilverTurtle:[*]Have the new members (pledges) plan, organize, and run a party or other gathering (with actives, or all Greeks, or whatever)
[*]Give the new members responsibilities--> stuff that the entire chapter has to rely on (shows true loyalty + dedication to the chapter when they take on important responsibilitis, not cleaning your room)
[*]have a new member outing(or include actives) to a ropes course (forming bonds, working together, dedication)
[*]chapter retreats; do goal setting for the whole chapter, do teambuilding games, etc. (goal setting gets new + old members excited for the present and future + encourages dedication from all, time together always increases your bonds together)
[*]Naturally, learning history, ideals, etc. is important. Get together with new members + help them learn. Can be a good experience for bigs/littles![/list]
[/B]