The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life is hosting National Hazing Prevention Week, joining the national movement against hazing.
From Sept. 25 to 29, National Hazing Prevention Week aims to “educate people about the dangers of hazing, advocate for change, and engage the community in strategies to prevent hazing.”
The Penn Interfraternity Council, Penn Panhellenic Council, and Intercultural Greek Council joined forces under the OFSL to promote and participate in anti-hazing events around campus. These events included workshops — both on Zoom and in-person — and tabling at ARCH.
The Penn Office of Student Affairs labels hazing as “any action taken or any situation created intentionally that causes embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule and risks emotional and/or physical harm to members of a group or team, whether new or not, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate.”
Janáe Tucker, the interim director of leadership community for OFSL, discussed why this week is important for the Penn Greek community.
“National Hazing Prevention Week holds great importance for several key reasons: promoting safety, education, community building, risk mitigation, legal compliance… alumni and donor relations and national standards too,” Tucker said.
“It’s a reminder that we can build strong bonds of friendship and camaraderie without subjecting anyone to humiliation or harm,” Tucker added.
On Tuesday, a few members from each organization participated in a virtual anti-hazing workshop with Ryan McKee, who aimed to educate the community on how hazing was manifesting on college campuses today. McKee —an assistant professor at Temple University — shared the results of his research into sexual hazing.
College senior and Intercultural Greek Council President Sasha Capers told The Daily Pennsylvanian about how valuable this educational opportunity is for the community.
“I feel like a lot of people don’t recognize the different forms of hazing… and therefore, they wouldn’t be able to recognize if it’s happening to them,” Capers said. “I think it was 55 people on the Zoom call, so there was a lot of representation. I absolutely loved it because we educated ourselves on the different types of hazing…. and people felt comfortable to just sit and listen.”
On Thursday, OFSL hosted an officer series where chapter leaders, such as new membership and recruitment chairs, brainstormed and discussed the negative effects of hazing on campus and in their respective organizations. The leaders were encouraged to wear purple, the official color for hazing prevention.
“By spreading awareness, sharing stories, and engaging in open conversations, we can create a safer and more inclusive environment for everyone,” the Penn OFSL Instagram page shared.
On Friday, the IGC is hosting their “IGC Blackout: Stomping Out Hazing Meet the Greeks” event in Bodek Lounge at 6 p.m. to close out the week. IGC chapter members will perform and present what their organization’s letters mean to them.
“I think it’s important for people that aren’t even in Greek organizations to come to these types of events and see what they’re about so they can understand that hazing is never tolerated in organizations, especially here at Penn,” Capers said.
