Philosophy on Membership in Organizations and Teams

Students join organizations as part of belonging to the DePauw Community.

Being a student at DePauw University means being a part of a college community with a long and proud history in education, service and leadership. Students at DePauw are maturing adults who must learn, serve and lead in a diverse environment while preparing for future enterprises. … As classmates we expect to learn from each other, respect our differences and celebrate our diversity. … As citizens we expect to work for the betterment of our campus, our community, our nation and our world.

DePauw recognizes student organizations that encourage a spirit of fellowship, cooperation and individual development, as part of the educational environment. They are considered important to student intellectual and personal growth.

To function, members of organizations assume certain roles: officers, new members, regular members, senior members about to graduate, etc. The varying roles can create status differentials. This creates an opportunity for members of one status to treat members of another status in different ways.

Much of this treatment is positive: orientation of the new member, training of the officer, veneration of the “old hand” and celebration of the new graduate. However, sometimes the treatment is negative. Members of a higher status sometimes treat members of a lower status poorly, because the higher status member either has power or is perceived as having power that affects whether a new member can become a full member, or whether members will enjoy certain benefits or receive certain honors, or will avoid certain duties, tasks, responsibilities, etc.

Sometimes this poor treatment becomes abusive, degrading, humiliating, or even threatens emotional or physical harm – characteristics of wrongful conduct that becomes problematic.

Hazing of current members is less common than hazing of new members, but it does occur. Examples at DePauw have included treatment of seniors during flower-ins and senior dinners, and of students when they are lavaliered, pinned or engaged. More common is hazing that occurs within the often well-structured set of rules and activities that apply to bringing new members into a group – e.g. the rookies on an athletic team or the new members or pledges or associate members of a Greek letter organization. Many groups use a variety of positive and constructive programs for laudable purposes: to orient the new member, teach of the history of the team or organization, share the responsibilities assumed by student members, connect new members with alumni of the group, etc. Others, however, retain one or more traditions that fall well short of those goals and constitute hazing, and thereby risk harm to the new members, to members, to their organization or team, and to DePauw.

Codes and statements of positions regarding hazing

One source of guiding principles is DePauw’s code of conduct for students and coaches involved in our athletic programs:

Athletic Code of Conduct

As athletes and coaches at DePauw University, we recognize that it is an honor and privilege to represent the entire community. As campus leaders, we acknowledge and accept responsibility for our actions as they may impact the athletic program and the University community. It is expected that all student-athletes and coaches follow the policies set forth by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, DePauw University and the athletic department. Failure to do so may result in loss of competition, loss of captaincy or suspension from an athletic team.

DePauw athletes and coaches do not condone the illegal or irresponsible use of alcohol or drugs. It is also expected that all athletes and coaches demonstrate respect through actions and attitudes with regard to academic integrity, the display of good sportsmanship, prevention of hazing and tolerance of others. The athletic department is committed to providing educational opportunities and support to encourage responsible behavior for all members of the DePauw athletic community.

A useful commentary appears in the following excerpt from a statement about hazing and pre-initiation activities by the Fraternity Executives Association, which comprises the chief executive officers of most of the national fraternities represented on American college campuses. The full statement is available here and through the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. The statement is made in a fraternity context; however, its principles apply to all student organizations and athletic teams, which are expected to adopt them:

The Fraternity Executives Association [supports] constructive educational and inspirational programs and [opposes] hazing and pre-initiation activities which do not contribute to the positive development and welfare of new members and members.

… True fraternalism is nurtured in an atmosphere of social and moral responsibility, respect for duly constituted authority and loyalty to the principles of higher education. … A fraternity without morally sound precepts and practices is not a constructive influence upon college students.

… A fraternity has a solemn obligation in the development of its new members and members, [as do] the institutions where it is represented, the parents and others who make possible the education of new members and members, the communities where chapters are accountable for good citizenship, and the college fraternity system of which it is a part.

Definition of Hazing

Hazing is any action or experience expected of new or current members of a student organization or team, regardless of their willingness to participate, that humiliates or degrades them, or risks emotional or physical harm.

Hazing is prohibited

DePauw prohibits hazing and any other activity that requires violation of University policy or federal, state or local law.

Student Group Responsibility

The rules of student group responsibility, as set forth in this Student Handbook, also apply to hazing incidents.

Activities for new members

Because hazing has been a particular problem when students are new to an organization or team, DePauw’s policy on activities for new members is as follows:

DePauw recognizes the potential value of activities for new members in supporting students’ personal, social, academic and intellectual development.

DePauw expects sororities and fraternities to follow Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life guidelines for new member education programs.

Executive officers of an organization and team captains are deemed to have knowledge of all aspects of activities for new members. As a result, executive officers and captains are accountable for the actions of any person who has charge of any part of new member activities.

DePauw expects all organizations and teams to conduct activities for new members in accordance with the policies of the University, the laws of the State of Indiana, the City of Greencastle, the policies of the student governing council if any, and the rules set forth for a student organization by its national organization, if any.

In addition, DePauw supports the statements of position on new member education, pre-initiation activities and related topics developed by national organizations of local chapters or units at DePauw. These statements of position can be found here or through the national organizations.

Expectation of cooperation

An organization or team can only haze through the actions of individual students. Therefore, DePauw expects that an organization or team found to be hazing will cooperate in any investigation by identifying its members or others who are involved in hazing and the extent of their involvement.

Additional sanctions may apply to an organization or team which:

• Fails or refuses to identify individual members involved in hazing;
• Retaliates against anyone who acts to stop or report its hazing activity.

Responsibility regarding others involved in hazing

DePauw may require that an organization or team take or seek appropriate action against any person who is involved in hazing but is either not a member or is not a current DePauw student, including but not limited to advisors, coaches, alumni and members of other chapters or from other campuses. Such action may include restricting or prohibiting further involvement with the organization or team.

Fresh Start program: End hazing through group-building alternatives

Members of an organization or team who are concerned that some of its activities do not comply with DePauw’s hazing policy should obtain information about the Fresh Start program from the Dean of Campus Life.

The Fresh Start program includes confidential and complete disclosure of past actions, and assistance as the group develops positive activities to replace them. With this disclosure, and full implementation of the new program, the group will not face disciplinary action from the Community Standards Office for the disclosed past activities.

Public accountability for hazing

As one means of holding an organization or team that hazes accountable for its actions, the details of hazing violations, and the consequences to the organization or team, are reported publicly, provided that a public report would not cause additional harm to the students who have been hazed.