Helping the undergraduate debate the chapter idiot(s)

1. Helping the undergraduate debate the chapter idiot(s) Josh Schutts (2006) Adapted from: McRee (2006). That’s fratastic! Debating chapter members with idiot Greek logic (2006)

2. We will cover • Thoughts on hazing • Understanding hazing • Breaking down the “idiot logic” • Moving to change • Relevance and new member programs

3. Thoughts on Hazing • My experience as an undergraduate • Transition from supporter to defeater • Not everyone believes in hazing • 10-15 percent of actives • 10-15 percent of new members • Loudest advocates often worst members • Hazers do not lead by example • Worst hazers: • Newly initiated members • Older members who like bullying • Hazing about power and control

4. Understanding hazing • Hazing happens as early as children, age 9. • It occurs in athletics, bands, organizations, middle schools and high schools • Someone has died on a college campus EVERY year since 1970. 80 men, 6 women as of Jan 05 • 82 percent of all hazing deaths directly correlate with alcohol • Hazing is not mere foolish pranks that go wrong. It’s about power and control. • It’s victimization and PRE-MEDITATED--.never accidental

5. Safety is always a factor. • Even if something is not malicious in intent, serious accidents have occurred during scavenger hunts and kidnapping trips • Agreeing to participate does not exempt a chapter • In civil cases, consent cannot be used as a defense • even if someone agrees it may not be “true consent” • considering peer pressure and the desire to belong • Hazing and self esteem • The playground bully • Covers up low self-esteem and image • About power and control

6. Breaking Down the “Idiot Logic” • Hazing teaches respect and develops discipline • Respect must be earned • Victims rarely report respecting those who hazed them • Hazing breeds mistrust, apathy and alienation • Hazing creates unity and brotherhood • Hazing creates pledge class unity • More important: chapter unity or PC unity? • Apathy lives on this: I did that as a pledge - it’s not my job anymore.

7. It’s OK to haze because it’s tradition • Tradition is a dangerous word • When did the tradition originate? • Were your founders hazed? Did they haze their new members? • Reasons have been lost as to why tradition even happens • It’s hazing with a little “h”.. Not hazing with a big “H” • People still get hurt from scavenger hunts & kidnaps • Slippery slope • Hazing NEVER serves a positive purpose • It’s a crime and must be stopped

8. The military hazes • Are you preparing members to fight in combat situations? • Do you require strict, unyielding obedience? • Is the possibility of death part of your pledge program? • Drill Sergeants are PROFESSIONALS! • They: Do this 9-5 every day, and have been specially trained • You: are a student whose job is class • They (the pledges) want to be “challenged” • Really? Have you asked them • can you speak for all of them? • 10-15 percent • Programs can be challenging without involving hazing • Classes are challenging.. Clearly don’t involve hazing

9. If hazing is so good… • Why don’t we advertise it? • Rush Posters, videotapes, brochures • Tell parents at orientation weekend • Why do we lie and cover it up? • Why is it illegal? • Why doesn’t Nationals have a detailed plan for how it should occur? • Why do some of your potentially “best” prospect members turn out to be complete busts? Orig. pictures @ http://opieblue.typepad.com/my_weblog/2005/05/old_time_frat_h.html

10. Friend: not a new concept • Who goes around making friends by asking them to do ridiculous tasks for them? • How many friends would you have? • How would your current friends feel about you? • Rush = meet guy  make friend  introduce to other friends  make brother  lie, hurt, endanger and deceive?? • Who lies to their friends about the requirements of your friendship? • Why are we doing this in our pledge programs?

11. The Rite of Passage for LC’s • HQ staff are literally servants once they apply to be a consultant. • They are regularly yelled at by the Director of Chapter Services and Executive Director • The must be broken down and built up in the spirit of the fraternity • Why? • They come from different backgrounds (chapters around the country) • we must have UNITY and “ONE” • Therefore they must be molded. • they must all be alike and know the same things.

12. Before they are allowed to visit chapters • regularly quiz them about 50 history questions • If they don’t get them right, they are fired. • Landscaping/yard work, cleaning duties at the headquarters • Frequently, the International President will criticize their efforts and turn over trash cans they have already picked up. • He also tells them they are doing a horrible job every chance he gets – especially after a couple of beers • None of them will ever be as good as the previous consultant class. • Consultant training used to be much tougher, but they are “pussies”/”not man enough” and couldn’t handle that anyway

13. Professor and the Classroom • Professors don’t have lineups • strobe lights and flash lights • yelling • Professors don’t arbitrarily fail the best students because another student is doing bad on their exams. • the professor wants to ensure all students are equal • that is to say lesser than the professor and will never achieve any status close to that of the professor. • Professors do not rig tests with fake questions or questions with no right answer so students will fail

14. Professors do not require you to show up at 11pm the night before the test and sleep on the classroom floor until the test is administered. • Prior to that, the professors took up your cell phones so you could not call other people. • During your stay in the class room you are told to intensely study and prepare yourself but are deprived of food or water • Alternatively you were forced to eat and drink things and denied the use of a bathroom.

15. Professors do not have other professors drop by their class to harass students as they take tests • yelling at them • reminding them they are stupid and will fail • staring over their shoulder • adjusting the temperature of the room to uncomfortable levels • playing “Bing Crosby’ Greatest Hits” because it will prepare them for life

16. Professors do not require you to memorize and learn a rundown of their educational and professional backgrounds so you can recite it on command before, during and after any exam. • You should recite this in a loud voice • In order to obtain this information for the run down you must schedule an interview with him. • The professor then intentionally misses the interview in order to show the student they are not worthy of meeting them and then mandates the interview be rescheduled for another time that works into the professors schedule.

17. When grading your exam, professors do not require you to do calisthenics or pushups for all wrong answers you have given. • This is because the goal is for you to increase your memory retention of important history and facts about the professor. • It’s a proven fact that pushups lead to better memory retention, • So when you study for that big mid-term exam you should make sure to do about 500 pushups before you take the test. • It will help you remember all those difficult questions

18. Logic • It’s how you have to combat the idiot in your chapter • Break things down step-by-step • Ask for reasoning and rationalization • Relate things to work, school etc. • You will not convert everyone • Diligence is key. Don’t give up!

19. Moving to change • Involve everyone who wants to be involved • Develop goals before you develop the program • Answer: • Knowledge on a procedural/factual sense (makeup of the chapter • Knowledge on a philosophical sense (historical) • What qualities do we seek to develop in new members • Great Green Cloud (no one left but them)

20. Accept that 10-15% of brothers and pledges want hazing to be a part of the program and they will never change that philosophy • Recruitment: what selling vs. who are you selling it to. • If you recruit men of value and principle, you should not have to haze them into shape. • Find people who are already good brothers • Empower them to realize that for themselves!

21. Relevance & New member programs • Students come to college for: an education! • NM programs and GPA drops • PNM’s on the fence • Student who wants benefit from their activities • $600 dues pays for what again? • Programs short / to the point • “Extras” removed  academic focus • In, out, grades, involved and engaged  keep them for life.

22. Contact me • Josh Schutts, M. Ed. Director of Greek Life Centre College 600 West Walnut Street Danville, Kentucky 40422 josh.schutts@centre.eduhttp://web.centre.edu/schutts We must continue the dialogue, debate and challenge if we are to rid our programs and communities of this cancer called hazing!