WMDT 47 News - Delmarva's ChoicePutting A Stop To Hazing

Putting A Stop To Hazing

SALISBURY, Md., - Recent scandals at colleges have put hazing back in the spotlight. Now, schools across the country are reminding students about the consequences. The most recent hazing incident happened at the University Of Florida, where officials suspended the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity after learning a student had been seriously injured off campus. It all has people asking, why is hazing still a major problem.

Dr. Kathryn Seifert, CEO of Eastern Shore Psychological Services states, "Hazing puts together this tradition that everyone kind of excepts," she further states, "When people are in a group, they tend to think their not going to be held individually responsible for what they do and they tend to do what the group is doing." She finishes by stating, "Its a symptom in my mind of larger problems deep seeded complicated problems."

So how do schools tackle the problem? At Salisbury University, officials have chosen to take a proactive approach.

Ed Cowell, Salisbury Universities Dean Of Students states, "All of our Greek community enters into a hazing pledge where by they agree they won't engage in any hazing activity", he continues by stating "Any report of allege hazing activity would prompt an investigation that would be conducted by my office."

The incident at the University Of Florida comes less than a month after four students at Florida A&M University were arrested. They were charged in the hazing-related death of the school's drum major in November.