Greek life sometimes gets a bad rap. Whether it’s stories about hazing, alcohol misuse or even cases of racism, there seems to always be news about Greek organizations acting in a way that can make many think Greek life as a whole should not be respected.

As this past week was National Hazing Prevention Week, many sororities and fraternities across campuses in America are taking steps to increase awareness of the prominent problem of hazing on college campuses.

While I won’t pretend for a second that hazing isn’t a serious problem that might take place on this campus, I am lucky enough to say that my experience with Greek life has been different, and I know a lot of students on this campus can say the same about their experiences with hazing as well.

Hazing is defined as any situation created intentionally that causes embarrassment, harassment, ridicule or risks harm to members of an organization, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate.

More times than not, hazing is about control and power and does not build unity. Greek life is not the only culprit of hazing — sports teams, clubs and societies have all been known to participate in hazing across college campuses. In fact, three in five college students will be subjected to hazing, making this an issue all Greek life organizations need to address.

I am a part of an organization within the Greek community that does not haze. As a sophomore, I have never been hazed in my organization, and neither have any of my sisters, nor will any future sisters be hazed.

On Bid Day, my organization reassured all the new members that hazing was not tolerated and that we had nothing to worry about. This was really comforting and should be a feeling that all new members into Greek life should get to experience.

However, my sorority is not the only sorority on this campus that embraces this policy, which is something to be proud of.

Hannah Wolfe, junior in Business, spoke of her own sorority’s policies with hazing and stated, “I think it is important to publicly recognize the fact that we do not haze because it takes that fear away from the new members and their families and holds everyone in our chapter accountable. I’m proud to be from an organization with such a loving and respecting sisterhood and I think it’s important to continue to spread the word that hazing is never okay.”

Spreading hazing awareness within the Greek system is an important issue for college campuses across the nation, especially due to the recent media attention that Greek organizations have been receiving. It seems as though hazing has become worse every year; there is always a new story on someone who has been harmed from a hazing ritual. This year in particular, five fraternity brothers from Baruch College in New York are facing murder charges after a pledge died during a ritual.

This is absolutely unacceptable. College campuses should use the stories that cover our news as motivation to adopt a no-hazing policy to protect members of organizations. Situations such as these are hard for a member of the Greek system to hear about because they are not representative of Greek life as a whole.

Greek life is about friendship, companionship and building relationships that last beyond college. With one of the largest Greek life systems in the world, this issue is especially important here on campus. As a school, Illinois should try to make this a haze-free campus in order to be representative of what our Greek life truly is.

I cannot speak for others, but my particular Greek organization posted about hazing prevention all week long on social media outlets because we wanted to publicly recognize that hazing is never OK. They are proud to be an organization that does not condone hazing, and I am proud to be a member of such an organization. Hopefully, with the help of events such as Hazing Prevention Week, we can bring the subject of hazing to light, and give Greek life a little more respect.

Courtney is a sophomore in LAS.
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