{"id":53953,"date":"2023-09-25T07:43:23","date_gmt":"2023-09-25T11:43:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=53953"},"modified":"2023-09-28T08:53:26","modified_gmt":"2023-09-28T12:53:26","slug":"utc-to-host-workshops-and-discussions-during-national-hazing-prevention-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2023\/09\/utc-to-host-workshops-and-discussions-during-national-hazing-prevention-week\/","title":{"rendered":"UTC to host workshops and discussions during National Hazing Prevention Week"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In 2021, a Bowling Green State University student was found dead with a blood alcohol level of 0.35, more than four times the legal limit. Eight people were arrested in what authorities said was a fraternity hazing incident.<\/p>\n

In August, reports of multiple hazing incidents broke out at Northwestern University in its football, baseball and volleyball programs. The football and baseball coaches were fired.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s trouble getting people to just understand that this stuff is really, really wrong,\u201d said Dr. Jason Meriwether, author and editor of \u201cDismantling Hazing in Greek-Letter Organizations: Effective Practices for Prevention, Response, and Campus Engagement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meriwether will be at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Tuesday, Sept. 26, to lead workshops and discussions as part of National Hazing Prevention Week<\/a><\/strong>\u2014which runs from Monday-Friday, Sept. 25-29.<\/p>\n

At UTC, no type of hazing is permitted by any organization. It also is against Tennessee state law.<\/p>\n

\u201cUTC is committed to supporting our students and providing them with opportunities to be engaged across campus,\u201d said Interim Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Stacie Grisham.<\/p>\n

\u201cNational Hazing Prevention Week helps increase awareness and reinforces our commitment to work together to foster safe and respectful communities so every student can thrive at UTC.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hosting National Hazing Prevention Week is part of providing \u201cpositive student experiences both in and out of the classroom,\u201d said Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Jim Hicks.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis issue is one that impacts the student\u2019s ability to be successful in both of those arenas,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a situation that causes a lot of pain and suffering and one that I think a lot of students and some faculty and staff sometimes treat as just kind of what\u2019s expected.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to make sure that people understand that these are not just little rites of passage. These are activities that can hurt a student\u2019s ability to be successful and impact a student\u2019s relationship with the institution.\u201d<\/p>\n

UTC Director of Student and Family Engagement Laura Petrus said the prevention of hazing takes a campus-wide approach.<\/p>\n

\u201cHazing can be present in any area of campus life and is not exclusive to specific involvement opportunities,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s important for our entire campus community to understand what hazing is, the different forms it can take, and what steps are needed to break the cycle of hazing behaviors and prevent its existence on our campus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Mark Wharton said being proactive is crucial in preventing hazing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere have been a number of hazing incidents in college athletics that have shed institutions in a negative light and I am glad to see our University creating a focus on preventing hazing,\u201d Wharton said.<\/p>\n

Caroline Hood, a senior in communication at UTC, said she doesn\u2019t hear many students talking about hazing. Her father, Steven, is a former UTC assistant vice chancellor for student housing and current vice president for the University of Alabama\u2019s Division of Student Life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like you hear \u2018hazing,\u2019 and you kind of know what it is, but if you haven\u2019t experienced it, you don\u2019t know exactly what it is,\u201d Hood said. \u201cSo I think getting the word out and spreading awareness is good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hicks said the negative results of hazing reach far beyond the \u201cphysical side.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they understand the image of a pledge paddle or something like that. I don\u2019t think they understand the extent to which there is psychological hazing or other things that can lead to feelings of inferiority or feelings that students don\u2019t feel like they belong,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd we know that a sense of belonging is really important for a student to be successful academically and socially.\u201d<\/p>\n

To stop hazing, a group member\u2014be it a team, a Greek life organization or a social group\u2014must be brave enough to stand up and say, \u201cThis isn\u2019t right,\u201d Meriwether said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe if it\u2019s going to stop, someone in the room has to say, \u2018Wow, this is really not going to go well.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

UTC Hazing Prevention Week 2023\u2014Mocs Don\u2019t Haze<\/h4>\n

Monday, Sept. 25: <\/strong>Social Media Day<\/p>\n