{"id":62188,"date":"2024-09-20T07:45:29","date_gmt":"2024-09-20T11:45:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=62188"},"modified":"2024-09-20T07:47:43","modified_gmt":"2024-09-20T11:47:43","slug":"mocs-dont-haze-a-week-of-awareness-to-prevent-campus-hazing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2024\/09\/mocs-dont-haze-a-week-of-awareness-to-prevent-campus-hazing\/","title":{"rendered":"Mocs Don\u2019t Haze: A week of awareness to prevent campus hazing\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

When Dr. <\/span>Jamison Keller first went off to college, he was hesitant to join a fraternity due to negative stereotypes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After giving it a try, he experienced its benefits firsthand, and<\/span> now aims to help students in Greek life and other campus organizations have the best possible experience.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Keller, the assistant dean and director of fraternity and sorority life at the Georgia Institute of Technology, is coming to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to talk to students about hazing prevention. His discussion and workshop are part of \u201cMocs Don\u2019t Haze,\u201d a series of events taking place at UTC from Sept. 23-27 during <\/span>National Hazing Prevention Week<\/span><\/b><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMocs Don\u2019t Haze,\u201d which is co-chaired by Office of Multicultural Affairs Assistant Director Chris Stokes and Center for Wellbeing Director Megan McKnight, aims to raise awareness about hazing and create a culture of safety on campus.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe more that we create spaces for prevention and awareness, the less likely that we are to have an occurrence of hazing,\u201d Stokes said. \u201cIt\u2019s all about creating a safe and healthy community for our students, faculty and staff here, and helping the campus community to understand what healthy relationships look like.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is the second year that UTC will host the week-long event. Stokes said that last year\u2019s workshops, guest speaker and resource fair helped make conversations about hazing much easier.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c(Students) need to know what it looks like in different forms and common misconceptions,\u201d he said. \u201cThe speaker shared that in such a way that it almost demystified it, took away some of the taboo talk around it and created more of an open dialogue.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is one of Keller\u2019s goals for his visit to UTC.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis program is designed to open up dialogue about how a hazing culture begins and festers over time from \u2018light hazing\u2019 to a dangerous cancer,\u201d Keller said. \u201cI will share my own personal experiences as a pledge who thought he knew what hazing was, thus never realizing I was being hazed or later was hazing others as chapter president.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Keller and Stokes want the campus community to know that hazing does not only happen in fraternities and sororities, which is why sports teams, music groups, academic clubs, campus departments and members of any campus organization or group are invited to attend the events.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHazing is an often misunderstood and overlooked issue that takes root on our campuses and in our organizations, sometimes without us realizing it,\u201d Keller said. \u201cHaving a nationally recognized week to address this topic allows us to realize how serious hazing actually is.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt gives us the knowledge to identify it, challenge it, stop it and prevent it from happening again.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

UTC Hazing Prevention Week 2024<\/h4>\n

Monday, Sept. 23<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Social Media Day: Each council, chapter, registered student organization and all other campus stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the \u201cMocs Don\u2019t Haze\u201d social media campaign. Share Hazing Prevention Week social media graphics to spread awareness about the mission to end hazing.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

* \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n

Tuesday, Sept. 24<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Campus Outreach Day: Lupton\u00a0Hall lobby, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n