CSU Fraternity & Sorority Life – National Hazing Prevention Week 2020

Next week is National Hazing Prevention Week (NHPW), and we’re sending this special message to each member of our community because the conversation around hazing prevention is important.

In a time where members of the CSU community are seeking a place of belonging and connection, our organizations must engage in a conversation around hazing. Take NHPW as an opportunity to pause for a moment to specifically consider hazing and its impacts. Did you know, for example, that one third of CSU students surveyed shared they’ve experienced hazing before coming to college (in a 2019 survey conducted at CSU)? Hazing is sometimes so common we don’t even recognize it as hazing or haven’t thought about the negative impacts it could have over time.

We ask that you as individuals and as organizations take time to think about the role you play in hazing prevention. Have difficult conversations about the practices, rituals, and activities of chapters and implications they may have on new and current members. These conversations can be challenging as these activities may have become normalized to your organization’s membership through socialization and shared experiences. Know that the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life staff is here to support you in these conversations.

As part of NHPW, we’ll host officer workshops and will engage on social media. Ensure you are following @csu_fsl for more updates! Not only will we be providing these “closer to home” opportunities for our community members, we will also be linking to external opportunities. We ask that your chapter intentionally engage in these opportunities and have discussions about what you have learned.

Two of the specific opportunities we wanted to provide information for now are external to CSU events. These events both occur virtually:

• The Anti-Hazing Coalition is putting on a special event this Sunday September 20, 2020 at 5:00PM Eastern. This event will provide attendees with an opportunity to engage in a Q&A with families who have lost loved ones to incidents of hazing. For more information, check here
• The Gordie Center is screening the documentary Haze in conjunction with a Q&A with Gordie Bailey’s mother and stepfather on Thursday September 24, 2020 at 6:30PM. Gordie was a student at CU Boulder who lost his life due to the overconsumption of alcohol in relation to hazing. For more info check here

Above all, we are asking for you Do Something. Have difficult conversations. Build community in a healthy and caring manner. Break down the sometimes dangerous or harmful role that hazing plays in the lives of college students. Change the fraternity and sorority community for the better.

If we can be helpful in those conversations or in supporting your chapter as you engage, please let us know. We look forward to sharing more throughout this week and year about hazing prevention.

To learn more about hazing policies, hazing prevention resources, and to report hazing behavior, visit: https://endhazing.colostate.edu/

-Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life