Hazing has affected many college campuses throughout the U.S. Courtesy photo
Grambling State University fraternities and sororities are under being reminded of hazing police now that yet another high profile hazing incident has been reported at a Louisiana university.
Recently 11 members of LSU’s Delta Kappa Epsilon were arrested for urinating on pledges and striking them with a pipe, among other disturbing claims, in a hazing incident. The Delta Kappa Epsilon chapter at LSU was shuttered after the allegations came out.
The most recent allegations come little over a year after 18-year-old freshman Raymond Maxwell Gruver at Louisiana State University died from alcohol poisoning while on line to be in Phi Delta Theta fraternity in 2017.
In the incident members of the fraternity are accused of making Gruver consume a large volume of grain alcohol that allegedly led to his death. After the incident, all Greek activities were suspended and the participating parties were suspended and the line was discontinued.
Closer to home, according to MyArkLaMiss.com, seven students were arrested and suspended at the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity at the University of Louisiana in Monroe in February for an alleged hazing incident, the details of which were not released at the time of the arrests.
Such incidents have sparked awareness all over the nation that have fraternities and sororities under a very skeptical eye. While seemingly every year hazing incidents are reported, the death of Gruver at LSU and subsequent incidents have resulted in more communication from universities hoping to prevent similar occurrences from happening on their campuses.
In the past few months Grambling has reached out to the community via mass emails.
In a Feb. 28 email to the campus community Grambling State University President Rick Gallot asked community members to be mindful of Grambling’s policy on hazing.
“As we progress through this fast-moving semester, please be mindful of our collective goal of providing a safe and productive learning environment for all of our students,” Gallot said. “As a part of that experience, we encourage all of our student organization members, advisors and supporters to review and be mindful of our University’s Anti-Hazing Policy.”
Grambling’s Anti-Hazing policy states:
Participating in any form of hazing or allowing yourself to be hazed in any form is forbidden by any student(s) or organization(s) including but not limited to the Greek organizations, clubs, and athletic teams affiliated with Grambling State University.”
In another campus-wide email sent earlier this semester, Gourjoine M. Wade, Associate Vice President & Dean of Students Division of Student Affairs, said Grambling has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to hazing.
“With high profile hazing cases in the news at LSU and ULM, I wanted to provide a quick reminder as to the institution’s expectations and policy regarding Hazing,” Wade wrote in the email. “In compliance with Acts 635, 637 and 640 of the 2018 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature and the 2018 Board of Regents Uniform Policy on Hazing, the university reaffirms its policy that any form of hazing of any student enrolled at Grambling State University, is prohibited. Any student who violates the provisions of Acts 635, 637 and 640 of the 2018 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature and this Policy shall be expelled, suspended, or dismissed from the institution and not permitted to return for at least one semester, quarter, or comparable academic period and may be subject to criminal charges.”
Students part of the “Devine Nine” are also showing great respect and even greater concern that the university is beginning to pay more attention to the things that go on during the “screening process” of joining.
“I am very glad that they are paying more attention to hazing,” GSU senior Kamryn Rasberry, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, said.
Rasberry said she thought the renewed attention to the matter was needed.
“Students shouldn’t have to go through harmful things just to become a part of an organization,” Rasberry said. “It devalues why we are in it in the first place and it is highly unacceptable.”
Greek life is a part of going to college. It teaches history, brother and sisterhood, and also shows people how to do things for their community through works.
By joining, students show interest in wanting to be a part of something bigger than themselves that teaches them very key values in life.
With that being said, no student should have to put their bodies and health on the line just because they want to be a a part of something great.
“I’m glad that schools are paying more attention to what goes on, because the amount of undocumented incidents that has gone on it the more scarier part,” Willie Balancier, a member of UAAM and Alpha Pi Alpha, said. “The media still haven’t touched the surface of what people go through.”
Greek activities are still going strong with the recent Delta Sigma Theta line just crossing after the Mardi Gras break, but the university has no intentions of lessening their vigilance to ensure that all students who join are protected and kept safe.
Students in need of support or assistance regarding a potential hazing matter are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership (SEAL) At 274-3334 or email favorsc@gram.edu.