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It’s a widely known and accepted fact that fraternities
and sororities haze their pledges ““ but what should be
equally accepted is that this is consensual.
No one coerced Robert Burgess, a fifth-year history student, to
pledge a fraternity. But now he’s bringing a civil suit
against Sigma Pi, alleging they are liable for a car accident he
was involved in last year. Burgess claims fraternity members forced
him to drink large amounts of alcohol and then returned his car
keys to him while still drunk, resulting in his accident.
There’s a reason the university doesn’t patrol every
fraternity party in Westwood: there’s an expectation that
students will conduct themselves in a responsible manner. And
though the university should try to enforce its existing policies,
trying to curb irresponsible behavior by becoming more involved in
students’ social lives is unrealistic.
Regardless of the progress of Burgess’ civil suit, the
university should conduct its own investigation and hold students
accountable for any breach of university codes of conduct. While
the university may be unable to control every act of student
irresponsibility before it happens, it can certainly ensure those
that occur are dealt with appropriately.
The Burgess case also raises questions about whether the
university should and can control alleged hazing in both
fraternities and sororities. Again, there’s little the
university can do to prevent hazing. Fraternities and sororities
are independent entities that need to parent themselves.
Hazing is generally used as an umbrella term for a wide variety
of activities meant to initiate members into fraternity and
sorority organizations and to foster a sense of community among new
members via common humiliating or challenging experiences. It can
range from seemingly inoffensive requests such as streaking through
campus to more dangerous practices such as requisite binge
drinking.
It’s not necessary to infringe on a fraternity or
sorority’s traditional practices ““ so long as these
don’t pose a threat to students or to the public at large.
Nor should fraternities and sororities overlook the fact that
certain practices can inflict psychological and emotional damage.
Public humiliation, even if seemingly harmless, can still damage a
person’s emotional well being.
UCLA students should not victimize themselves. When making the
choice to join a fraternity or sorority, that’s exactly what
it is: a choice. Students who don’t realize this need to stop
being naive and start making smarter decisions. If fraternities and
sororities expect to be treated as independent groups of adults,
they need to act like adults. If they don’t, then the
university has no choice but to enforce its policies and protect
its students.
Fraternities and sororities ““ including Sigma Pi ““
who violate both the university’s policies and their
pledges’ trust deserve whatever punishment the university
deems appropriate.