Research Blog #6

Research blog #6 was supposed to be an interview with someone who worked at Rutgers, who could help us with our topic. I emailed Amy Vojta from the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affaris here at Rutgers University. I hoped she would eventually answer me in time for the semester to end, but she sadly still has not. I wanted to ask her why she thinks people haze, and if she thinks my argument is accurate. I argued that people haze as an identity builder encouraged by a group of people who all think the same way (Groupthink). I wanted her opinion on groupthink and the deterioration of the individual by getting hazed through these Greek organizations, or just belonging to one in general. Unfortunately, she never answered any of my 3 emails, but I like to think she would have agreed with me. Hazing is very frowned upon at this school, and any action that makes a new member uncomfortable is known as hazing. Keeping new members at a sorority or fraternity house past 11pm is hazing, even if they are just hanging out. The rules OFSA have made for Greek organizations are very strict at this school, as they should be, in attempt to end this viscous cycle of hazing. Administrators are getting fired left and right if they have ever even been known to approve of any sort of hazing. I believe hazing can tear a person down emotionally, physically and mentally, but also raise them up by giving them a false sense of confidence through accomplishing difficult, and often times dehumanizing tasks. I still wish she would have answered and I could have gotten her input, but I like to think she would have agreed with me, and that is why Rutgers University tries so hard to end the humiliating acts of hazing.

Research Blog #10

Link to final paper:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l7jKFHZNU9HLIccKIZ48w7hOih6MZltRDofqhyq03VI/edit

Abstract:

      Individualism is a trait one is supposed to learn over the years at an institution of higher education. However, there are organizations that deteriorate one’s chances at reaching this individualism. Those organizations are Greek fraternities and sororities, and the demise of the individual is brought on by hazing, which is triggered by the term “Groupthink”. Groupthink is the term used to explain a group cohesiveness where all of the members of a group share replicated opinions, morals and values. The lure of belonging to a group might sound appealing at first to prospective members, but once a new member begins “pledging” a sorority or fraternity, the loss of the individual is a constant process. Hazing is negative actions that are supposed to teach members the idea of groupthink, and unify all of the members of the organizations. However, it not only can emotionally, mentally and physically harm a person, but can also cause the ultimate demise of one’s individuality by conforming to the ideals of groupthink.


Bibliography:

Works Cited

Hoover, Eric. "After a Death, a Question: Are Students Hard-Wired for Hazing?" Chronicle of

Higher Education 17 Feb. 2012, 58th ed., sec. 24: n. pag. Print.Nuwer, Hank. Wrongs of Passage: Fraternities, Sororities, Hazing, and Binge Drinking.

Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1999. Print.

Johnson, Jay. "Through the Liminal: A Comparative Analysis of Communitias and Rites of

Passage in Sport Hazing and Initiations." Canadian Journal or Sociology 36.3 (2011): 199-227. Web.

Keating, Caroline F., Jason Pomerantz, Stacy D. Pommer, Samantha J.H. Ritt, Lauren M. Miller,

and Julie McCormick. "Going to College and Unpacking Hazing: A Functional Approach to Decrypting Initiation Practices Among Undergraduates." Group Dynamics, Theory, Research, and Practice 9.2 (2005): 104-26. Web.

Nuwer, Hank. Wrongs of Passage: Fraternities, Sororities, Hazing, and Binge Drinking.

Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1999. Print.

Nuwer, Hank. The Hazing Reader. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 2004. Print.

Robbins, Alexandra. Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities. New York: Hyperion, 2004. Print.

Ruffins, Paul. "Hazing Refuses To Go Away." Diverse: Issues in Higher Education 29 Oct.

2009: n. pag. Print.

Sawyer, R. Keith. Group Genius: The Creative Power of Collaboration. New York: Basic, 2007.

Print

Taylor, Kelley R. "Is Hazing Harmless Horseplay." Education Diguest 1 Oct. 2001: n. pag. Print.

Winslow, Donna. "Rites of Passage and Group Bonding in The Canadian Airborne." Armed

Forces and Society (1999): 429-57. ProQuest Social Science Journals. Web.

Extra Credit Blog

On April 10th, 2013, I attended the Undergraduate Research Writing Conference at the Livingston Student Center. I expected to sit through somewhat boring presentations on topics that did not interest me at all. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Each room had three presentations per session. One of the presentations I witnessed was a young lady who spoke about the overpopulation at Rutgers. I knew a lot of people went to this university, but while I sat and listened to her presentation, I realized, that it is a bigger problem than many students, including myself, even know. The issue of overpopulation not only makes traveling to class on the buses a struggle with how crowded they are, but more classes are being forced to be online, or become hybrid courses because there are not even room in the classrooms for the growing population. She pointed how that the idea of more and more classes becoming hybrid or online classes would upset a lot of students. Many people like sitting in the classroom and being taught by a professor, rather than students teaching themselves materials. I enjoy some of my classes being hybrid, but I am a science major and cannot imagine my chemistry and anatomy classes being online even just once a week. She expressed concern about how this idea of online classes might spread to more and more majors which would lessen the interest of students for that particular major. Also, online classes are hard for those who do not have self-discipline to make sure they complete all their assignments, and on time. Therefore, overpopulation might cause many of those students in online or hybrid classes to have their grades begin to slip. I believe her resolution was to build more lecture halls and to make admission harder. I agree with making admission harder because I personally know a lot of students who find Rutgers a very difficult school, who even have "easier" majors, and are not able to keep up the work load. I'm not saying everyone at this school should have a 4.0 GPA, but I feel as though there are a lot of students who come here just for the social atmosphere due to the fact it is a high ranked "party school". These are the students who may get into this school due to the fact their parents are alumnae, or because they went to an easier high school. Overall, my experience at the conference opened my eyes to ways that I can make my paper more interesting. In fact, it was that week that I re-did my entire research paper and tried to make it more appealing, and more convincing. My paper was very opinion based before I had rewritten it, and now I believe it is more interesting, and factual.

Literature Review Blog #5

 

 

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Hoover, Eric. "After a Death, a Question: Are Students Hard-Wired for Hazing?"

            Editorial. Chronicle of Higher Education 17 Feb. 2012, Volume 58 ed.: n. pag. Web.


This article explains WHY people haze. It touches upon the fact that we as a society used to haze African Americans, and now it is being done in higher education organizations such as clubs or Greek life. It explains that hazing is a form of revenge, and people except it to be done to them. Psychologists have found that is all about the strive to carry on tradition, and the obligation a person feels to do so.

Eric Hoover is a senior writer for The Chronicle. He has written numerous stories on adult students, and the issues of the new millennium generations. He graduated from the University of Virginia, and has been recognized by Education Writers Association, among others, and his articles have also been published in the New York Times.

Spotlight parties: Pledges are blind folded and when it is removed, brothers shine bright lights in their eyes while yelling at them and asking them questions about the fraternities history.

Revenge: One taking the humiliation forced on them, and channeling that onto someone else

'The psyche of the perpetrators is that they believe they have the right and a duty to pass on the tradition,' Ms. Lipkins says." (Hoover 1). A member of an organization believes it is their responsibility to keep tradition alive, no matter how violent or inappropriate.

"They experience anger and humiliation when this is done to them, and then they get to complete the circle, they get back their self-esteem." (Hoover 1). They also haze as a form of revenge. They need to earn back some of their pride, and thus begins the viscous cycle.

"These groups are telling all of us, 'here's the way we do things, we've always done things this way, and we're going to continue doing them this way. Yeah, we beat people, we force people to drink themselves to death, we inherently see it as traditional and good, with a few losses here and there,'" Mr. Jones says. "Now the political question for presidents is, what are you going to do with that?" (Hoover 2). Hoover explains that the idea of hazing is not going to end because most people who commit these acts see it resulting in more positive results, than negative.


This article help me prove my point that people haze because of tradition and because of revenge. It proves my point that it is a vicious cycle that will continue for year to come.

Research Blog #9

My argument is that people haze for the reasons of revenge, and that is why it is still around today. It went from being a public issue, to an underground issue that has been highly privatized especially in universities. My counter issue is going to be that hazing is not done for revenge, but for a positive disciplinary action. Some argue that is a necessary right of passage. Kelly R. Taylor, a former NASSP General Counsel and writer at Principal Leadership magazine writes many articles on hazing. She believes hazing is "A prevalent and long-standing view is that hazing is a harmless rite of passage designed to help develop comradery and respect among teammates or other peer groups,” (Taylor 27). Most people think it is due purely out of the strive to continue tradition. However, I believe it is done in order to seek revenge for what was done to older members. I want to show the audience that hazing is not done with good intentions, but bad, negative ones that can lead to death and many other harms to a person.

Research Blog #9

This is an image of Robert Champion. I mention him in my paper because he was hazed on a band bus which ultimately lead to his death. I want my readers to know how horrible hazing is, but mostly stress the reasons why that although it causes deaths, so many organizations still do it. I have a lot of example about fraternities and sororities hazing, but I also want to highlight hazing among other organizations in college as well, so I think this image and this story is definitely one I should use.

Research Blog #7

My case, as recently discussed in my meeting, is to explore the question of WHY people haze, in comparison to my present issue as to HOW people haze and that it is bad. I want to explore the psychological reasons behind hazing, and why it is still around today despite its negative images. In Hank Nuwer's books "Broken Pledges" and Wrongs of Passage: Fraternities, Sororities, Hazing and Binge Drinking, he gives a lot of these different viewpoints, and I plan on using these two sources a lot to help improve my case. He has written a lot of books on hazing, and they all supply the reader with a large amount of information on the affects of hazing. So far, none of my research has been able to compare to his two books I am using for my paper.

Research Blog #4

Title: Guns, Hazing, and Cyberbullying Among Top Legal Issues on Campuses

Gilroy, Marilyn. "Guns, Hazing, and Cyberbullying Among Top Legal Issues on Campuses."  
     EBSCO. Education Digest, Apr.-May 2012. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. 
  http://p8080140.234.1.9.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/EPSessionID=ae7693df90f708e8b959485cee93946/EPHost=web.ebscohost.com/EPPath/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=8ef68cdb-2da6-42ff-9c5e-8c06ce126895%40sessionmgr4&vid=2&hid=24.

The article is about how violence in colleges. It goes into how certain states allow students to carry around guns "for self-defense" such as Wisconsin. This can obviously lead to major issues such as increased suicide and violence especially when alcohol is present at parties and such. The article talks about what can happen when hazing is involved in not just sororities and fraternities, but clubs such as band as well. The article described a boy who was beaten with musical instruments and was hospitalized.

Marilyn Gilroy is a communication professor at Bergen Community College who has a lot of experience with violence at universities being as she works at one.

Cyberbullying: harrassment of other people through social media websites, or any other online networks.
Self-defense: one's natural reaction to violence that was acted upon them.

"Since colleges can't guarenatee our safety, it's time for them to allow us a fighting chance and decriminalize self-defense" (Gilroy 46). This quote stood out to me because of how frightening it was. Students feel education can get so dangerous that they NEED to carry around guns.

"More than half of college students involved in clubs, teams and organizations experience hazing," (Gilroy 48). This is an eye-opening statistic that stood out to me. This is a not an uncommon, unknown act. Hazing is everywhere from sports to clubs and other beneficial organizations.

'"Effots need to be more comprehensive than simply one-time presentations or distribution of anti-hazing policies,' said Allan Madden," (Gilroy 49). I agree with this. Everyone knows hazing is bad, but does everyone know how severe the problem really is? No. People are ill-informed, and that is why hazing is a reoccurring issue.

I picked this article because it really going into the issue of hazing, instead of just explaning what it is. It explores the various forms of hazing, that are not just fraternities and sororities. It gives a vivid example of hazing, that I can definitely include in my final paper to help support my idea.

 

REDID: Literature Review Blog #3

Nuwer, Hank. Wrongs of Passage: Fraternities, Sororities, Hazing, and Binge Drinking. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1999. Print.

This book gives real-life examples of hazing at universities. Nothing is a secret. Names, chapter of fraternities and exact explanations of what happened during these hazing expeditions are in the book. It does not just define and give examples of hazing, but suggest ways for it to end. It attacks the issue of hazing from all angles and is very informative.

Hank Nuwer wrote various books on hazing and includes everything from high school hazing to college sorority and fraternity hazing. He speaks about hazing as a side job, while his main job is teaching journalism at Franklin College.

The beginning of the book defines a lot of its key terms in the glossary, so I picked two that I thought were the most useful for my paper:
Chapter: a group at a particular institution affiliated with a national or international fraternity or sorority
Hell week: traditionally the most demanding period of pledgeship, during which pledges are subjected to a final round of indignities and ordeals before gaining admission to the group.
(Nuwer xxv)

"Hazing is an extrordinary activity, that, when it occurs often enough, becomes perversely ordinary as those who engage in it grow desenitized to its inhumanity," (Nuwer 31). I liked this quote because it shows how something so disgusting and harsh can become a norm to those that are influenced by this.

“Other than taking part in acts of violence, the only way many young people can acknowledge their longing for ritual is by becoming sexually active, noted Tom F. Driver, an expert on ritual. People who ignore or dismiss rituals fail to grasp the fact that they are very important for many individuals, he said,” (Nuwer 53). This quote really stood out to me because it shows a pscyhological view point on why some people fall into the traps of hazing. They are longing for structure and to belong to a group of people who respect them. Because they do not have this, they do not have high self-worth and engage in a lot of sexual activity.

 

"The problems of fraternal death escalated in the 1980s as fraternity houses hosted more and more parties in which huge amounts of liquor were available, and off-campus bars began offering discounts," (Nuwer 62). I picked this quote because from my research, I have found that so many acts of hazing were committed when sorority or fraternity members were under the influence. I also think this happens because a person would feel more guilt committing these acts soberly.

 

This book helps me explore my topic of hazing a lot more than most of my other sources. It gives real-life examples and does not just speak generally, like a lot of other sources I have found. This book is most likely going to be my main source of inspiration when writing this paper.

Research Review Blog #2

Robbins, Alexandra. Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities. New York: Hyperion, 2004. Print.

"Pledged" is about four girls who pledge a sorority, and all of their trials and tribulations they go through during their pledge process. The four girls go through life experiences they never would have if they had never joined a sorority. It shows how shallow sororities can be, while also showing how much it can change a person. The book also touches upon how the pledging process alone is a shallow-minded, sometimes prejudice act. 

Alexandra Robbins wrote 4 New York Times Best Sellers. She appeared on numerous talk shows, and does public speaking for all of the books she has written. She also won the only People's choice award for literature for her most recent book, "Greeks Will Inherit The Earth."

Pledging: (verb) Commit (a person or organization) by solemn promise. 
Hazing: (verb) Force to perform strenuous, humiliating, or dangerous task. 

"I don't think I realized to the extent how much I was an outsider, however, until I found myself smack in a busting epicenter of sorority life.." This quote, although the introduction, shows how much being involved can also make someone feel so isolated. It can brain wash a person into thinking they need to be involved in an organization to fit in.

"There are three stages of sorority life: on bid day when a girl accepts her 'bid', or invitation to join the sorority, she comes a 'pledge' of that group." I need to introduce all of the different aspects of being a member of Greek life, before I jump right into my topic. This book defines a lot of the different aspects.

"Many sorority girls find the hunt for dates to various sorority events and activities an exhausting process. Not only do they have to find people to go with them in the first place, but they often carefully weight the acceptability of potential date because the date reflects on the sister and the sisterhood." This was another quote I found that shows how shallow some Greek organiziations can be.

This novel will help me with my paper because I can give examples of how "pledging" a sorority or Greek organization can involve hazing.

Haz

Bibliography:

Laura Wright. "The Chronicles of Higher Education: My Short, Unhappy Life as a Sorority Girl".
    
     October 22 (2012). 1. Print.


"In Search of Civility: Confronting Incivility on the College Campus." In Search of Civility:  
    
      Confronting Incivility on the College Campus. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2013.


"Social Issues in Sport / Edition 1 by Ron Woods." Barnes & Noble. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2013.


Ariosto, David, and Marlena Baldacci. "FAMU Pledges Reforms after Report on Hazing." CNN. 
    
     Cable News Network, 25 Jan. 2013. Web. 04 Mar. 2013.


"Hazing Charges Filed in NIU Frat Death." Daily Herald. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2013.

Working Title: Hazing: illegal revenge or beneficial disciplinary acts

Topic: I want to explore the art of hazing, and how harmful and serious it can get. Hazing is often something that gets swept under the rug, when it should not. I want to explore all of the secrets of hazing whether it is in fraternities, sororities, or even a tradition in some peoples' culture. I want to expose the dirty little secrets that most people turn the other cheek to. I want to show how some people view hazing as revenge, while other people see it as teaching a person self-discipline.

Research Question: How far can hazing really go? What are some of the craziest methods of hazing? Why do some people view hazing as a disciplinary action? How is it a type of revenge?

Theoretical Frame: I want to first start off by introducing the topic of hazing. To do this, I want to have a vivid example of hazing as my opening paragraph, showing how some people view it as a positive way of teaching someone discipline, and how other people view it as a horrible, dehumanizing act. Then, I will have an introduction paragraph, outlining my paper, followed by many paragraphs illustrating points that I discussed. I want to explore college hazing, high school hazing, sports hazing, and hazing in different cultures.

Research Plan, Case or Additional Questions: I plan to explore various new reports, articles, documentaries that show different views and difference perspectives on hazing. I am going to read books and see what psychologists have found. I want to show people how bad it is, while also making them think of the other sides of hazing. Additional questions that may present themselves are how hazing happens so frequently, but is so well kept hidden. I want to show the readers how to look for signs of hazing, and be able to recognize when it is going on.

Privatization of higher education is only going to mess up someone's future in the long run. They are taking money from their educational programs and spending it on advertising and paying their numerous staff members. I think privatization is all a money scheme. Once public establishments of higher education start charging mass amounts of tuition, privatization will take over and use those high tuition prices for their own good. College is supposed to better a person's education, not leave them financially unstable, with nothing to show for it except for equiste television commercials that they can watch from their low-income housing they needed to live in order to afford higher education. Maybe that is a little harsh, but it is the truth.

I realized my topic of just drinking in college and debt accumulation might be a little difficult to do, so I think I am going to change it to more of "the life after college" type of essay. I want to show how choices made during college, and choices made before college can alter how much a person needs to pay back in loans once they graduate. I can work the issue of alcohol into there somewhere, but mainly talk about the struggle of paying back loans and financial aid. I liked the NY Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/business/college-costs-battled-a-paycheck-at-a-time.html) that was suggested because I think it ties a lot of my points together. One of the guys in the article says how he didn't have time to go out in college because of a part-time job. It will be easy to get more articles about horror stories of the "post-college" life, and I can incorporate various subtopics into this as well. I found another NY Times article about paying back college loans (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/12/education/12college.html) and when I searched the topic on google, there were a lot more articles, than when I searched for articles about drinking and college.

I want my paper to be about the correlation between alcohol use and the accumulation of debt that college students acquire. It boggles my mind that students who have so much debt accumulating after they graduate, do not have part time jobs. Instead, they spend the little money they do have on buying alcohol, and spend their time partying, rather than trying to put a small amount of money aside to begin a fund for paying back student loans. I am going to have some loans when I graduate, however, I have a part time job, and do not choose to spend my money on alcohol. Some college kids I know have literally twenty dollars to their name, go out partying every weekend, and just hope that once they graduate, they will automatically have a high-paying job that will allow them to pay back their loans. However, the world is not always that simple, and although they may be having fun partying and illegally consuming alcohol, the debt crisis is only getting worse. I am going to explain these issue while getting statistics and other factual information on alcohol use in places of higher education, and how it affects a student's finances.