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.