Author: Hank Nuwer

Journalist Hank Nuwer is the Alaska author of Hazing: Destroying Young Lives; Broken Pledges: The Deadly Rite of Hazing, High School Hazing, Wrongs of Passage and The Hazing Reader. He has written articles or columns on hazing for the Sunday Times of India, Toronto Globe & Mail, Harper's Magazine, Orlando Sentinel, The Chronicle of Higher Education and the New York Times Sunday Magazine. His current book is Hazing: Destroying Young Lives from Indiana University Press. He is married to Malgorzata Wroblewska Nuwer of Warsaw, Poland and Fairbanks, Alaska. Nuwer is a former columnist for the Greenville (Ohio)Early Bird and former managing editor of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner in Alaska.
Nuwer was named the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists columnist of the year in 2021 for his “After Darke” column in the Early Bird. He also won third place for the column in 2022 from the Indiana chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He and his wife Gosia, recently of Union City, Ind., have owned 20 acres in Alaska for many years. “The move is a sort-of coming home for us,” said Nuwer. As a journalist, he’s written about the Alaskan Iditarod sled-dog race and other Alaska topics. Read his musings in his blog at Real Alaska Daily--http://realalaskadaily.com and in his weekly column "Far from Randolph" in the Winchester Star-Gazette of Randolph County, Indiana.

Categories
Hazing News

Column from the Philippines

There are enough ways to die. Any every way claiming the life of a young person is a heartbreak to family and friends. Any group where a frat rat member (kuya, as they are respectfully called in the dialect) will instigate hazing, condone hurting, maiming, and killing is a killer group. A kuya in such group is a criminal.

Can anyone out there think of a way to make the mention of fraternities in resumes tacky? If there were a way to remove the clout of affiliation to fraternities in the biodata, that might cut down the interest in fraternities. One way is to publicize what happens in secret, in private within these groups. Expose the truth and criminalize fraternities.

By publicizing fraternities for what they really are, not many will want to be assimilated anymore. There are status symbols that are not flaunted; not talked about at the dinner table; not include in resumes and biodata. One would not think to publicize, brag about his point average, the value of his jewelry, the amount of money he has in the bank, or the acreage of his parents’ estate. How about making just as tacky the mention of one’s membership in a fraternity and a sorority? Publicize the evil that goes on in private, in secret within those groups.

Considering what must really go on within, especially the fraternities, one ought to be ashamed to be affiliated. That the older and senior members of this fraternity had successfully killed an incoming member should be publicized, made common knowledge.

The status of belonging is what makes fraternities and sororities sought after by the impressionable and gullible. This perceived lifetime of status makes it worth the risk of being maimed or killed. Those who decide whether you get to belong or not are your cruel frat rats.

Log on to StopHazing.org and know more about hazing. Cult Like Hazing–Article by Hank Nuwer describing some fraternity hazing as “cult-like.”

Alcohol and Hazing–Article on alcohol and fraternity hazing. Excerpted from Dr. Jim Arnold’s doctoral dissertation. Frat Daze – An untold story about pledging, hazing, friendship, betrayal, and survival. Inspired by actual events.

Wrongs of Passage Interview–Interview with Hank Nuwer about his book “Wrongs of Passage.” Followers Review–Review by Hank Nuwer of Followers anti-hazing movie. Sigma Chi News–”The Sigma Chi fraternity has suspended activities for 45 days at its University of Tennessee chapter after a national staff member suspected problems including hazing during a visit earlier this fall.”

Exterminating the Frat Rats – Essay by Hank Nuwer about why fraternities need to expel hazers. Indianapolis: The Greek Mecca – Essay by Hank Nuwer about the center of many national fraternity and sorority headquarters. Black Fraternity Hazing – Article on black fraternity hazing, by Dr. John A. Williams, Executive Director, Center for the Study of Pan-Hellenic Issues.

Hazing in NPHC Groups – Washington city paper article discussing hazing in black fraternities. http://www.stophazing.org/

Email address: dahli_a@yahoo.com

Categories
Hazing News

Wakeup call put in to MasterCard, Snapple, Loudonville Police Chief Scott Shoudt: It’s 2007, Chief, and it’s called hazing and assault, not horseplay

LOUDONVILLE — An Ashland County football player has quit after claiming he was severely hazed by upperclassmen.
“I was the mark I guess,” says fifteen-year-old Jareth Vance who won a starting job at offensive tackle and nose guard.He says there were several severe incidents before a fight in the locker room after practice last week.”It was hazing because was a bunch of them on you,” says Jareth. “Kids make weapons out of broom handles, wrapping tape around the ends of them and hitting people with them.”

“To know that he hid it for so long from me and he endured it until he got injuries that he couldn’t hide from us,” says Laura Vance, his tearful mother.

The locker-room fight resulted in a trip to the hospital for Jareth, along with a call to the police.

“There was some horseplay in the locker room, snapping of towels and spraying water on each other, that lead up to a few punches being thrown,” says Loudonville Police Chief Scott Shoudt.

All four students involved in the fight, three seniors and Jareth, all received discipline from the school.

“The school handed down school discipline and athletic discipline on a consistent basis with all students involved,” says Loudonville-Perrysville superintendent John Miller. “It was consistent discipline that any student would receive for a fight incident.”

Laura Vance says all the students received a three-day in-school suspension and the seniors lost their positions as team captains.

“I want these boys out of school, expelled,” says Laura Vance. “I want them all off the team.”

“It was just wrong so I quit the team because of it, Jareth says. “I don’t know, it it just sort of like crushed my spirit for a little bit because of it.”

The superintendent says Laura Vance had alerted the district to some unspecific incidents involving the boys and Jareth but there was nothing documented before the fight. The police chief does not expect charges to be filed.

Let’s kind of repeat the message to Snapple and MasterCard
MasterCard Commercial: Not Priceless–Tasteless
September 13th, 2007

MasterCard doesn’t seem to know that hazing isn’t all a matter of yuks. Just this week we have a trial involving Michigan youngsters in which the hazing involved sexual assault.  But MasterCard played its master card this week in using Peyton Manning in a debunking commercial in which he makes fun of taping a rookie to a goal post. MasterCard now joins Snapple, Pizza Hut (which pulled its commercial), and ESPN as a corporate sponsor using hazing or hazing-like behaviors to sell a product.

The commercial ends with this Manning line: “No, we don’t do any of that stuff. We’re football players; usually we just tape the smallest guy to the goal posts and call it a day.”

Taking blame for the tasteless commercial, besides Manning, are the following:  McCann Erickson/New York: Joyce King Thomas EVP, Chief Creative Officer, Matt O’Rourke, Group Creative Director, Mat Bisher, Senior Art Director, Jason Schmall, Senior Copywriter, Julie Andariese VP, Executive Producer.
Loudonville travels to Johnstown this Friday, looking for their first win.

Moderator: and less we forget, here is a photo link to Snapple’s reprehensible ad:

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Hazing News

Rider from The Ledger

Excerpt: ider students seek alternative to trial

By: Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
09/13/2007
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Intervention route would clear records

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Two Rider University students who were indicted Aug. 3 on charges of aggravated hazing in connection with the alcohol-poisoning death of Rider freshman Gary DeVercelly Jr. are seeking admission to the Pre-Trial Intervention program.
Adriano DiDonato, of Princeton Township, and Dominic Olsen, of Kenilworth, appeared in state Superior Court in Trenton on Monday morning before Judge Mitchell Ostrer to apply to the PTI program. The program is for first-time offenders who have not committed a violent crime, said Casey DeBlasio, spokeswoman for the Mercer County prosecutor's office.
A third student, Michael Torney, of Randolph, is scheduled to appear before Judge Ostrer on Sept. 17, Ms. DeBlasio said.
All three students have pleaded not guilty to the charge of aggravated hazing, a fourth-degree crime that carries a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison and a fine not to exceed $10,000.
"We are aware of their application to the PTI program," Ms. DeBlasio said. "They apply through the court, not the Mercer County prosecutor's office."
Mr. DiDonato and Mr. Olsen are slated to appear before Judge Ostrer on Oct. 1 to learn the possible terms and conditions of the PTI, Ms. DeBlasio said. If they successfully complete the PTI program, the charge would be dismissed and they would not have a criminal record, she said.
Mr. DiDonato was the residence director and house master for the now defunct Rider chapter of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. Mr. Olsen was the pledge master for the spring 2007 pledge class — of which Mr. DeVercelly was a member — and Mr. Torney was the fraternity president.
A charge of aggravated hazing leveled against Rider University Dean of Students Anthony Campbell and Director of Greek Life Ada Badgley was dismissed by Mercer County Prosecutor Joseph Bocchini Jr. last month.
The three students and two administrators were indicted on charges of aggravated hazing by a Mercer County grand jury last month in connection with the alcohol-poisoning death of Mr. DeVercelly in March. The 18-year-old freshman sought to join the fraternity, which was dissolved on the Rider campus after the death.
Mr. DeVercelly died after a night of binge drinking at the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity house on campus. He fell into a coma March 28 and was rushed to Capital Health System's Fuld Campus, where he died of alcohol poisoning March 30. His blood alcohol content was .426. In New Jersey, a motorist is considered legally drunk when his or her blood alcohol content is .08.
William Williams, another student and Phi Kappa Tau pledge, also was admitted to the hospital for alcohol poisoning. He was treated and released later that day.

Categories
Hazing News

MasterCard Commercial: Not Priceless–Tasteless

MasterCard doesn’t seem to know that hazing isn’t all a matter of yuks. Just this week we have a trial involving Michigan youngsters in which the hazing involved sexual assault.  But MasterCard played its master card this week in using Peyton Manning in a debunking commercial in which he makes fun of taping a rookie to a goal post. MasterCard now joins Snapple, Pizza Hut (which pulled its commercial), and ESPN as a corporate sponsor using hazing or hazing-like behaviors to sell a product.

The commercial ends with this Manning line: “No, we don’t do any of that stuff. We’re football players; usually we just tape the smallest guy to the goal posts and call it a day.”

Taking blame for the tasteless commercial, besides Manning, are the following:  McCann Erickson/New York: Joyce King Thomas EVP, Chief Creative Officer, Matt O’Rourke, Group Creative Director, Mat Bisher, Senior Art Director, Jason Schmall, Senior Copywriter, Julie Andariese VP, Executive Producer.