Author: Hank Nuwer

@hazing @TheWellsReport sidesteps hazing in sport. It ignores hazing’s hidden harm, its pervasiveness, its mean-as-a-snake nature. Grade F to it. –Hank Nuwer

Here is the link

Excerpt:

Baruch College freshman Chun “Michael” Deng, 19, died in December of “closed head injuries … due to blunt force head trauma,” said Mary Wallace of the Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, coroner’s office.

In a statement Friday, Baruch College said it “supports the ongoing efforts of Monroe County law enforcement to hold responsible those involved in the tragic death.”

The college had said Deng died while participating in an unsanctioned fraternity pledging event and that it has a “zero tolerance policy regarding hazing.”

Charges are expected in Deng’s death, Monroe County District Attorney E. David Christine said in December.

More than 30 members of Pi Delta Psi were conducting a ritual outdoors for new pledges called the “glass ceiling,” according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by CNN.

The objective was for Deng, who was blindfolded and wearing a backpack filled with a 20-pound bag of sand, to navigate toward someone who was calling for him “while other fraternity brothers physically prevent that from happening,” witnesses said, according to the affidavit.

Deng fell backward, struck his head and was unconscious and unresponsive immediately after he fell, the document states.

Pi Delta Psi Fraternity Inc. said after Deng’s death that it had “revoked and terminated all affiliation with the Baruch Colony,” as the fraternity is known.

Moderator:  The first link will take you to a disturbing story that happened at a University of Minnesota branch campus at Morris. An assistant coach and white players dressed as KKK as their hazing for two black teammates.

#2    21 years later, former athlete Michael Morris, now a successful youth worker, recounts that night.

I had just broken a school wrestling record, and the assistant coach asked that I join him and other players for a celebration later that night off campus. On that brisk Halloween night in 1993, the assistant coach drove me and two other wrestlers down a pitch-black road where we came upon a large cross on fire surrounded by several men with white sheets over their heads. I immediately felt my heart sink. Before I could say anything, the coach turned the car around, concerned for our safety. As we headed in the opposite direction, the men in white sheets blocked the road. The coach grabbed a bat and opened the door.

We pleaded with him to stay in the car, but he didn’t listen. Mark, the other African-American wrestler in the car, looked at me in disbelief. At this moment I was prepared to fight for my life. As Mark and I slowly walked behind our coach in the dark of night, we heard a voice say, “Just give us the (n-word in plural) and we’ll let you go!” The man repeated himself twice, and as the coach began to respond, we suddenly heard gunfire: Click, click, boom! The coach fell to his knees, wiped his white shirt, which appeared to be covered in blood, and chokingly said, “Run for your lives!”

As I turned to run, all I could see were Mark’s white shoes kicking up dust as he fled from two people chasing him. I ran toward the car, 15 feet away. From the way it was positioned, I hoped to jump into the passenger door and slide to the driver’s side. But the door was locked. The men in white sheets ran toward me at full speed. I could either run or break the window; I chose the latter. After two unsuccessful attempts, I shattered the window with my elbow, dove into the car and drove off.

I was bleeding, praying and asking God for his protection. I sped away at more than 100 mph to the nearest town. When I got to the main street, I pulled into a gas station and jumped out of the car, forgetting to put the car in park. I frantically called 911 — I was terrified!

Minutes later, the assistant coach and several players arrived at the gas station laughing and saying, “Happy Halloween.” I stared in disbelief and took a deep breath. I was confused and stood in silence for about a minute and then asked, “Where is Mark?” One player was laughing, while another responded, “We can’t find him. Let’s go before the police come.”

By then the police were walking through the doors. I explained to an officer what had happened, and saw that the coach and players were being interviewed by other officers. At this moment Mark was still missing. I began to think maybe this was no prank. With my mind spinning, I didn’t trust anyone. My confusion turned to anger, so I called a trusted upperclassman from Omega Psi Phi, where I was a fraternity pledge. Within minutes, he dispatched men to the gas station, dressed in the fraternity’s signature purple coats and gold boots. It was not until then that I felt safe. Hours later, I learned Mark was also safe, having hid in a tree until help arrived.

In response to the incident, other law enforcement officials got involved and the coach and players were arrested, all claiming that it was nothing more than a prank. The incident caused racial tension on campus for weeks. To the school’s credit, they reacted responsibly and I felt supported. University officials did what they could to address the situation and put me at ease.

Read more: http://host.madison.com/news/local/driven-to-act-how-i-got-through-racial-hazing-and/article_e7852daa-0ff1-5429-a6f2-61a41fe97970.html#ixzz2tIAnaI9o

Moderator: Best of luck to Dr. Mangum whose graduate work was done at SUNY Buffalo.  A tip of the hat to acting President Larry Robinson for a job well done trying to lead A & M out of its lowest hour following the death of band member Robert Champion.  Six students have yet to go go to trial in the death of Mr. Champion.

Kudos to the person reporting this incident

From the Tallahassee Democrat: According to the arrest report, on Tuesday nights, Sigma Chi pledges were lined up and told to hold the person’s shoulder in front of them. Sometimes the line was made to run, making it difficult to hold on and blindfolds were sometimes used. When a pledge would let go of a shoulder, Sigma Chi members would yell at them. Pledges would also be quizzed about the organization, and if a pledge got an answer wrong, the brothers would yell and curse at them. One pledge became so upset during one of these sessions that he left and dropped out of the pledge process, according to court documents….Pledges were also pressured to drink alcohol, according to police, particularly on “Big Brother Night,” when many pledges were given bottles of liquor and sent out to separate parties that included strippers. Many of the pledges had bottles of liquor taped to their hands and were encouraged to finish the bottle. Others were encouraged to race to get the alcohol down, according to court documents. A handful vomited as a result while others urinated on themselves, the police report said….

That investigation led to the arrests of Michael (Mikey) Salem, 21, Charles (Chuck) Kalb, 19, Alex Lavene, 21, and Tyler Linabury, 21.