Author: Hank Nuwer

Sister of Hazing drowning victim Chad Meredith is Kelly Meredith-Henson. Here she talks about the police “investigation” finding the drowning of a Lambda Chi Alpha pledge to be accidental (I am writing more officials tonight):Moderator Hank Nuwer

Hank,
I have read on the drowning of this teen (even your blog exported below).  It sounds all too familiar to me!  The story similar to the gut wrenching story of our own!  Remember in Chad’s story we were instantly told his drowning had nothing to do with hazing.  We were told this by every authority figure involved with no investigation once so ever.  There was an immediate plea from authorities to keep his death hushed.  Had my family let it drop, as they hoped, his death would have never made the difference it now has.  It would have never brought light to the need for more strict hazing laws and been swept under the rug just like many others I’m sure have. There would be no bill.  Honestly in our first moments of shock we wanted to believe it was an innocent accident as well.  It wasn’t until we sat and pondered the situation, knowing Chad and his character that we realized there had to be more than what we were being told.  How can any youth die and no thorough investigation be done?  I’ll never understand that!!  I agree with you, this cannot, should not, and would be a shame to let this young man die without knowing the facts.   I can’t find online if there was drinking involved.  Actually there is very little talk of the actual actions of that day.  Do you know?  The lack of the days actions being reported also sends red flags to me.  Chad’s story was all over the news EVERYWHERE.  As of right now they will speak little of it as to not give a bad taste for fraternities, the university, or ideas of hazing.  Once hazing is mentioned they will begin to make this young man seem of low morals…because how could it be the fraternity’s fault of his death?

Any death of a youth should have answers of some sort!  How can there be answers with no true investigation?  Aren’t his loved ones entitled to answers?  Isn’t the public entitled to know what’s going on at these schools they may someday send their youth to or have youth present there now?  Although answers do not bring their son/brother back it does put some rest to the agonizing torture of not knowing.  I’ll say this, even if this particular youth’s death did turn out to be a true accident (and I don’t feel it will) a full investigation would still bring education to the dangers of these acts.  It would help to be made known that the actions of Fraternities/sorority WILL NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY and will be investigated at the maximum level needed!  Wouldn’t this help to make fraternity/sorority’s think twice before following through with actions (even if not hazing but still dangerous)?  An investigation is very much needed here.

Please keep me updated on this!!   Thanks so much Hank!

Kelly Henson http://www.idahopress.com/news/state/ui-student-drowns-in-n-idaho/article_d3ef110b-451d-5be0-8749-037c75e3615d.html

Here is the link to the story.

Except:

Last year, The DePauw reported that the class of 2015 had four Putnam County Hospital visits in their first week on campus.

Though no first year students have been sent to the hospital, alcohol violations have been issued.

Resident Assistant Stephanie Wethington feels there have been more alcohol violations than in previous years.

“I think the number of alcohol violations is worse than last year because there have been larger groups of freshmen caught compared to individual freshmen,” said Wethington, a returning RA for Lucy Rowland Hall. “It’s alarming because it’s only been the first official weekend.”

The anticipation and nature of the major party weekends, such as the Monon Bell game in November and Little 5 in April still bring major concerns to the administration.

“The total amount of alcohol transports is about half first-year students and half upperclassmen,” Nally said. “We still have upperclassmen going to hospital for alcohol poisoning, which is alarming.”

Nally and Public Safety have analyzed data fron past years to figure out when the most-frequent hospital runs occur.

“In the past five years, the highest number of hospital transports is in September, followed by October and April,” she said.

However, Nally is unclear as to why these months are the most prominent.

“Lots of variables go into this data,” she said. “September, October and April are the most heavily programmed months for student organizations and their activities. These organizations are eager to promote their programs. Lots of registered parties occur sometime in September and October.”

Freshmen are allowed on fraternity property September 22.

“The official date has been moved up compared last year,” she said. “I think that might lead to more hospital visits this semester.”

The misuse of hard alcohol, especially among freshmen, has been a recurring issue on this campus.

“Freshmen want to get intoxicated as fast as they can,” Wethington said. “They think they can hide [hard alcohol] better than beer, but it smells stronger.”

Nally voices her concern about the misuse of hard alcohol on DePauw’s campus as well.

“There’s not a ban on hard alcohol, but the way we’re using hard alcohol is very scary,” Nally said. “All the hospital transports in the past three years have been a result of hard alcohol.”

She also noted that other issues, such as vandalism, sexual assault and injuries are often related to hard alcohol consumption.

The office of Public Safety is hopeful that campus-wide conversation about this topic will increase student awareness.

“There will be a lot of conversation in the coming year how students can impact how hard alcohol is used on campus,” Nally said. “There are initiatives on how students can change their social environment. The Office of Student Life has defined their expectations for the students and hopes to help them develop a way for clear communication about this topic.”

DePauw: Students making the decision not to drink or...http://www.thedepauw.com/features/to-drink-or-not-to-drink-alcohol-education-programs-1.2896792#.UFA-rhjajoA

Excerpt

Some students kick off the weekend on Thirsty Thursday when they celebrate the end of another rigorous week of schoolwork with black lights, thumping house music and bottles of alcohol. Though DePauw is often hailed as a “party school,” not all students partake in such activities.

“When I see people drink, I see that they are kind of like a shell of a human being, and that is something that really doesn’t appeal to me,” junior Benjamin Diekhoff said.

Diekhoff chooses to abstain from drinking both on and off campus. Although he is part of a fraternity, Diekhoff as of now does not drink for both religious and legal reasons. Diekhoff follows the Roman Catholic faith, which has played a huge role in his decision not to drink.

“If we should drink, it should be in moderation.” Diekhoff said.

Angela Nally, director of Public Safety, offered some additional factors that come into play when DePauw students decide whether or not to drink.

“Students need to take into account several things before making the decision to use alcohol… if they are in compliance with the law, their family values regarding alcohol use [and] also how alcohol affects them personally, because it affects each and every person differently,” she said.

Nally also said that not only should students take into account if they are going to use alcohol, they should also take into consideration how they interact with alcohol.

One way the faculty on campus helps inform students about the way they interact with alcohol is through organizations like S.O.A.R., The Student Organized Alcohol Research project. Senior members Kati Lear and Lian Weinstein both work closely with psychology professor Pam Propsom on gathering information about the drinking culture at DePauw.

“Our main aim is not to govern the student body, but just to educate them about how much their peers actually do drink and what perceptions they have,” Lear said of S.O.A.R.

Weinstein said that they try to inform students about drinking by asking them questions like, “Do you know how much a shot is?” as opposed to saying, “Hey, you shouldn’t drink!”

According to The Student Organized Alcohol Research report for the 2011-12 academic year, 15.4 percent of the student body does not drink. However, only 22 percent of the campus would describe themselves as “risky” drinkers, meaning they have eight drinks or more per sitting.

Both Lear and Weinstein said that students should drink responsibly and safely.

Members of S.O.A.R. and DePauw After Dark both try to educate the student body before and during events where students may decide to “pre-game.” The programs set up booths with free food, but they also provide facts and statistics that reflect the drinking culture on campus.

During last year’s preparation week before the Little 5 races, S.O.A.R. attracted interest to their booth where students could wear B.A.C. goggles and learn how much alcohol is really in a shot compared to their initial perceptions. DePauw After Dark also presents free food trucks on campus during late nights so students can have a meal before or in between drinking sessions.

While DePauw provides students with Drinking Alternative programs to cut down the drinking here on campus, some students who choose to abstain from drinking still go to parties. For example, since Diekhoff’s fraternity hosts parties, he volunteers as a sober monitor.

“Since I’m already going to be sober, I might as well help out the house by walking around and making sure everybody else is okay,” he said.

When Diekhoff decides not to surround himself with the partying scene, he plays video games with friends and occasionally vists Plainfield.

When asked if he was ever pressured into drinking before, he said, “My friends are kind of surprised still that I don’t drink…I’m lucky to live in a fraternity that accepts me and doesn’t care at all that I choose not to drink.”

Diekhoff will celebrate a big milestone in his life later this week, turning 21. He does plan to drink with some friends on that day, but not excessively.

“A lot of people depend on alcohol in order to have a good time, and I pride myself on not [having] to do that.”

The University of Illinois student newspaper takes a sober look at the benefits and responsibilities of fraternities during Rush Week. This is the paper’s followup on the piece written by its reporter who attended what he called beer-soaked recruiting parties. http://www.dailyillini.com/article/2012/09/alcohol-culture-of-rush-week-makes-lasting-impression-on-new-students

Excerpt:

The University is home to the country’s largest Greek system. But having a part in that distinction comes with responsibility. Fraternities should have safeguards in place to ensure that minors don’t drink during Rush Week or at parties.

Not only that, but the University’s Interfraternity Council, the organization that presides over the more than 40 fraternity chapters, states in its policies for the recruitment process that “the only restriction placed on chapters is the restriction of not involving alcohol in ANY recruitment activities.”

But the IFC does not have any restrictions or regulations on placing bids, the invitations for membership to a fraternity, on potential new members.

This muddies the line between simply throwing a party at the beginning of the semester — the time that most fraternities actively seek new members — and recruiting new members.

In some aspects, Greek life comes under attack because it sometimes glorifies underage drinking, breaking laws against it and celebrating the act.

As an institution with an internal government to manage risk, such as those associated with alcohol, it is that much more important to ensure there are written records of what goes largely unreported in campus fraternities.

Notably, underage drinking is not isolated to fraternities. Champaign-Urbana itself has the unusual practice of allowing 19- and 20-year-olds into bars, and it is foolish to assume that all underage bar attendees simply watch their of-age friends drink while they sip soda.

Whether an apartment, residence hall or other residence on campus, you can be confident that beer and liquor will be present.

Unlike the rest of campus, however, fraternities are held to a higher standard by the IFC, and chapters face consequences if found to use improper Rush methods, including serving alcohol to minors.

Fraternities on campus do great things — they fundraise for worthy causes, they provide friends or a home for freshmen trying to find their place at an enormous university, they allow members to assume leadership positions in their fraternity and in the community, and they help alumni in securing jobs and promotions.

Providing alcohol when recruiting new members who are underage serves only to mitigate these positives. That does not mean fraternities should stop having alcohol at their parties — it is unfair to expect a complete ban, but it is expected that alcohol is used responsibly. This does mean, however, that alcohol, should not be such a focus during rush.

The Office of the Dean of Students enumerates a list of values that are supposed to be “inherent” in the Greek system’s mission, which is to facilitate friendship, leadership, scholarship, service and social advancement. Alcohol detracts from these values because the first and, quite often, lasting impression for a non-Greek member or a student seeking entry into the system is not one that emphasizes the positive benefits of a fraternity.