Hank Nuwer, Author; Hazing Deaths Database

Excerpt from Kenyon Collegian

After administrators learned of the incident, the DKEs, who began the year on probation after a pledge was injured during last spring’s initiation, will be on continued probation until May 31, 2014.

“During that period of time,” said Christina Mastrangelo, director of student activities and Greek life, “if the chapter violates College, housing or Greek council policy, then it will result in immediate five-year suspension of the chapter from the College.”

According to DKE President Garrett Fields ’12, on Feb 27, two weeks after the incident, Mastrangelo approached the fraternity’s pledges after her office received several reports of concern. “On the day of Greek 101,” Fields said, “Christina [Mastrangelo] pulled our pledges aside because she had heard reports of concern and wanted full clarity. After talking to the pledges, the administration drafted a formal charge.”

“They were not interviewed as a group,” said President S. Georgia Nugent. “They were separated so they wouldn’t have any chance to collude in a story that wasn’t necessarily true.”

Due to their probation, the fraternity has been under increased scrutiny this year. “I had been meeting with the DKEs throughout the fall and spring semester to revise their pledging process and make it a hazing-free new member education program,” Mastrangelo said, “so it was very disheartening to receive such serious allegations.”

Speaking about the incident, Nugent said, “It’s things like that that are getting towards borderline hazing.”

In an attempt to prevent hazing, which Kenyon’s student handbook defines as “any action or situation, regardless of intention, whether on or off Kenyon premises, that results in or has the potential of resulting in physical, mental, or emotional harm, discomfort, or distress to a group’s members or prospective members,” the Greek Council Constitution requires all chapters to submit a calendar of pledge events for review and approval. The DKEs’ calendar contained to no mention of the hazing event.

Here is the link.

Excerpt:

The Dothan Eagle reports that the students turned themselves in to police on Monday.

Authorities say the case involves events that happened on a bus trip back from a baseball game in Hartford.

Geneva County District Attorney Kirke Adams said the students are accused of pushing the faces of junior varsity baseball players into their buttocks as part of an initiation.

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And an excerpt:

Chip Adams, a Murray State and Sigma Chi alumnus who participated in the chapter’s internal investigation, said the hazing contained no instances of physical or emotional abuse.

However, he said tasks traditionally required of pledges, including taking down the house flag at the end of the day, violated University policy and are considered hazing.

Mike Maxwell, chapter adviser, said the allegations do not fit a typical definition of hazing.    “If you say ‘hazing’ on campus to somebody, the type of things that they consider hazing don’t fit your typical mind-frame,” Maxwell said.

Maxwell said the chapter has cooperated with the University nonetheless.

“The University presented a list of allegations toward us,” he said. “We did an internal review. We worked within University guidelines. We worked with University officials to identify and evaluate the type of activities that they were concerned about. We have addressed them.”

Maxwell said he agrees the chapter is at fault and he believes the University could do a better job informing the campus of its policies.

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Excerpt:

At least seven Woodburn High School junior varsity boys basketball players were removed from the team and suspended from school after four freshman players were allegedly subjected to hazing.

The alleged incidents occurred before Christmas, school district Superintendent David Bautista said Thursday.

Bautista did not give details of the specific alleged acts.

The players are from the Woodburn Academy of Art, Science and Technology and from the Wellness, Business & Sports School. They have been suspended since Jan. 14 pending the results of an investigation by school police affiliated with the Woodburn Police Department.

Coach Joel Dunn and his staff are being investigated for potential lack of supervision of the players.

Bautista said a parent reported the alleged actions to an assistant basketball coach.

Bautista described the incidents as involving bullying that resulted in no serious injuries. The Woodburn Independent reported the hazing involved “grabbing and punching victims in the groin area.”