Categories
Hazing News

Murray State Sigma Chi cited for “technical” hazing violations

Here is the link

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.

By Hank Nuwer

Journalist Hank Nuwer tracks hazing deaths in fraternities and schools. 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. In April of 2024 and April 2025 , the Alaska Press Club awarded him first place in the Best Columnist division and Best Humorist, second place.

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.

Leave a Reply