A former University student and swim team member has filed a lawsuit against other members of his team alleging he was hazed by them. The lawsuit has been scheduled for trial in September 2016.
The former student, Anthony Marcantonio, alleges he and other first-year swimmers were subjected to numerous forms of hazing, including being forced to drink beer, liquor, milk and prune juice and suffering verbal abuse and forced sexual contact. Marcantonio’s allegations serve as a necessary reminder of the pervasive nature of hazing — that it is not just confined to Greek life.
The tendency to link hazing and Greek life does not exist without reason. But sometimes this association can make us forget about the prevalence of hazing in any hierarchically or competitively organized student group, including those at our University. Contractually independent organizations face similar risks to fraternities and sororities; hushed anecdotes of what club sports teams, a capella groups and even debating societies make their new members do could certainly qualify as hazing under the University’s definition.
In fact, Greek life, since it has institutional checks and balances in place — as well as an entire University office devoted to regulating it — can be more easily held accountable for reported acts of hazing compared with CIOs or other student groups. If a different kind of student group hazes new or current members, it may receive less attention and perhaps even less understanding on the part of the victims that they have been hazed or should report it, since each group’s brand of hazing may be different and not as well-known.
As an issue, hazing requires much more proactive, widespread analysis than what it currently receives, as much of the current focus revolves around Greek life. This year, with the introduction of two educational modules, the University administration took a proactive stance against alcohol abuse and sexual and gender-based violence, requiring students to complete these modules in order to access their University accounts. A module on hazing would be a welcome addition to this requirement.
As we seek to make this University — and all college campuses — safe, welcoming and violence-free, we should not let the issue of hazing escape our focus. This latest lawsuit regarding the swim team provides us with an opportunity to tackle this issue head on and with much more diligence.
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If you or someone you know has experienced an incident of hazing, you can report that incident at the University’s Just Report It site or by calling the Office of the Dean of Students at 434-924-7133.
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