• New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.

Is hazing acceptable?


  • Total voters
    41
  • Poll closed .
Even Willie the Wildcat is involved!!! What is the world coming to?

Updated: May 18, 2006, 1:48 AM ET
Northwestern: Men's swimming, mascots also hazed
Associated Press

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->CHICAGO -- Northwestern University has punished its men's swim team and students who perform as the school's mascot for hazing, a school spokesman said Wednesday, just days after the school suspended its women's soccer team amid similar allegations.
The swim team's hazing occurred in September and involved underage drinking, swimming in Lake Michigan when the beaches were closed and "additional inappropriate behavior," said Mike Wolf, Northwestern's assistant athletic director for media services.
On Monday, Northwestern announced it had suspended its women's soccer team from all athletic activities after pictures of alleged hazing incidents ended up on the Internet.
All members of the men's swim team were placed on disciplinary probation, required to perform a community service project and attend educational sessions on hazing after the Division of Student Affairs investigated and determined there had been a violation of Northwestern's anti-hazing policy.
"Additional disciplinary action was taken against several members of the team, but federal law prohibits universities from releasing information about specific actions taken in regard to individual students," Wolf said in a statement.
The athletic department also canceled the team's training trip to Hawaii and several team members, which is coach by Bob Groseth, were prohibited from swimming in one or more meets, Wolf said.
In October, students who perform as "Willie the Wildcat," the school's mascot, staged a fake kidnapping of new students who were candidates to fill the role, Wolf said.
Northwestern fired the students who had been performing as the mascot and put them on disciplinary probation after an investigation. Willie also did not appear at "several" football games, Wolf said.
"Northwestern will not tolerate hazing of any kind," Wolf said. "When it discovers allegations of hazing or other violations of student conduct regulations, the university will respond quickly and take the appropriate actions."
Wolf's statement did not say when the university first discovered the incidents involving the swim team or the mascots. A message seeking further comment was left at his office Wednesday night.
Earlier this week, a Web site displayed pictures allegedly of Northwestern soccer players clad only in T-shirts and underwear -- some with blindfolds on and others with their hands tied behind their backs. Other women had words or pictures scrawled on their bodies and clothes, and it appeared some were drinking alcohol.
The women are suspended from organized athletics pending the outcome of Northwestern's investigation, Wolf said. None of the players has been suspended from school.
"The university is continuing its investigation of the alleged incident involving the women's soccer team and will take appropriate action if it is determined that the university's anti-hazing policy was violated," Wolf said in Wednesday's statement.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2449080


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
Upvote 0
As Cyndi Lauper would say:

Girls - they want to have fun
Oh girls just want to have fun,
They want to have fun,
They want to have fun....

Update: NU player: We were 'having fun' - According to a new article in the Chicago Sun Times, a member of the women's soccer team told them that, "none of the players on Northwestern's women's soccer team was forced to do anything at an event now the subject of a university hazing investigation. " The unnamed player claimed that despite what the pictures may show, team members were not forced to do "anything against their will,'' and added that everyone involved was "just having fun.'' However, the article does go on to quote the Northwestern's student handbook which states that hazing is prohibited "even in cases where a new member of a group agrees to participate." (Chicago Sun-Times)
Update: Northwestern Suspends Soccer Team Pending Investigation - Here's the text of a statement we received from NU:
STATEMENT ON ALLEGED HAZING BY NORTHWESTERN WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM - Statement by Northwestern University Director of Athletics Mark Murphy
Northwestern University today learned of allegations that hazing took place last year involving the women's soccer team. Hazing is forbidden under the University's anti-hazing policy.
Northwestern's Division of Student Affairs will conduct a thorough investigation of the alleged incident. I have asked all Athletic Department staff, team coaches and members of the team to cooperate fully in the investigation by Student Affairs.
If the investigation shows that there has been a violation of Northwestern's policies, appropriate sanctions will be imposed and the Athletic Department may take additional action as well. Until this investigation is completed, I have suspended the women's soccer team from all organized athletic activities.

Those Wildcats! Northwestern Women's Soccer Team Initiation Includes Pictures of Bondage, Lap Dances, and Simulated Sex Acts
fourshot.JPG
By now, most loyal BadJocks readers are familiar with our publication of pictures from various college athletic teams (see list at left) that seem to indicate that--surprise!--hazing still occurs regularly on campus. They also seem to be getting more intense, more violent and more sexual in nature.
This most recent set of pictures (below) are some of the most significant we have ever seen . . . and also the most complete. In all, there are 46 pictures from the original album, posted on a public picture sharing site, that appear to document the entire evening's activities.. At first, we thought they were pretty much like others we had found: underage drinking, girls in degrading outfits for the occasion, faces written on with marker, etc. Then we turned the page and found the freshman not only blindfolded but with their hands tied behind their backs with athletic tape. On top of that, the girls are seen doing calisthenics and what appears to be forced drinking, performing skits that appear to require simulated sex acts, and then the losing skit team being forced to perform lap dances. And this wasn't just any school! With some research we determined that this was the Northwestern University Women's Soccer Team.Reviewing all the pictures makes you realize just how organized these initiation rituals have become and just how serious these gals about their hazing. Sorry, "alleged hazing" since it will require an investigation by the school to determine that as fact. For now, they are just very provocative "initiation" pictures (their label), that show the freshman girls in at least four different locations over the course of several hours.


As always, we searched for and found Northwestern's hazing policy which reads (page 13 of the PDF):
The University forbids hazing (based on the state law, Illinois Hazing Act, 720 ILCS §120/0.01 et seq) and all other activities that interfere with the personal liberty of an individual. The University defines hazing as any action taken or situation created intentionally, whether on or off University premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule. Such activities and situations may include but are not limited to paddling in any form; creation of excessive fatigue; physical and psychological shocks; quests, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips, or any other such activities carried on outside the confines of the University; wearing apparel that is conspicuous and not normally in good taste; engaging in stunts and buffoonery; requiring sleepovers or morally degrading or humiliating games and activities; late work sessions or activities that interfere with scholastic activities and/or normal sleeping hours; forced consumption of alcohol; falsely leading an individual or individuals to believe that they will be inducted/initiated by participating in particular activities; and forcing individuals to participate in activities that are not consistent with the University’s mission, rules, regulations, and policies or federal, state, or local law. Alcohol is not permitted at any recruitment or new member/pledge activity. Acceptance of an activity on the part of a new member or individual does not justify participation in or sponsorship of the activity.


Seems like these pictures qualify as hazing to us, but since we're not experts in this area, we called our hazing expert, Dr. Susan Lipkins, a psychologist for over twenty years, who is a leading expert in the field. (Media contact info for both Dr. Lipkins and BadJocks publisher Bob Reno is at the bottom of the page.) Upon seeing the first picture we sent her, Dr. Lipkins response in the subject line was a simple "unbelievable." She'll provide a little more thorough commentary (right column) as you review the pictures.
Oh, and here's part two of this story: on Wednesday we will release pictures from at least a dozen other college sports "initiations". Our research indicates that lots of pictures (possibly tens of thousands) exist from big schools, small schools, private schools, public schools, liberal arts colleges and tight-laced religious schools from all over the country . . . maybe even an Ivy League school! So, to all the college athletic directors out there, we suggest you have a talk with your coaches before Wednesday and ask them if they know of any of this stuff going on at your schools, because chances are, a dozen or so of you will get the wrong answer from them.
Before you start, you may want to read "Hazing 101: An Overview of the Photo Album of Northwestern Women's Soccer Team" by Dr. Lipkins


<HR>From a album posted online under the name Freshman Initiation!!
nusoccer1pub.JPG

Picture 1 (1 of 46 originals) Original caption: Our "uniforms"

There are 46 pictures in all from this online album. It starts with the freshman putting on their "uniforms" for the evening: t-shirts, underwear and high top socks. The girls are see in later pictures walking across campus dressed this way.
nusoccer44pub.JPG

Picture 2 (44 of 46) Caption: waiting to be punished..

Out of order for some reason, but this shows the girls waiting anxiously before the hazing begins.
nusoccer11pub.JPG

Picture 3 (11 of 46) Caption: in the elevator..

Several pictures show the freshman waiting in what appears to be the lobby of an apartment complex. Sometimes they are smiling, sometimes not. Then this one appears to show them in an elevator. Note that the upperclassmen appear to be reading to them from some kind of prepared script for their "skits." This is another indication of how well-planned this initiation was.
nusoccer12pub.JPG

Picture 4 (12 of 46) Caption: lined up outside..

More waiting outside what appears to be an apartment. Some of those faces look a little concerned, don't they?
nusoccer14pub.JPG

Picture 5 (14 of 46) Caption: more 7's

The first signs of what could be considered hazing: forced exercise and alcohol. There are several like this one and in at least one, one of the freshman is shown drinking. Referring to the original caption, I am not sure what a "7" is, but it appears to be a sit-up crunch of some kind. Anyone?

nusoccer45pub.JPG

Picture 6 (45 of 46) Caption: chugging...

Also out of order, but shows the results of the forced exercise in the previous shot. Have a beer!

nusoccer16pub.JPG

Picture 7 (16 of 46) Caption: waiting to go in some basement..

The second picture to show the freshman blindfolded. The first is in the elevator again, showing that they must have been blindfolded and tied up a the apartment seen in earlier pictures and then transported to this now third location of the evening. The upperclassmen seem to be smiling, but the faces of all the freshman are deadly serious.
nusoccer17pub.JPG

Picture 8 (17 of 46) (No caption)

The next picture in the set, showing them going into "the basement"

nusoccer18pub.JPG

nusoccer18insert.JPG

Picture 9 (18 of 46) Caption: getting written on..
Probably the creepiest one of the set: not only are they blindfolded and tied up, but now they are being written on with markers not only on their shirts, but their bodies as well. In the enlargement beneath it you can see that the girl in the background has had a penis drawn on her right cheek. Their are also other sexually suggestive and derogatory terms written elsewhere that are easier to see in later pictures.
nusoccer19pub.JPG

Picture 10 (19 of 46) Caption: steph rico and kels

Well, at least the upperclassmen appear to be having fun at this point of the initiation.

nusoccer29pub.JPG

Picture 11 (29 of 46) Caption: getting ready for team #2 to do their skit..

Released from their blindfolds and wrist restraints, the freshmen are now appear to be learning their skits, apparently choreographed by the upperclassmen as shown here. It's also clear in this picture how thoroughly their bodies were written on.

nusoccer32and33pub.JPG

Picture 12 & 13 (32 & 33 of 46) Caption #12: hahahaha
Caption #13: yeah they won..

After several more pictures of the girls doing their skit choreography, this appears to be another duo performing their "skit". According to the caption, this action helped them win. Think they would have done this on their own?
nusoccer35pub.JPG

Picture 14 (35 of 46) Caption: going to the soccer boys house..
They now appear to be heading to the fourth location of the night, identified in the picture caption as "the soccer boys house."
nusoccer41pub.JPG

Picture 15 (41 of 46) Caption: our punishment for losing the skit....lap dances for the soccer boys..

The punishment for losing in the skit competition? Apparently giving lap dances to the guys on the soccer team . . . if you believe the caption.
nusoccer46pub.JPG

Picture 16 (46 of 46) Caption: embarrassing
Lap dancing as seen from the other angle. The guys are just hating this, aren't they?

http://www.badjocks.com/archive/2006/northwestern-womens-soccer-hazing.htm
 
Upvote 0
Hazing, in the sense that it is negative and demoralizes or breaks down the young or prospective members of a group, is stupid and counter-productive. It leads to greater abuse with each successive generation and ultimately breaks down the group. It also, of course, opens the group and its members to pointless and potentially enormous liability for, at best, needless and, at worst, tragic consequences. There is no way for a group of 20 year olds to police themselves and keep things from geting out of hand once it starts. It will eventually get out of hand. Entropy.

All that said, "hazing" in the sense of a productive and bonding pledge or apprenticeship that is in keeping with the goals and ideals of the group is entirely appropriate. This doesn't mean "pussification". Rather, it would include exceptionally hard work, but for a purpose and that has meaning. The military did away with strictly negative hazing in its training for just this reason. It doesn't work. Ritual ought to build one's members up and make them part of the group, someone with a vested interest in its success, not someone bent on revenge against newbies because of what happened to him earlier.

Off of the soapbox. Back to drinking, illicit sex, and violence. Carry on.

Ruck over!
 
Upvote 0
Back
Top