New anti-hazing Web site offers students information, intervention and education

Cornell has launched a new Web site, http://hazing.cornell.edu, to help provide education about the ongoing problem of hazing among student groups.

The creation of the anti-hazing Web site, sponsored by Cornell's Office of the Dean of Students, is part of the university's ongoing commitment to address a serious problem facing Cornell and universities across the country. This site is a resource for students, staff, faculty, alumni, parents and others. It highlights university-defined hazing activities, discusses hazing myths and allows students to report hazing incidents anonymously.

"Hazing is not unique to Cornell, but we believe that it is important to face this issue openly," said Susan Murphy, Cornell vice president for student and academic services. "We want to make it clear that hazing is unacceptable and is a violation of university policy. It is contrary to the values and mission of the university."

In 2001 Murphy appointed a Task Force on Hazing composed of students -- including fraternity and sorority leaders -- staff and faculty members, which identified steps to promote a campus culture that does not tolerate hazing and recommended policy changes and educational strategies. One result was the addition of hazing as a violation in the Cornell Campus Code of Conduct. The task force's recommendations also formed the basis for the development of the anti-hazing Web site.

"This Web site will play an important role in raising awareness of a long-standing problem facing Cornell and universities nationwide," said Cornell Dean of Students Kent Hubbell. He added that Cornell's fraternity and sorority leaders have created a "sunshine policy" to overcome the secrecy that perpetuates hazing. "Beginning this semester, chapters that violate the hazing policy will have their names and violations posted on the Web site," he said.

"The site examines hazing explicitly in an attempt to overcome the secrecy that perpetuates these practices," said Tim Marchell, Ph.D. '82, director of mental health initiatives at Cornell, who led the Web site development team. David Peth '04 designed and produced the site, and student leaders provided key input.

The launching of the site coincides with the publication of a study of hazing at Cornell by Shelly Campo, formerly of Cornell and now at the University of Iowa; Gretchen Poulos, a former Cornell health promotion assistant; and John W. Sipple, assistant professor of education at Cornell. The survey of 736 Cornell undergraduates, published in the March-April 2005 issue of the American Journal of Health Behavior, found that 1 in 3 respondents reported engaging in an activity that met the definition of hazing.