Raising Awareness: Supporting Anti-Hazing Practices At the University of Idaho

Rachel Hirst 805 Elm Street Moscow, ID 83843 hirs6596@vandals.uidaho.edu BS: FCS Clothing, Textiles, & Design Advisor: Dr. Sandra Evenson Senior, Graduating May 2013 Member of Kappa Kappa Gamma

Project Dates: May 2013-September 2013 Amount Requested: $2,000 Project Synopsis: Hazing is an issue nationwide that is seen in social groups such as gangs, sports teams, military units, workplace groups, fraternities, sororities, and schools. However many groups it can apply to, hazing is most commonly associated with fraternities and sororities. There is a need at the University of Idaho to bring awareness to the seriousness of hazing, in order to reduce the presence of hazing activities that happen each year. An effective way to do this is to bring a guest speaker to campus, Dr. Mari Ann Callais.

Project Goals and Activities Community Need: Hazing is a problem at universities nationwide, occasionally resulting in injury or death of students involved. The University of Idaho has taken measures to prevent hazing including an Anti-Hazing week each year, but it is not enough to completely end hazing practices. Hazing is defined by the National Federation as any humiliating or dangerous activity expected of a student to belong to a group, regardless of their willingness to participate (What is Hazing). Hazing is a criminal offense, and if caught, offenders can be punished by law. Although hazing occurs in many types of social groups, it is most commonly associated with practices carried out by fraternities and sororities. The University of Idaho is a traditional university in many ways, including a large percentage of students who are members of Greek Organizations. The Greek System here was established in 1889 and includes 33 nationally affiliated fraternities and sororities. Over twenty percent of the entire student population, and fifty percent of those who live on campus, are members of one of these organizations (Fraternity and Sorority Life). Traditionally, hazing was commonly used as part of initiation into many groups ranging from gangs and sports teams, to certain work groups and social clubs, which includes sororities and fraternities. Hazing is said to increase exclusivity and to heighten respect for members of the group. In addition to this, that a group functions better once members have gone through certain hazing practices. These beliefs are not true or healthy for members of any social group. Anti-hazing efforts have helped decrease the prevalence of hazing activities, but a small number of them continue to take place. As a member of a Greek Organization on campus who was not personally hazed, my experience with the Greek Community has been enlightening, supportive, and wholly positive. My goal is to promote this experience, with the hope that all members of organizations on the University of Idaho campus can have a similarly positive experience. Although hazing happens among a variety of groups, I see the need for added support from the University as a member of a Greek organization myself. Though my organization doesnt practice hazing rituals, each semester brings stories of hazing on the UI campus. Organizations carry out these practices in secret under the premise that they are rituals done annually, especially during initiation. Some practices may be physically dangerous, or may force an individual to consume drugs and alcohol in dangerous excess. Through education the prevalence of these activities will decrease, ensuring the safety and positive outcomes of Greek life to continue into the future. In order to address these problems, my objective is to bring Dr. Mari Ann Callais to the University of Idaho to speak to the Greek Community. By addressing what is considered hazing and reiterating the importance of anti-hazing practices, students will gain a better understanding of the consequences and be reminded of the positive values that can be gained through membership in Greek Organizations on campus. She also speaks on topics

relating to drug and alcohol use, and could educate the group on safety in this realm in addition to anti-hazing. Qualifications: Dr. Mari Ann Callais has worked in higher education for over sixteen years. With an undergraduate degree in Political Science, Masters of Education, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Research, she works currently as an assistant professor at Mississippi State University. Professionally, she is the Director of Development of The Center for Tri Delta, has held the position of NPC Delegate and National President for her sorority, Theta Phi Alpha. During her career she has presented more than five hundred workshops on fraternity and sorority values, student leadership, and team building. She has been presented several awards, including Greek Advisor of the Year, Outstanding Greek Affairs Professional Award and was twice awarded the Southeastern Interfraternity Conferences Advisor of the Year Award. Recently she was named one of the 2011 Most Powerful and Influential Women of Louisiana Award by the National Council on Diversity, which recognizes her skills with leadership, community, ethics and overall excellence. On her website, she is noted for her ability to speak with students, not to students. Kari Murphy, from the University of Missouri-Kansas City said, Mari Ann certainly paved the way for change on our campus! As much as I have talked to the students about values congruence it is so much nicer for the students to hear this from someone else (Dr. Mari Ann Callais). Her knowledge could help end negative traditions on our campus, and help make our community the best it can be. Plan: The process of inviting and hosting Dr. Callais will be relatively simple, beginning with communication between Greek Life advisors, Dr. Callais, and myself. By first coordinating with campus Greek Life advisors and the Panhellenic Executive Board, I will contact Dr. Callais via email. For the remainder of the planning stage, I will serve as liaison between Dr. Callais and the campus administrators. A time and date will be decided upon, tentatively set for sometime in September after Greek Organizations on campus have completed 2013 Fall Recruitment. A final date will reflect both Dr. Callaiss availability and the schedules of the Greek Community and the University of Idaho. Transportation to Moscow would be provided for her, including air and vehicle travel, as well as compensation for her time. The venue for the event would be the Ballroom at the University of Idahos Student Union Building, which is free for students to reserve. This facility is located on campus so students wont have to travel far to attend the event. Chairs and a microphone would be the only material used at the actual event, which are included in the reservation of the room.

Goals: The short-term goal of this project is that Dr. Mari Ann Callaiss speech will educate members of Greek organizations on not only the negative consequences of hazing, but with a larger goal of inspiring members to end hazing practices even though they may be traditional for an organization. The long-term goal is that all hazing practices at the University of Idaho will end, increasing safety of students and the overall strength of the Greek community. In addition to providing information about hazing, Dr. Callais speaks about overall health and safety regarding drug and alcohol use and how to get the most out of any Greek Life experience. Outreach Approach: Advertisements for the event would be provided in several ways, both through social media and printed advertisements. A Facebook event page would be created, Twitter Notifications would be sent from the University of Idaho Greek Life, and emailed advertisements would be sent to the Greek Community. Flier advertisements are available for download from Dr. Callaiss website, dismissing the need to have advertisements designed. In order to get them printed, each Greek Organization could use a number of their members University provided printing quota to negate cost. A group of volunteers from the Greek Community will hang the posters around campus and announce the event at the biweekly Panhellenic meeting, and at the monthly Greek Presidents meeting ensuring that all houses would invite their members to the event. Additionally, these volunteers will visit each house to hand out fliers and personally invite members, encouraging attendance. Each Greek Organization is required to attend a number of speakers during the semester, so it is also possible to have this educational speaker be considered one of those events. To achieve this goal, I will work with the Panhellenic board and Interfraternity Council Executive Board. Schedule: May 2013: Contact Dr. Callais via email to coordinate a visit to the Greek Community at the University of Idaho during Fall 2013. Discuss details with Greek advisors and leaders. July 2013: Finalize schedule and financial details with University and Dr. Callais September 2013: Begin communication with Greek Community. Attend Panhellenic and Greek Presidents meeting. Two Weeks Prior: Begin advertising around campus with posters and fliers, provided by Dr. Callaiss website.

 Begin advertising through social media. Attend IFC meeting One-Week Prior: Send out an email to the Greek Community announcing the event. Pass out fliers and visit all Greek houses, inviting members to attend the event. Plan for Future Action: If the process of having Dr. Callais come speak to the Greek Community at the University of Idaho goes smoothly and students respond well, an event like this could be an annual occurrence. In addition to expected benefits to the students who attend the event, its also an opportunity for student leaders in the Greek community to gain professional experience coordinating and planning events with members outside the University Community. If inviting an anti-hazing speaker becomes an annual event, the University of Idaho Greek Life, Panhellenic, and Interfraternal Council would work together to coordinate the event, assigning responsibilities to student leaders and asking volunteers from the Greek Community to play an active role. In order to determine if the event meets its potential to impact anti-hazing practices, it would be a topic of discussion at the Greek Presidents meeting. Additionally, student surveys could be sent out, but generally Presidents of each organization have a good idea of each houses attendance and response to an event.

Budget: Grant Budget

Requested Funds Matched Funds

1. Equipment / Capital Expenditure

Compensation fee to Dr. Callais total equipment 1,100 $1,100 700 80 110 total travel $890 10 $10

2. Travel/Ammenities
Round Trip Flights - Mississippi to Moscow, ID Meals for Dr. Callais Lodging overnight - Best Western University Inn

4. Personnel*
Student to provide travel to/from Hotel & Airport total salaries

Total Budget Request

*Salary not to exceed $10/hr for undergraduates, $12/hr for graduate students. Please add a 1% fringe fee to the total salary as required for payroll. For example: if total payroll equals $100, request $101.

$2,000

Justification: Approximate hotel cost was found at the Best Western University Inn website, and air travel costs from University, MS to Moscow, ID were estimated using Expedia. Transportation to and from the airport, and to campus before and after the event would add minimal cost, either done by volunteer or through an hourly wage to an undergrad student. The largest budgeted cost is compensation to Dr. Callais for her time and effort, approximated from her personal website.

Resources: Best Western Plus: University Inn Best Western. Web. 14 April 2013. <http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/US/ID/Moscow-hotels/BESTWESTERN-PLUS-University-Inn/Hotel-Overview.do?propertyCode=13035>. Build Your Own Trip. Expedia. Web. 14 April 2013. <http://www.expedia.com/FlightsSearch>. Dr. Mari Ann Callais. Campus Speak. Web. 2 April 2013. <http://www.campuspeak.com/speakers/callais>. "Fraternity and Sorority Life." Student Affairs. University of Idaho. Web. 2 Apr 2013. <http://www.uidaho.edu/studentaffairs/fraternity-and-sorority-life>. What is Hazing." National Federation of State High School Associations. Web. 2 Apr 2013. <http://www.nfhs.org/content.aspx?id=3766>.