Administrators say Greek hazing is difficult to

Despite five investigations into violations last spring, officials admit 'there's only so much you can do.' With Greek rush just a few fraternity parties away, administrators and students are preparing themselves for an illicit activity some acknowledge occurs during the pledging process. Many students both inside and outside the Greek system say hazing is an undeniable reality at Penn. "Hazing occurs at Penn and everyone knows it," a sophomore who requested anonymity said. The University's policy handbook defines hazing as any activity "which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student." Hazing also includes any act that "willfully destroys or removes public or private property" as part of initiation into an organization, the policy states. The University expressly prohibits hazing, outlining harsh measures to respond when violations are discovered. Regulations state that hazing is "inconsistent with the goals and purposes of the University and is explicitly forbidden." Last spring, the Office of Student Conduct investigated five Greek organizations for violations of the hazing policy, OSC Director Michelle Goldfarb said. According to documents obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian, the Phi Delta Theta fraternity was one of the organizations under investigation. Alleged activity included the physical abuse and beating of Phi Delt pledges who were chained to the furniture, and instances of prolonged, forced periods of sleep deprivation, according to the document. But because only anonymous sources had offered confirmation that hazing had occurred, the Office of Student Conduct did not have enough evidence to proceed with the allegations, Goldfarb explained. Phi Delt President and Wharton senior Gene Yoon said the investigation will not affect the decisions of this year's pledge class. "The prospective rushes will see what we're about," he said. "These allegations are completely unfounded." Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta acknowledged that the University has difficulty in verifying hazing incidents. "We don't have the ability to prove it and act on it every time it occurs," he said. "There's only so much you can do." But Moneta added that the University aggressively pursues punishment of organizations violating policy. Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski characterized hazing as a "complete and total abomination" of the purpose of fraternities and sororities. Goldfarb said there are many misconceptions among students about what constitutes hazing. "Even if you don't intend to hurt someone, it's still potentially hazing," Goldfarb said. She added that even if pledges perform certain acts willingly, the organization can be found guilty of hazing. The "all in good fun" excuse does not apply to hazing, Goldfarb added. Some leaders and members of the University's Greek system maintain that hazing plays no role in pledging processes at their houses. Tau Epsilon Phi President and College junior Jason Judd described the TEP pledge initiation as a process of educating new brothers about the ideals of the house. "In my house, pledging is about camaraderie and respect," Judd said. And Wharton sophomore Shane Lavery, a Phi Gamma Delta brother, said the issue of hazing at the University "has been completely overblown." "It'd be surprising if it happened here, considering the kind of school we go to," he said. But hazing is part of the pledging experience within some fraternities at the University, according to one College sophomore and a member of the Greek system who described his pledging experience as "a process of brainwashing." He said pledges in his fraternity were required to complete certain tasks in order to gain acceptance by the older brothers in the house. "The dominant and subordinate image takes over -- the pledge feels subjugated by the brothers' presence, and will do whatever they ask," he said. Another sophomore student, who de-pledged a fraternity a month into the process, said he also encountered harsh pledging activities. "The common goal during pledging is survival," he said. "The only way to form that strong bond is to put us through something where we have to survive." Although hazing is stereotypically associated with fraternities, some sorority sisters explained that it does occur in different forms in the Panhellenic Council's chapters. Kappa Alpha Theta sister and College senior Wendy Bass said sorority hazing involves excessive time commitments and pressure to conform. "The worst part of the pledge process is that there tends to be a development of a group-think action," she said. "Girls that wouldn't tend to conform start to conform -- in dress and action." Many members of Greek organizations will not reveal specific hazing activities to people outside their houses. "The pride and loyalty of the house is definitely at stake," said a College sophomore, who is a member of a Greek organization. "Confidentiality is essential." Of the five fraternities the Office of Student Conduct investigated last year, the office found sufficient evidence to refer only three cases to OFSA for resolution. OFSA determined that only the Sigma Chi fraternity had violated hazing policies, during an off-campus party involving alcohol during the rush season. In previous years, the University chapter of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity was suspended for part of the 1995 spring semester after University Police officers witnessed the hazing of a pledge. And an investigation returned evidence that the Alpha Epsilon Pi and Phi Delt fraternities both violated hazing policies in the spring of 1994. In addition, the University suspended Pi Kappa Alpha for numerous hazing incidents in June, 1992. The fraternity recolonized last year. And the Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity was found guilty of hazing in three separate incidents in 1991. College senior Alex Orlovsky, who is in charge of pledge education at Phi Delt, said allegations of hazing could create negative impressions of his house. But InterFraternity Council President and College senior Josh Gottheimer was quick to point out that hazing is not a problem solely endemic to the Greek system. And Goldfarb emphasized that anti-hazing regulations apply to any University organization that might haze -- including athletic, theater and academic groups. "But Greek organizations are the most notorious and prevalent groups that haze," she added. Gottheimer said the formation of the IFC's anti-hazing commission and other initiatives outlined in the just-released 21st century report aim to enforce the anti-hazing policy.