Sigma Alpha Epsilon ending pledging across all its chapters is a good start to address the issue of hazing and fraternity-related deaths and injuries, but the fraternity should be doing more.

On March 7, SAE announced the elimination of its pledging process, replacing it with what the fraternity calls the “True Gentleman Experience.” It would require the fraternity to extend an invitation to initiate new members as brothers within four days, as opposed to the usual six-week period.

Nationally, SAE has had a notorious reputation for its pledging process, being named “America’s deadliest fraternity” by Bloomberg in a Dec. 30 article. According to the story, SAE has had “nine deaths related to drinking, drugs and hazing” since 2006 — more than any other greek organization.

Although the change in policy indicates SAE recognizes the problem, getting rid of the pledging process may not be its most effective option. Even though there is no longer a pledging process, hazing can happen at any point, especially with fraternity matters happening behind closed doors.

It’s incredibly difficult to enforce a ban on hazing, which is one of the reasons why these issues with fraternities still exist.

For SAE’s decision to truly work, the new “True Gentleman Experience” should be regulated much more strictly by the national chapter and individual universities.

Although the national fraternity warns that chapters caught hazing will be removed from the organization, individual universities need to take a firmer stance on fraternities and increase the consequences to ensure safety on its campus for students that are part of any greek organization.

Universities should take responsibility because they have the most direct proximity to each chapter, as the national organization may not be able to keep an eye on every chapter.

Although SAE has a new policy in place, hazing will still continue in practice until the entire hazing-culture within greek life is changed. The practice is a problem in all fraternities, with or without a pledging process.

Greek organizations should change their perspectives on pledging and understand that hazing is both an outdated and unacceptable practice today. Changing the policy will not end hazing, but changing the perception can.

Published on March 17, 2014 at 1:17 am