Greek Life surveys students on hazing


By Jesse Lewis
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Student volunteers armed with Palm Pilots will be on campus this week surveying students to find out what they know about hazing.

Greek Life is conducting this survey to gauge students' knowledge, perceptions and the reality of hazing, said Chris Bullins, coordinator of Greek Life.

"We are not trying to find groups to target for punishment; we just want to get a pulse for whether they need to get hazing education," Bullins said.

The surveys include questions on the takers' perceptions of hazing, what they know about it, if they were ever hazed, and how they think hazing is conducted.

Students will be at five different locations on campus to conduct the surveys: the major food carts by the Harvill and Social Sciences buildings, and the UofA Bookstore.

Bullins hopes these various locations will be able to provide Greek Life with impartial information.

"We want to diversify the exposure to potential respondents," he said.

The survey will be taken by undergrads only. It takes about three to four minutes, and is completely anonymous.

Mark Albertolle, a pre-business freshman, said he feels the issue of hazing is made into a much bigger deal than it is, and can be avoided.

"You are never forced into it; you can always walk," he said.

The survey group wants to make contact with at least 500 people by Thursday.

"After this we will know what kinds of decisions to make about educational practices to positively inform students that hazing is not happening," Bullins said.

The need for this survey came from the nation's attention to hazing.

There have been incidents among different groups and organizations on campus, and this is the best way to understand it through the eyes of students, Bullins said.

"Students will identify certain things as hazing. Other actions like harmless pranks will probably not be identified by students," Bullins said.