Code of Conduct Now Places Ban on Hazing

By wpengine | December 7, 2001

The campus code of conduct now officially bans hazing.

The University Assembly voted on Wednesday during their regular meeting in the Straight’s International Lounge to add a broader definition of hazing practices by campus organizations, more specifically campus fraternities and sororities, to the University code of conduct.

Instead of being governed by individual groups, this definition will encompass every campus organization and allow organizations with similar bans in place, the ability to work with the University in recognizing and understanding the problem.

“The fact of the matter is that New York State prohibits hazing. Many fraternities and sororities already have laws banning it. What was missing was specific language in the code of conduct,” said Prof. Donald Tobias, city and regional planning who is the president of the University Assembly. “We spent a lot of time [discussing the issue]. This language in the bill is an attempt to surface community discussion.”

Tobias said he hopes that through more formal legislation, the University can add more support against hazing and change the community’s view of the sometimes dangerous practice.

“What I hope is that many members of the Greek system and other organizations take this [issue] very seriously and then monitor the behaviors of their organization,” Tobias said.

Cornell, similar to hundreds of colleges across the country that allow a Greek system, also deals with the problem of hazing at the hands of fraternity and sorority brothers and sisters wanting to induct new members into their houses, typically during pledge season which can begin early after winter break and end around spring break, according to the office of fraternity and sorority affairs Website.

Although the resolution includes any organization, Tobias notes that hazing in the Greek system is a more prevalent problem. “No one wanted to come across being against the Greek system. If any conduct is having a negative effect on students,” Tobias said.

This problem led to the University creating the University Wide Anti-Hazing Task Force which consisted of both students and faculty last February to investigate the problem of hazing on campus.

According to Tobias, once the task force finished their proposal they forwarded their findings to the Cornell Judiciary Committee (CJC) who found the issue important enough to bring it to the University Assembly’s attention. “They took the recommendation to add it to the campus code of conduct and brought it to us,” he said.

Although the fact that many fraternities and sororities already had anti-hazing laws, the addition to the code of conduct did not come easily. The Assembly rejected proposals from the CJC twice earlier before passing this one. Tobias notes that they wanted the law to be as clear as possible without defining a “laundry list” of activities that which students could not engage.

“There was concern that the language be as explicit as possible around such issues, as mental distress. The CJC took that information back with them and submitted a second proposal which was consequently not approved,” Tobias said. “There were concerns about to what degree the entire Cornell community had the chance to [give input.]”

Due to the makeup on the Assembly — six undergraduates along with three graduate/professional students, five employees, seven faculty and three administrators — they were the right campus governing body to decide on the measure. Undergraduate members involved in the process had asked for a public forum but do to the often pubic nature of the issue, the referendum was denied.

Tobias feels that this public airing of the hazing issue may allow the community to change its opinion. “I think that the recommendation of the hazing committee was to get this type of discussion going and start to talk about community standards,” he said noting that some members used the change in community thought regarding drunk driving as an example.

Campus fraternities and sororities and organizations that are involved in their well being are also appreciative that the University is showing its support for an issue that they have been dealing with individually for years. “I’m really glad that the University is paying attention to this problem, ” said Rebecca Walker ’02, the president of the Cornell Panhellenic Association which oversees 13 campus sororities. “While I don’t think it is the largest problem in the sororities, it’s something that we deal with. I don’t think that we are immune to it.”

Walker stated that all campus sororities and fraternities begin the pledging process by signing an anti-hazing statement bringing the issue in their minds from the beginning. Throughout the process, every act that does take place, Walker notes, is taken very seriously. “You have to put yourself in the shoes [of the one whose being hazed],” Walker said.

She finds that hopefully this will allow her to work with the University more closely. “You can’t do it alone,” she said.

“For me, the change in the code represents acknowledgement by the University community that hazing is unacceptable. I am impressed with the way in which Greek student leaders are confronting the problem,” said Associate Dean of Students for fraternity and sorority affairs, Suzy Nelson.

Nelson believes that the additional mentions in the code of conduct should allow more in the University to examine their conduct and see if it falls into unacceptable behavior.

“This is not only a Greek problem, but a community problem. For that reason, Cornell should have a statement in the code of conduct that indicates hazing is wrong,” she said.

Archived article by Carlos Perkins

A New Horizon

By wpengine December 20, 2001

There are lots of things on the walls in the offices of The Sun. Posters, signs, photographs, sports memorabilia, you name it. But in one hallowed space, editors past have collected our best and most important work — the mounted front pages of The Cornell Daily Sun on the day after armed students took over Willard Straight Hall in the name of civil rights, the day after students perished in a residence hall fire. Other front pages have become a part of the rolling memory of the organization: the day after John F. Kennedy was assassinated, the day the U.S. declared war on Japan. They now look yellowed with age, torn at the edges, and they have become a living memory of why we do what we do at the offices of 119 S. Cayuga Street. The first front page in over 30 years to adorn the wall is from Sept. 12. The full-color image of an airplane striking the first tower of the World Trade Center is now pasted up in that hallowed space that has always seemed to guard history. Not many will ever forget the day that marked one of the most horrific acts of war and hatred to take place on American soil. As editors, we will never forget the day the cover was mounted on the wall, the day we became part of history. And we will never forget the days and weeks after as we continued to observe, analyze and report how Cornell as an institution responded. In a famous sermon Dwight L. Moody once said that “character is what you are in the dark.” Never was this more obvious than after Sept. 11 — we have seen some of the most beautiful acts of human kindess, openess and ability to learn and to teach in the face of some of the most trying moments. Students of all backgrounds demonstrated their beliefs and values on campus, rallied other students to engage in healthy dialogue, brought their efforts into Ithaca, to Washington D.C. and to New York City. Professors presented educated expert viewpoints and revived the concept of the “teach-in” to provide a forum for conscientious thought and expression. In this issue we aim to present a synthesized view of the reflection, action, struggles and over-reaching consequences that tragedy has brought to our lives. In what has at times been a painful desire to cover the issue in its entirety, we have discovered some of the brilliance and true spirit of our learning community. We have looked back at issues that surfaced over a semester that at times seemed as if it were turned upside down. The time and energy the reporting and photography staff devoted to this edition showed a professional respect and sensitivity to the issues, a desire to understand and analyze, but most importantly to present to readers, the facts and details about the community in which we all live. The true character of curiosity, diversity and activism that shine on the Cornell campus continue to pull the institution through the seemingly impossible moments. Archived article by Sun Staff
Campus Healing and Recovery

By wpengine December 20, 2001

You, your family, friends, peers, educators, acquaintances, and the entire United States, have experienced a traumatic event. The country is reeling from the effects of Sept. 11. The nation is wading through reports of anthrax, suspicions of future terrorist acts and a war. Yet people on campus are talking, gathering with others, reaching out, donating blood, contributing money, increasing feelings of personal security, attending help sessions and doing anything else they can do to heal. Healing is the act of restoring a person to spiritual wholeness, according to With all that is happening, the healing process has been difficult. “The magnitude of Sept. 11 was beyond what anyone could imagine,” said Tanni Hall, associate dean of students. “Trauma by definition changes the way you view the world,” said Lynn Gerstein, counselor trainer at Gannett: University Health Services. “You have to reorganize how you view the world, you have to grieve and you have to learn how to cope in your new existence.” Gerstein acknowledges that for some people the event was not a trauma, and they must be addressed differently. At Gannett, however, trauma victims and grief victims are handled differently. Gannett has chosen the trauma healing approach over the grief healing approach for people dealing with Sept. 11. People may respond to the feelings brought on by Sept. 11 by exhibiting stress. Some common physical stress reactions are nausea, upset stomach, chills, rapid heartbeat and sleep disturbances, according to the Gannett Website. Common mental reactions are seeing the event repeatedly, having difficulty making decisions, disorientation, poor concentration and memory problems, according to the Website. Emotional responses may include such symptoms as anxiety, fear, guilt, depression and irritability, as also stated on the website. Some of these reactions are indicators of a post-traumatic stress disorder. The instances of post-traumatic stress disorder related to Sept. 11 are currently unknown, because it may take weeks or even years to develop the disorder, according to the November 2001 issue of SELF Magazine. It is the fusion of intense emotion and the memory of a trauma that can bring stressful memories and feelings back to an individual, according to The New York Times article. For example, the image of the collapsing World Trade Center that was broadcast repeatedly on and after Sept. 11, large biohazard symbols adorning the front pages of the newspapers, even returning to work on Wall Street and seeing the destruction in person, can cause anxiety. Trauma cues differ between people; some triggers may be universal such as witnessing the towers fall, and others may be more personal, triggering a traumatic event that happened to the person in the past. “Memory of the emotions of a trauma does not decay, it remains fresh. Once you have the feeling of danger, it takes very little new threat to sustain it,” writes Prof. James Garbarino, human development, in his pamphlet entitled, “Our Children Learn Three Dark Secrets From The Disaster of Sept. 11.” The pamphlet is based on his book co-authored by Claire Bedard, research specialist of the Family Life Development Center, Parents Under Siege: Why You Are the Solution, Not the Problem, in Your Child’s Life (The Free Press, 2001). Health experts at Gannett suggest ways to reduce stress are to talk to and spend time with people who care about you, let nightmares or flashbacks recede with time rather than fight them, maintain a normal schedule and call a counselor if the situation is too difficult to handle on your own. If you notice someone dealing with what appears to be stress or a traumatic reaction, it is important to listen carefully to them, spend time with them and avoid telling them “things could be worse,” according to the Gannett Website. Instead, it is important that these people receive help and support. Focusing on taking positive action and on those who took positive action such as fire fighters, police officers, blood donators and others will provide comfort, according to Garbarino. “Compassion and understanding are founded in strength, not weakness. Let us celebrate those who speak and act for justice and due process rather than for blood revenge,” Garbarino writes in his pamphlet entitled “Our Response to the Attack on America: What Can It Teach Children About Understanding and Revenge.” Garbarino’s advice to parents is to spend time with children and reassure them that their loved ones are safe. He recommends taking time out from personal worries to do reassuring activities with children. This advice is applicable not only to parents with children, but also to everyone who knows someone who is suffering. Empathizing with friends, Garbarino suggests, is the easy part. The next step is to understand “how violence and rage arise in human beings.” “If we are to do more than continue to escalate the cycle of violence we must do more than feel outrage and practice more than retaliation. We must seek a deeper understanding of individual terrorists and of the causes they represent. We must not fear this understanding and compassion in the face of hate and fanaticism,” Garbarino writes. Perhaps this is the next step in healing. Once people understand their own feelings towards Sept. 11, they can try to internalize the motivations of those who created the atrocity, according to Garbarino. If what comes next is going to be even harder, Cornellians have to do what they do best, according to Sharon Dittman, associate director of community relations at Gannett Health Center. Cornellians have to educate each other and themselves. Counseling services at Cornell include Empathy, Assistance and Referral Service (EARS): 255-EARS, or the Counseling and Psychological Services division at Gannett: 255-5208 for students and, for faculty and staff, the Employee Assistance Program: 255-1531. Getting adequate exercise, sleep and nutrition are also helpful in alleviating anxiety, according to Gannett’s Website. Archived article by Rachel Einschlag