Florala

Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: News

Public Safety Officer Sequanda Atkison came upon what she believed to be hazing in the Sigma Chi house on Sept. 9.

The incident was included in the crime report sent the next day to administrators.

"What the officer saw would have been hazing would have been hazing had they done it to a pledge," said Public Safety Chief Jim Glasso.

Since the alleged activity involved UNA students, it was turned over to student life. Student Life then decided that it was not hazing, but a ritual performed when a brother is lavaliered or engaged, according to Glasso.

Another report clarifying the situation was never sent out.

"The situation has been addressed and followed up," said Tammy Jacques, associate director of student activities and organizations.

"It has been made into more than it is," she said.

Jacques likened the alleged incident to playing pranks in residence halls, or friends rolling each other's houses.

"Groups play pranks," Jacques said. "Those pranks can be perceived as serious, but the student involved didn't complain."

The student did not complain because he knew and voluntarily went along with what was going to happen, when he could have refused.

"They know it [the ritual] is going to happen. They are a willing participant. We do the same thing to all brothers in this situation, it doesn't matter who you are, and if someone else gets engaged, we'll do the same thing" said Dr. Rick Lester, the UNA Sigma Chi chapter adviser.

He added that though Greek rituals may seem archaic or barbaric they are long-standing traditions, and he said he likes to think similar rituals are performed at all Sigma Chi chapters.

"My fraternity has performed this same ritual for more than 100 years. They did it in the '70s when I was here, and I know the sororities my sister and wife belonged to had rituals for this occasion as well," Lester said.

Lester said the ritual, which cannot be revealed to non-members, applauds the next stage in a brother's life.

"If we'd done something wrong, I'd want the chapter to be punished," he said. "I want members to be educated about mistakes and held accountable. I'd be disappointed if they [public safety] hadn't called attention to it."

The problem with the situation, according to Lester, was that it was not accurately reported.

"I'm sorry that my brothers gave the impression that they were doing something they ought not to do," he said.

Lester said that if logic is applied to the rumor about the situation, that it will discount itself, that the rumor could not be true because the university decided that the ritual wasn't hazing.

Jacques also warns against the "rumor mill," and added that the situation would not have been hazing even if the person involved had not been a member.

Jacques said she talked about proper celebration techniques with chapter president Mitchell Watts.

Lester said, "We've learned to be mindful of how what we do is defined by others. We're now less na've about people's perception of our actions. But nothing's going to change because we didn't do anything that needs to be changed."

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