Hazing Policy
The Fraternity Executives Association and the UT Interfraternity Council's definition of Hazing are one and the same. The Fraternity Executives Association defines hazing as:
". . . any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on or off fraternity premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule. Such activities and situations include paddling in any form; creation of fatigue; physical and psychological shocks; quests, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips or any other such activities; wearing public apparel which is conspicuous and not normally in good taste; engaging in public stunts of buffoonery; normally degrading or humiliating games and activities; late work sessions which interfere with scholastic activities; and any other activities which are not consistent with fraternal law, ritual or policy or the regulations and policies of the educational institution."
Resources:
Prohibited Activities
The following is a list of example activities classified as hazing and should not be allowed by any chapter. Actions and activities that are explicitly prohibited include, but are not limited to:
- Calisthenics such as sit-ups or push-ups.
- An undue delay between the conclusion of pre-initiation week and the actual initiation ceremony.
- Total or partial nudity at any time.
- Staging mock or local initiations prior to the initiation ceremony.
- Wearing or carrying items for no purpose, such as coconuts, helmets, burlap bags, bricks, paddles, rocks, etc.
- Pledges versus members in athletic contests or other competitions, except for balanced teams composed from both groups.
- Dropping food (eggs, grapes, liver, etc.) in the mouths of pledges.
- Requiring pledges to wear unusual, embarrassing or uncomfortable clothing.
- Paddle swats.
- Pledges expected to do anything that the active members will not volunteer to do with them.
- Throwing whipping cream, water, paint, etc., on a pledge.
- House duties not also shared by initiated brothers.
- Extremely loud music or many repetitions of the same music played during pre-initiation week and/or between portions of the ritual.
- Pledges expected to do anything exclusively "for the fun or entertainment of the members."
- Pushing, shoving, or tackling pledges.
- Pledges awakened repeatedly during the night.
- Rat court, kangaroo court, or any individual interrogations.
- Lengthy work sessions.
- Forcing drugs or alcoholic beverages in any amount by threats or peer pressure on a pledge.
- Yelling or screaming at pledges.
- Line-ups of pledge class.
- Deception prior to the ritual designed to convince a pledge that he will not be initiated or that he will be hurt.
- Pledges not permitted adequate time for studies during pre-initiation or initiation periods.
- Memorization of stories, poems, or information not directly related to your fraternity.
- Less than six continuous hours of sleep for pledges each night during pre-initiation and initiation.
- Required eating of offensive foods such as raw onions, spoiled foods, pet foods, etc.
- Calling pledges "scums" or similar names.
- Road trips, kidnapping of pledges or members.
- Members intentionally littering or jumbling the house or a room for pledges to clean.
- War games.
- Assigning vandalism "pranks" such as stealing, painting objects, panty raids, harassing another organization.
- Errands run by pledges for the actives members or any personal servitude.
- Putting pledges in a room which is uncomfortable (temperature, noise, small) during pre-initiation activities or between portions of the ritual.
- Feminine apparel of any kind.
- Physical mutilation of the body via "branding" or tattooing - pledges or actives.