M-Book changes affect hazing policies

The hazing policies are now separated into three different categories.

By Jess Camp

Published Sept. 12, 2006

Changes made to the M-Book this year, most specifically in regards to hazing, will affect student organizations on campus. The M-Book contains all of the rules and regulations for students at MU.

In previous years, all acts of hazing were lumped into the same category. Now, the book has broken hazing into three different categories, the least severe of which is subtle hazing.

Examples of subtle hazing include name-calling, socially isolating new members and punishments for speaking during specified "quiet times."

The next level of hazing is harassment hazing. Some examples of this type are verbal abuse, ordering members to wear embarrassing articles of clothing and forcing the members to act as slaves for older members.

The last and most severe level of hazing is called violent hazing. A few examples of this type are forcing alcohol or drug use upon members, paddling and encouraging the assault of animals.

"A lot of times students had trouble differentiating what was and what was not hazing," Student Life coordinator Nick Evans said. "The examples should help in that."

Evans said the examples in the M-Book come from the Web site www.stophazing.org.

"I've had trouble with students who have said that what they did wasn't hazing," said Student Life Director Mark Lucas on why levels of hazing were needed.

Sigma Lambda Gamma sorority member Whitney Boyd said her sorority was extremely aware of the different forms of hazing.

"We take every step possible to make sure that incoming girls are comfortable with the fact that they won't be hazed," she said. "The list of hazing helps to make things more clear."

The repercussions for hazing vary. For the most part, a simple discussion about a hazing incident will eliminate the problem. But sometimes, if a more serious form of hazing occurs, the organization has the potential to be disbanded, Lucas said.