![]() The two-hour sessions teach students to recognize the warning signs of excessive alcohol use and predatory behavior, and to intervene. They cite safeguards such as a requirement imposed last October that student leaders in clubs and Greek life, as well as resident assistants and athletes, attend bystander training sessions run by the Sexual Assault Response & Prevention Center (SARP) and staff from the Dean of Students office. Incidents like those have also, understandably, drawn the scrutiny of Inter-Fraternity Council president Thatcher Hoyt (SMG’14) and Hedenberg, who say they are taking a hard look at their membership processes. The fraternity was suspended by Sigma Alpha Mu’s national leadership, based in Indianapolis, Ind., and by the University, following reports of underage drinking and severe intoxication at an unregistered off-campus fraternity event. In a far more tragic incident in March 2013, Anthony Barksdale II (ENG’16), a new member of the BU chapter of Sigma Alpha Mu (SAM), was pronounced dead after being transported from an Allston apartment where a SAM function had been held. According to reports, police found the apparent pledges dressed only in their underwear standing in a basement, hands bound, red welts on their backs, and covered with various food ingredients. ![]() One month later, AEPi allegedly hazed five students. ![]() In March 2012, the sorority Sigma Delta Tau was temporarily suspended for an alleged case of alcohol-related hazing that also involved members of the unrecognized fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi). In the last year and a half alone, three incidents have seriously marred the reputation of Greek life at BU and have prompted the Dean of Students to halt any addition of Greek organizations to the Inter-Fraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council for the foreseeable future. Part of the answer is Greek life at many colleges and universities, including BU, has a history of bad behavior, often involving unhealthy amounts of alcohol. It was a positive effort, but one that also that begs the question: why do we have something called National Hazing Prevention Week? Last month, she says, a University sorority teamed up with BU Student Government to offer a self-defense class as part of National Hazing Prevention Week, which brought speakers and educational outreach to campus. They also point out that fraternities and sororities offer a convenient way to make friends at a large university, and they provide opportunities to develop leadership qualities and to have some fun.īrittany Hedenberg (SMG’14), president of the Panhellenic Council, says her three years as a Greek have taught her a great deal about leading and empowering others, useful skills in any career. In the 2010–2011 academic year, the most recent year for which numbers are readily available, they raised over $80,000 for charitable organizations. This week is Greek Week, and the Greeks on campus would like you to know that despite recent allegations of hazing and other misconduct, they do plenty to make the University proud. This story originally ran on October 7, 2013. ![]() This week, we feature a series of stories about life on campus. Twitter Facebook During the summer months, BU Today is revisiting some of our favorite stories from the past year.
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