Heidelberg students weigh in on anti-hazing legislation

As anti-hazing legislation has been introduced at the state level and reintroduced at the federal level, eyes are on university's Greek organizations. Sen. Sherrod Brown reintroduced legislation — the Report and Educate About Campus Hazing Act, or "REACH Act" — from 2019. State Sen. Theresa Gavarone also recently introduced Senate Bill 126, which includes a "duty-to-report" provision that makes it a crime to know about hazing and to fail to report it. It also establishes a definition of hazing to clarify what must be reported. Like Gavarone's legislation, Brown's also would require hazing incidents to be reported as part of a college's annual crime report. "Heidelberg prioritizes anti-hazing education as a part of every new member education process throughout the year," said Jacqueline Sironen, director of Student Engagement who oversees all Greek Life activities. Sironen said during her tenure at Heidelberg, there have been no severe incidents of hazing. With the new legislation, Sironen said Heidelberg Greek Life already provides comprehensive education when it comes to anti-hazing policies and penalties. "I don't believe we'll see a change there," she said. "However, the new legislation could change how our penalties are adjudicated." "Heidelberg University has created an environment where students are encouraged to report unsafe actions of their peers and within their groups and can feel supported throughout the process," Sironen said. Students can make reports through the Greek Life office and/or the peer-led Greek Judicial Board. All Greek students are governed by the Greek Life Council, which requires a minimum GPA, community service hours and an expectation of campus civility and responsibility, according to Sironen. The Greek Life Council (GLC) is composed of members of all Greek groups on campus. GLC helps to facilitate and provide support to each group, coordinate joint activities and represents Greek Life to the campus community. Some events GLC is in charge of are Greek week, Greek Sing, Greek tailgates and Greeksgiving. Senior Madison Smith is the Greek Life Council vice president of membership and member of Delta Sigma Chi. She is pursuing a degree in business administration. Smith decided to join Greek life for the opportunity to get involved on campus and make friends and sisters. Smith said she agrees with and supports the new legislation being introduced. "We make sure that every student is aware that Heidelberg has a zero-tolerance hazing policy and that they are knowledgeable about any kind of hazing — physical, mental or emotional — with the anti-hazing policy in our Greek Life Constitution," Smith said. Smith said there was never a point in time where she felt unsafe or put at risk during the time she pledged. Smith also said she doesn't feel any changes need to be made at Heidelberg. "Not only does joining a Greek organization give you access to many connections and resources into the real world through our group's large alumni base, but joining a Greek society also gives you the opportunity to grow as a person and as a professional," Smith said. On a personal level, Smith said Greek life has given her a home, family and friendships that will last well beyond her years at Heidelberg. "My sisters of Delta Sigma Chi have helped me grow and have supported me in everything that I do," Smith said. Member of Nu Sigma Alpha and GLC president Noah Kennard is a junior studying adolescent/young adult math education. Kennard joined Nu Sigma Alpha because he felt the group of guys was a perfect fit and the organization would be a great opportunity for him. Kennard said he definitely felt safe when he pledged. "As an individual who has a few medical problems, my group makes sure that every active member is aware of this and knows the signs of what it looked like when something was wrong," he said. Kennard said they make sure every single individual pledging has read the Greek Life Council anti-hazing policy, as well as informing them who to report violations of the policy to. "Many of our societies even have stricter standards they hold themselves to outside of the Greek-wide ones," Kennard said. "I think it is needed and appropriate," Kennard said of the new legislation being introduced. "Hazing should not be tolerated in any form inside of Greek life or any other organizations." Kennard said the Heidelberg Greek population has done so much to adapt to the times. "I think our groups do not have anything that needs to change," he said. For Kennard, he has made lifelong friends. "I have also gotten connections with alumni that have benefited me in many ways," he said. "Greek life gives students something to return to each school year, as well as once we graduate." In the Heidelberg 2020 Annual Crime and Fire Safety Report, published in October 2020, "hazing" is not mentioned. These reports are mandated according to the 1990 Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act, which amended the Higher Education Act of 1965. Brown's proposed legislation would be an amendment to the Higher Education Act of 1965 to "require institutions of higher education to disclose hazing incidents." In the report currently, "hazing" is not determined as a "reportable crime" as determined by the Clery Act, which is a consumer protection law that aims to provide transparency regarding campus crime policy and statistics. In 2018, the report indicated three incidents of rape and two incidents of rape were reported in 2019 on campus. In 2018, there were two incidents of dating violence on campus reported and none were reported in 2019. Hazing was not mentioned in the report. "Heidelberg's Greek Life community is a close-knit group of organizations and people, which provides unending support to its members," Sironen said. "Greek Life at Heidelberg is composed solely of local organizations, so our students enjoy the Greek experience at a lower cost than nationals with stronger connections." A copy of the crime report for Heidelberg University can be found online at https://bit.ly/3wpaUUj. Copies of the report can also be requested from the following offices: Chris Abrams, dean of Student Affairs, and Jeff Rhoades, director of Campus Safety & Security and lead Title IX investigator.