While hazing has conventionally held a negative connotation, a recent study found that students who engage in hazing rituals have higher participation rates in positive team-building activities.

The study, Prevalance and Profiling: Hazing Among College Students and Points of Intervention, was released in the March-April issue of the American Journal of Health Behavior. It found that, despite its illegality in 44 states -- including Pennsylvania -- 37 percent of current undergraduate students have participated in hazing at some point of their college careers.

Shelly Campo, an assistant professor at the University of Iowa who conducted part of the study, said a correlation was found between students hazing and participating in positive team building activities, such as fundraising and community service. "Although we don't want to promote hazing, the groups that participate in such activities also spend an extensive amount of time participating in volunteer work and leadership activities," she said.

The study defines hazing as activities that are required for initiation or continued membership in an organization and may negatively impact the physical or psychological well-being of the individual, and cause damage to others, public property, or private property.

"Members of the greek system, choral groups, athletic teams, it doesn't matter what sort of organization," Campo said. "Hazing exists in a lot of different places and exists anywhere where there is a sense of status that needs to be earned."

Fraternity and Sorority Life Director Kevin Kerr said that although he did not know a specific number of hazing cases, he thinks the amount of hazing at Penn State is much less than the national average.

"If a student or organization violates the hazing statement or the Pennsylvania hazing law, the Office of Judicial Affairs or the State College Police will reprimand appropriately," he said. Kerr said he was not familiar with the study and was unable to comment about the increase in positive team building activities among students hazing.

Jane Neitz, assistant director of fraternity and sorority life, said she believes that like most other large public schools, especially those in the northeast, hazing is an issue at Penn State.

"We can try to educate people about both the issues surrounding the long term physical and psychological effects of being both hazed and being a hazer," she said. "But until society as a
whole changes, it will be nearly impossible to eradicate hazing completely."

Interfraternity Council (IFC) President Brian Bertges said hazing could be a problem not only in the greek community, but in most organizations, and is even an issue among high school students.

"Here at Penn State, the IFC takes hazing seriously," he said. "There are serious infractions for chapters violating the hazing policy."

Penn State men's soccer coach Barry Gorman said although it may be an issue among athletes at some colleges, hazing is not a problem with his soccer team.

"We have extensive programs that educate athletes and make sure it doesn't happen," he said. "Hazing is an issue that can really hinder any athletic program -- we won't allow it here."