Last week, three Delta Tau Delta fraternity members were involved in what police have called a "pledge prank." On Friday morning, the police were alerted when someone reported a kidnapping -- two men were duct-taped and placed in the back of a U-Haul truck en route to the University of Virginia's chapter of the fraternity. Police were dispatched to the scene, and -- with guns drawn -- stopped the "prank" while it was in process. What may have seemed to be a heinous crime to bystanders was merely just a few college kids carrying out a prank as part of the annual "Bolt" week for their fraternity, according to the police. The three men of Delta Tau Delta fraternity, 429 E. Hamilton Ave., were slapped with several charges by police, including disorderly conduct and unlawful acts relative to liquor.

By cracking down on the pranksters, police have shown they refuse to tolerate hazing. Now, greek leaders need to step up to the plate.

Although criminal proceedings have not ended, the firm assertions the police are making should already get the greek community heavily involved in this issue, and openly condemning this incident from day one as something that will not be tolerated -- and that can be done well before this incident falls below the radar of public opinion.

For their own sakes as well, so that the general population does not leave their takes on the incident as "those damn greeks."

There may not be a worse way to show their dedication to this new initiative, the university and the community. The greek life office is fantastic at setting up long-term, lofty goals -- they want their community to be viewed as a group of respectable organizations.

They need to use this incident to set an example to the rest of the greek community. The office's advisers need to pledge to the greek community they serve as well as the rest of the Penn State and State College communities that they will not tolerate this kind of behavior. They need to issue statements that promise to take action immediately regarding this behavior. Although the greek life office maintains its mission to be advisers and subsequently confidants to members of the greek community, they can not ignore these events.

Hazing is not an isolated problem, but rather only a few isolated incidents are actually reported, and even fewer addressed.

Here is the evidence we need: a faux kidnapping turns into a disturbing spectacle downtown. Greek community advisers cannot simply wait to take action -- after all, the first step to solving a problem is to recognize the problem exists.