The year in collegiate sports has been marred by aggressive on- and off-field behavior by student-athletes, both at Dartmouth and at campuses across the nation.
From the highly publicized scandal with the Duke lacrosse team last March to the football brawls that took place at Dartmouth and the University of Miami just over a week ago, numerous incidences have occurred recently in which athletes playing contact sports, such as football, lacrosse and hockey have been implicated in violent crimes, ranging from criminal mischief and disturbance of the peace to rape and domestic assault and battery.
These incidents, several of which have plagued prestigious institutions throughout the Ivy League, have raised questions about the role that on-field aggression might play in acts of violence in different settings.
In a recent study at Bishop's University, Patrice Lemieux, Stuart J. McKelvie and Dale Stout examined the correlation between contact sports and off-field aggressive behavior. According to the study, "contact sport athletes may be more aggressive off the field than non-contact sport athletes because their actions on the field have a cumulative effect. Aggression is often rewarded in contact sport, increasing its frequency on the field and making it more likely in other situations."
However the study concedes that greater media coverage is often given to criminal acts by people who are well-known, as opposed to those who are unknown. The study also states that the correlation between contact sports and aggression may be attributable to competition or physical stature, not athletic participation per se.
The study concludes that hostile and aggressive behavior is more common in college athletes that play contact sports than in both college athletes that play non-contact sports and non-athletes.
Another study, conducted through the College Student Journal, examines perceptions of violence in university athletes. The article states that "sport is, in part, a mirror of society, and since violence is increasing in society, there should be more violence in sport."
"I think that certain things happen that lend themselves to incidences [of violence]," Dartmouth Athletic Director Josie Harper said. "There are outside issues that encourage violence in our society. There is just so much, the crime rate is up everywhere,"
Dartmouth student-athletes in search of psychiatric assistance from the College are directed to Dick's House, where all athletic counseling is done both on an individual and team basis.
The counseling department at Dick's House conducts a training session with all of the athletic teams in the beginning of the year to talk about a variety of issues, among them sexual assault. According to Mark Reed, Director of Counseling at Dick's House, however, aggressive or violent behavior has not been among the topics discussed.
"We talk about a number of issues, like performance enhancement, but we have not specifically focused on violence prevention." Reed said. "I do know that all of the coaches want their players to be leaders on campus."
About 20 percent of Dartmouth students go to Dick's House for counseling over the course of a year for a wide range of personal and academic issues, Reed said. About a quarter of them are student-athletes.
Dartmouth has not conducted any studies comparing the number of instances of violent actions by athletes and those committed by non-athletes.
There have been many occurrences over the past year in which Dartmouth student-athletes and athletes at other institutions have been arrested, disciplined or investigated for violent acts.
At Dartmouth, fighting broke out between football players from Dartmouth and Holy Cross on Memorial Field on Oct. 14. The fight began during the post-game handshake after Holy Cross players celebrated atop the Dartmouth "D" painted on the field, an action interpreted as disrespectful by many Dartmouth players.
"There was disrespect on both sides," Harper said. "Our inappropriate behavior was our reaction to what we thought was disrespectful behavior on their part, and it was somewhat of an overreaction. It was all right for them to celebrate a tough win but don't come in the middle of our field and jump on our D. That was the attitude of our players and it led to an overreaction on their part."
The fight lasted several minutes and was broken up by coaches, Safety and Security and the Hanover Police.
"We'd separate one group and then it would start up in another," Police Chief Nicholas Giaccone told the Associated Press. "We'd get to that place and it would keep rolling, and a third fight would break out before it finally stopped."
"I have never seen anything happen like this with one of our teams. It is not something they are very proud of," Harper said. "It was a good learning experience, it was a very difficult learning experience."
A more extreme and highly publicized incident between the football teams of Miami University and Florida International University also occurred on Saturday, Oct. 14. A brawl broke out in the third quarter and lasted about five minutes, according to police officials.
Officials from both schools announced Monday the suspension of 31 players, 13 from Miami and 18 from Florida International University. Hurricanes' sophomore safety Anthony Reddick has been suspended indefinitely and school officials say further disciplinary action will be taken. Reddick charged across the field, helmet raised above his head, and slammed it into an opposing player. FIU has dismissed two players and indefinitely suspended the 16 other sanctioned players.
"This is certainly embarrassing. It's disgraceful. It's amazing. I've run out of words. There's no place for it in college football or football period," FIU coach Dan Strock told the Associated Press.
The incident comes just months after UM brawled with LSU at the Peach Bowl.
Mike Rabil '06, a fifth-year senior and co-captain of the Dartmouth football team, was arrested on July 15 and charged with misdemeanor battery after allegedly punching a man during a verbal dispute inside of a restaurant in Chicago.
Craig Schlapprizzi '06, a former Dartmouth linebacker, was also arrested and charged following the incident.
Dartmouth football coach Buddy Teevens said he would not take disciplinary action until someone was proven guilty.
Two football players and three hockey players from Yale were arrested and charged with breach of the peace and criminal mischief following a fight outside of a market in downtown New Haven on Oct. 1. Charges against both players were later dropped and the school has not taken disciplinary action against them.
Former Harvard football captain Matthew C. Thomas was placed on probation by a judge in Cambridge, Mass on Sept. 28. Thomas faced charges of domestic assault and battery following a June 5 incident in which Thomas allegedly broke into the room of a former girlfriend.
Witnesses say they saw Thomas choke her with one hand before kneeing her in the chest. The victim was checked into a hospital for large welts across her lower back.
Thomas was dismissed from the football team and is currently taking the semester off from Harvard.
