A group of voices is noticeably absent from the discussions about hazing that have dominated Dartmouth's atmosphere in recent months. These are the voices of the Class of 2015. We need to hear these voices because they are the only ones with the real potential for achieving positive change.
Institutional reform is hard. Political scientists would call the College administration and the Greek system "sticky:" They are long-standing institutions resistant to change. Although they might put forth some effort to calm the anti-hazing outrage, these efforts will likely be measured and minimal. Whether or not you think the Greek system should exist and whether or not you think the administration should aggressively tackle hazing, no reforms that emanate from either institution will likely come quickly. That does not mean, however, that we need to sit back and wait generations for a better world.
I'm talking to you, '15s. You control whether this hazing scandal actually makes a positive difference for your next three years at Dartmouth or whether it gets swept under the rug as many past ones have before Fall term rolls around. How do you do it? If you truly want change, spend your time now deciding what you want from the Greek system. This spring is a critical period. Spend the term joining campus-wide discussions about hazing, talking to your peers about the pledge term you hope to experience and creating your own forum for public discourse about these issues that will suddenly become very relevant to Dartmouth life when you return in September. Fraternities and sororities can't exist without you. You are the valued resource, the key to survival.
As someone with many affiliated and unaffiliated friends, I understand that the Greek system does a lot of good as well as plenty of bad. I appreciate that although Greek houses have the potential to make both members and non-members vulnerable to intense social pressure, they also create strong community bonds and provide a non-exclusive social space. It is critical, however, to realize that whether or not you ultimately join a Greek house, you have the ability to make the system your own.
The field of social psychology has quite a bit to say about hazing. We come to like things for which we suffer. In order to cope with the cognitive dissonance of unpleasant initiation rites, we convince ourselves that we enjoy them. The worse hazing someone experiences, the more fondly the victim is likely to feel toward the perpetrator. But another key lesson of social psychology suggests that it takes only a few united voices to stop perverse behavior when it crosses the line from play to pain. Understanding how hazing works is the first step to understanding how to minimize its effect. Freshmen, think about why social organizations engage in hazing behavior and decide whether you're willing to buy into this perverse method of boosting human bonding. Realize that if you demand more civilized methods of forming friendships with your future brothers and sisters, you have the ability to create much healthier environments.
If you step into this system, enter with a clear conception of what you are willing to experience. If you want to put yourself through repulsive or harmful hazing rituals, no one can stop you. But this system is voluntary, and before you enter it, turn to your classmates and consider what you are willing to let others inflict upon you. If fraternities and sororities cross your threshold of decency, stand your ground with your peers. If you and a few of your pledges refuse hazing rituals or threaten to drop out of the process, houses will have to change, and they will be stronger for it. One voice crying out in the wilderness sometimes falters. Be a band of voices, and you will be heard. Your future brothers and sisters will have no choice but to listen. After all, if they lose you, they lose their future. You have more power than President Kim or the Board of Trustees or the leaders of the Greek system combined. Use it.
