National Research Initiative to Examine the Nature and
Prevalence of Hazing in Colleges and Universities

Background

Several years ago, the North American Interfraternal Foundation (NIF) convened a meeting at the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) annual conference in St. Louis , Missouri to discuss broad-based support for a national research initiative to examine hazing in postsecondary education. The meeting included NASPA President, Executive Director, NIF Board members and representatives from the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Association for Student Judicial Affairs. Dr. Elizabeth Allan, Assistant Professor of Higher Educational Leadership at the University of Maine described her vision for the study.

Summary

The study will investigate the nature and prevalence of hazing practices across a range of student groups at colleges and universities in the U.S. The study will provide foundational data from which to assess campus climates and to inform best practices for hazing prevention and intervention.

The research aims to generate breadth of knowledge and promote more in-depth understanding about hazing in postsecondary educational institutions with possible applications to other populations as well. More specifically, the goals of the study are to:

•  Investigate the prevalence and nature of hazing behaviors among students in U.S. colleges and universities.

•  Offer research-based strategies for responding to and preventing the problem of hazing among college students with transferability to middle and secondary schools.

More details...

Project Partners

The NIF has generously granted start-up funding for the project and has invited other groups to collaborate by becoming official co-sponsors of the project. As of February 2004, the following groups have joined the NIF to become co-sponsors* of the national study:PROJECT PARTNERS
The North American Interfraternal Foundation (NIF) and the NASPA Foundation have generously granted start-up funding for this pilot phase of the national study on the nature and prevalence of hazing in postsecondary education. As of February 2005, the following groups have joined this collaborative effort

• Alpha Phi Omega: a national, co-ed, service fraternity focused on college campus-based volunteerism for over 75 years.
  
• American College Personnel Association: ACPA fosters college student learning through the generation and dissemination of knowledge, which informs policies, practices and programs for the higher education community.
  
• Association for Student Judicial Affairs: ASJA facilitates the integration of student development concepts with principles of judicial practice in a post-secondary educational setting, and promotes, encourages and supports student development professionals who have responsibility for student judicial affairs.
  
• Association of Fraternity Advisors: AFA is an international organization providing resources, recognition and support for campus fraternity/sorority advising professionals.
  
• Center for the Study of the College Fraternity: The CSCF was formed in 1979 to encourage and support research of the highest quality and educational significance on the role of the fraternity and sorority in higher education.
  
• Fraternity Executives Association: FEA operates to further the common interests of member organizations by promoting, supporting, and encouraging the free discussion and exchange of ideas relating to college fraternal organizations.
  
• Kappa Alpha Order: National fraternity with 134 chapters at colleges and universities throughout the U.S.
  
• Kappa Delta: National sorority with 128 active chapters nationwide.
  
• National Association of Campus Activities: NACA links the higher education and entertainment communities in a business and learning partnership.
  
• National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics: The largest association of collegiate athletics administrators with representatives from more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. Members include athletics directors, associate and assistant athletics directors, conference commissioners and affiliate individuals or corporations.
  
• National Association of Student Personnel Administrators: NASPA provides professional development, promotes exemplary practices, and is a leader in policy development in student personnel administration.
  
• National Collegiate Athletic Association: NCAA is a voluntary association of about 1,200 colleges and universities, athletic conferences and sports organizations devoted to the sound administration of intercollegiate athletics.
  
• National Consortium for Academics and Sports: The mission of the NCAS is to create a better society by focusing on educational attainment and using the power and appeal of sport to positively affect social change.
  
• National Orientation Directors Association: NODA provides education and leadership in the fields of college student orientation, transition and retention.
  
• National Panhellenic Conference: an umbrella organization for 26 inter/national women's fraternities and sororities. Each member group is autonomous as a social, Greek-letter society of college women and alumnae. Members are represented on over 620 college and university campuses in the United States and Canada and in over 4,600 alumnae associations, making up over 3.6 million sorority women in the world.
  
• National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA):
  Professional association for professional and student development, education and research in collegiate recreational sports.
  
• North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC):
  A voluntary trade association with 64 member organizations and 5500 chapters located on 800 campuses in the U.S. and Canada serving to enrich fraternity experience and enhance the educational mission of host institutions.
  
• Pi Beta Phi Fraternity: The mission of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women is to promote friendship, develop women of intellect and integrity, cultivate leadership potential and enrich the lives of members and their communities.
  
• Professional Fraternity Executives Association: The Professional Fraternity Executives Association (PFEA), is an organization that supports and enhances the development and professionalism of Professional Fraternity executives. Membership is open to full-time, paid chief staff executives of a professional Fraternity.
  
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Foundation: The Sigma Alpha Epsilon Foundation is the tax-exempt fundraising arm of the SAE Fraternity with the motto “prepare, provide, preserve.”
  
• Sigma Nu Fraternity: National fraternity with chapters at colleges and universities throughout the U.S.
  

*Co-sponsors have donated $500.00 to support the project

If you are interested in becoming a project co-sponsor, please contact the NIF at: NIFED@aol.com

Advisory Group

A Research Advisory Group has been established to guide the project design and implementation.

Project Status

A project of this magnitude will span multiple years. We have completed Phase One of the study. Data collection instruments have been designed and piloted. Most importantly, we are seeking funding to enable us to advance this important project. If you have information about a possible funding source, please contact us at info@stophazing.org

©Allan, E.J.