Preventing Hazing at Harvard
Alternatives to Hazing
Hazing is illegal and may not be a prerequisite for membership in any Harvard student organization.
New members who join an organization or athletic recruits who are welcomed to a team will likely seek opportunities to become acquainted with their fellow group members or teammates. Student officers or team captains can organize activities that foster these new connections. However, remember that building group cohesiveness can be accomplished without hazing. Through hazing-free traditions, all members of a group or team—both new and old—can feel satisfaction and experience positive emotional growth. Meaningful rites of passage can instill a sense of group loyalty among new members without subjecting them to any psychological or physical harm.
Whether you are part of an organization or team that has never hazed its members or part of a group that is trying to break away from hazing practices, below is a list of suggestions for non-hazing teambuilding activities. Note that these activities are free of drugs and alcohol. Removing drugs and alcohol from your new member activities is one way to move towards creating a non-hazing culture for your team or organization.
Also, participation in these activities is achieved without pressuring, coercing, or deceiving new or potential members.
Surviving the Elements…
Camping trip/hiking
From the Berkshires to the White Mountains, New England contains a
plethora of hiking trails and campgrounds. Why not organize a
substance-free camping or hiking adventure that new and current
members can enjoy together? An annual camping trip can become a
revered tradition for your group.
Outdoor Education
Participating in a low-ropes or high-ropes course can be a
physically and mentally challenging experience that also promotes
group solidarity. Though Harvard does not have its own ropes course,
there are local opportunities identified in the
resources section of
this site. Ask your organization’s alumni to assist in sponsoring
the program costs.
If funds are lacking, there are numerous opportunities for your group to explore lower-cost outdoor activities. Take advantage of the mountain biking, rock climbing, sailing, skiing (both downhill and cross-country), snow tubing, and kayaking opportunities that abound in the greater Boston area.
Lending a hand…
Community Service
Community service projects allow members of an organization to
connect in a pro-social manner. Whether it’s hosting a
three-on-three basketball tournament to benefit a charity, or
organizing an event as simple as a neighborhood cleanup, service
projects are effective ways for new and current members to bond
while supporting worthy causes. Take a look at how some Crimson
athletic teams have already
made a difference in the local community.
Harvard’s Public Service Network at the Phillips Brooks House can help your organization get involved in a community service project. Alternatively, contact your House’s Public Interest/Public Service tutor for additional ideas.
Having fun without having to pay a price…
Scavenger Hunt
There’s a lot of land to explore outside the gates of Harvard.
Coordinate a photo scavenger hunt, through which teams of four to
six compete to capture photographs of as many sites and items of
interest on a list as possible. To create more of a challenge,
provide clues that will lead participants to a particular
destination.
For the scavenger hunt to hold meaning for participants, try to incorporate some items that are relevant to the history of your group or team. If six residents of Dunster House co-founded your organization, a photo of the suite in which they lived is appropriate.
Note that scavenger hunts that involve tasks that are potentially embarrassing or humiliating (e.g. sex-related), or any kind of theft or other illicit activity, may be hazing.
Recreational sports
Take advantage of the wealth of recreational activities that Harvard
offers. Even if you are part of a varsity, club, or recreational
team, challenge your group to try a different sport or activity.
Activities include: snow football, dodge ball, or even a group Olympics, including a tug-of-war contest and diving competition in the M.A.C. An organization could also play broom ball (a celebrated twist on ice hockey) at one of the local Cambridge hockey rinks. These are just some of the many examples that are out there.
Getting to Know Each Other…
Informal Social Events
There are many other ways for members of a team or
organization to gather informally. The key is providing fun and
non-threatening opportunities for you and your peers to coalesce.
Some ideas include:
- Movie nights
- Watching “The Game” on TV or supporting a Harvard team
- Group lunches or dinners
- Weight training or cardio sessions at the fitness centers
- Bowling
- Hanging out and telling stories
Interviews
Help make the getting-to-know-you process easier by
creating opportunities for new members to meet other students who
are affiliated with a team or group. While “interviewing” older
members, the “newbies” can ask a variety of questions, from what
they want to be when they grow up to how they spent their last
Spring break to why they joined the organization or team.
Connecting with the External World…
Alumni Networking Event
Many alumni are likely itching to return to campus and
re-connect with their friends. Invite them back to Cambridge for a
weekend and host a networking event, at which undergraduates can
socialize with alumni. A simple conversation with an alumnus may
lead to some lucrative job prospects. And if the time and interest
is there, a trip to New York City or other metropolitan area to meet
with a group of alumni can be an exciting adventure.
Parents/Family Weekend
Parents and other family members often show a keen interest
in how their son or daughter spends free time at Harvard. Rather
than telling them over the phone, invite them to Harvard for a
weekend to show them. A team or organization can set up events from
a family brunch to a hike through Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum in
Jamaica Plain.
Getting in Touch With Your Roots…
Historical-Based Skits
Every organization has its own history. Members of a
group—both new and old—can form teams to do some research to find
out how it all started. Then, they can put together skits to act out
one of the group’s defining moments, such as the first meeting ever
held by the organization. Exploring your organization’s history can
be especially relevant for culturally-based groups.
Team Trivia
After researching your organization’s history, setup a
trivia night through which your organization or team competes to
answer questions related to your group’s history. Alternatively,
hold a trivia contest using questions related to members’ past
experiences and current interests.
Some of the ideas above might work well for your group, while others might require some adaptation to meet your organization’s or team’s needs and interests. Obviously, by no means is the above list exhaustive. There are countless other non-hazing teambuilding activities. If you have suggestions or want to share an idea that has worked for your group, tell us about it.
References:
Cornell University. Hazing at Cornell: Ideas for alternatives to
hazing. http://www.hazing.cornell.edu/organizations/ideas.html
Johnson, J. and Miller, P. Changing the initiation ceremony. In:
Johnson J and Holman M (eds). Making the team: Inside the world of
sports initiations and hazing. Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press
Inc. 2004: 155-175.
Lipkins S. (2006). Preventing hazing: How Parents, teachers, and
coaches can stop the violence, harassment, and humiliation. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Swick-Duttine, A. 100 Ways to Create Good Members without Hazing.
http://www.campusspeak.com/programs/hazing/
documents/HazingAlternatives.doc