RISE Programs at #AFAAM 2017
Let's Talk About Context: Problematic Patterns in Hazing
“The problem is, we need to…”
Respect My Authoritah!
“They have to respect us!” This phrase comes up time after time when we are coaching fraternity/sorority leaders on how to improve their new member education programs. They insist that ‘respect from new members’ be listed as one of the goals. Every time I hear this, the voice of Eric Cartman starts shouting in the back of my head, “Respect My Authoritah!”
A time for preparation, not perfection.
*This blog was originally written as part of "The Road: The Journey to Excellence," Delta Tau Delta's comprehensive member education program.
Most men who will join the fraternity this year are 18 years old right now.On average, they will live to be 75.6 years old.This means they will be with Delta Tau Delta for approximately 57.6 years, or 2,995 weeks.They will be alumni for 53 years, or 2,756 weeks.They will be chapter members for approximately 3.5 years, or 182 weeks.And for the next 6 to 8 weeks, they will be your new members.
RISE Programs at #AFAAM 2016
In hazing, context matters.
Discussing Hazing from the Outside-In
Most conversations about hazing are inside out:
- They start with a narrow set of behaviors banned by state law.
- Then they expand to include additional behaviors outlawed by university and organization policies.
- From there, they can extend indefinitely in multiple directions to include things that are potentially harmful, ethically questionable, impractical, or more.
This approach inevitably leads to a dead-end conversation with students asking, “What else can’t we do?”
The Elusive Predecessor
Yesterday I led an officer transition coaching session with the new council officers at Nebraska Wesleyan University. One of the new leaders asked how to get information from their predecessor, especially when a former officer is elusive and hard to pin down. This may come up for many new leaders, so here are the four things I shared with them: