By Rhea Choudhary | Staff Writer
With hazing incidents making national headlines and causing new state legislation, Baylor is taking steps to make sure its campus culture remains safe and supportive. This fall, the university published updated hazing guidelines to require mandatory training for students involved in Greek life at Baylor.
President Linda Livingstone announced the initiative in her most recent Presidential Perspective update, sent on Thursday, emphasizing the university’s commitment to prevention and accountability. The new training is part of a larger legal initiative across Texas aimed at increasing awareness of hazing and its consequences.
Prevent.Zone, the online platform Baylor is using for training, describes its training as “research-based education that empowers participants to recognize hazing behaviors, act effectively and create healthier organizations.” The program is used by dozens of colleges nationwide.
Dr. Sharra Hynes, vice president for student life, said how Baylor’s implementation goes above and beyond compliance.
“I think connecting [hazing] to our mission is super important,” Hynes said. “It should never be just a checklist to get done. Students need to believe why this matters, why it is important for the health and well-being of the organization they are a part of. When we connect it to our mission, people will believe it more, and they will do it more consistently.”
Hynes explained that the impact of new federal legislation will vary for all groups. For student organizations that have a culture of support, the change may be minimal. But for organizations that have faced challenges related to hazing in the past, the new requirements will increase awareness and accountability.
“For student organizations who have never had hazing, the law means very little beyond some additional training and exposure,” Hynes said. “But for those who have historically struggled, this education might mean more reporting, because people will be more aware of what hazing is. There is just no place for it at Baylor or in higher education at all.”
Across many college campuses, hazing remains a widespread issue. According to a national study by StopHazing, 55% of college students involved in student organizations report experiencing hazing practices. The same study states that 47% of students had already experienced hazing before arriving at college.
Roswell, N.M., senior and Tri Delta member Hannah Lilley said hazing is widely known across campus and other colleges. According to Lilley, even at Baylor, most students in Greek life know it’s an issue.
“I think almost all organizations have not had large issues with it in comparison to other schools nearby,” Lilley said. “Baylor is just not the place for [hazing] and doesn’t reflect what this university stands for.”
Hynes said university leaders hope the mandatory training reinforces this.
“We are here to help students learn and to see them thrive,” Hynes said. “Hazing can be demeaning and is not humanizing, so this new effort is about making sure our organizations reflect the best of what Baylor stands for.”
