Cornell has a website solely devoted to hazing?

[Anonymous]

I had no idea they have their own hazing site! Is this common for colleges, maybe my heads been in the sand? Is it that big of a problem THERE or in all schools?

http://hazing.cornell.edu/cms/hazing/do/message.cfm

[Anonymous]

Ooooohhhhh, we know how hard it is to get a website. Or an offshoot of and offshoot of a website.

[Anonymous]

No noone said its hard to do but this surprised me. My daughter will be in college next year and Cornell is a school she is considering and considering that this is a school sponsored website, it leads me to believe that there is a rampant problem. Seeing that this is my first child going to college, it alarmed me, and I was asking if this was the norm across college campuses or a bigger problem at Cornell specifically? No need for sarcasm.

[Anonymous]

I love Cornell, and lots of family members went there. But it has a big frat scene. Ithaca is a pretty small town and the weather gets pretty bad in winter, so people stay on campus and party. Ithaca is a beautiful place, but it's not like Boston or NYC or even New Haven, where there are lots of other distractions. I have relatives who got sucked into the frat scene and relatives who managed to avoid it.

[Anonymous]

I too loved Cornell but it can seem more Greek than it really is. There is a big artsy/creative scene there that completely shuns the Greek scene, Also, there is a relatively large group of people who were very studious and stayed home or just did quiet stuff with their friends on the weekend. There are literally thousands of students not pledging or even attending frat parties, but...

If you don't fall into either of those two groups, like me, then it does feel like Greek life and frat culture dominate the social scene. There were a few frats that everyone new hazed the hell out of their pledges. Hopefully, your daughter is sensible enough to realize she'd want to stay away from people in those houses.

[Anonymous]

*knew

[Anonymous]

I too loved Cornell but it can seem more Greek than it really is. There is a big artsy/creative scene there that completely shuns the Greek scene, Also, there is a relatively large group of people who were very studious and stayed home or just did quiet stuff with their friends on the weekend. There are literally thousands of students not pledging or even attending frat parties, but...

I totally agree. I went there and was relatively "artsy" and never participated in Greek life in any way. Had many artsy friends, some quiet and studious friends, and even a few Greek friends. Went to one fraternity party with a friend from high school, didn't like it, never went back to one, never missed it.

[Anonymous]

OP you shouldn't jump to conclusions based on this. It could be that Cornell is commendably facing a problem that is worse at other schools because their administration isn't. Have your DC speak with actual students about this. Your DD should do her own research.

Also, you should probably not go looking for things like this that will alarm you. You will find certain schools are known for drinking and certain schools are known for drugs and others have a hook-up culture, or whatever. Your DD will have to negotiate all these things where ever she goes. This is the time to step back and let her make the decisions. My first is also a senior and is important not to let your own anxiety about them leaving home cause you to intrude on the process.

[Anonymous]

When I started at a 7 sisters college in the 90s, I had to sign a statement that I wouldn't participate in hazing before I could get my dorm key. I think it's a problem many places, and I think it's a good sign when schools are open about the problem.

[Anonymous]

A kid died in a hazing incident at Cornell a year or two ago. The NY Times Sunday magazine did an article about it. It wouldn't surprise me if the school is taking action.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A kid died in a hazing incident at Cornell a year or two ago. The NY Times Sunday magazine did an article about it. It wouldn't surprise me if the school is taking action.

+1 Plus there is all the bad press about the frats at Dartmouth. Cornell at least is acknowledging the issue and trying to address it. Dartmouth, not so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP you shouldn't jump to conclusions based on this. It could be that Cornell is commendably facing a problem that is worse at other schools because their administration isn't. Have your DC speak with actual students about this. Your DD should do her own research.

Also, you should probably not go looking for things like this that will alarm you. You will find certain schools are known for drinking and certain schools are known for drugs and others have a hook-up culture, or whatever. Your DD will have to negotiate all these things where ever she goes. This is the time to step back and let her make the decisions. My first is also a senior and is important not to let your own anxiety about them leaving home cause you to intrude on the process.

Of course as a responsible parent sending off her daughter to school..she should be looking. What a ridiculous statement. Yes there is reason to be alarmed and yes it is worse at Cornell. The entire lacrosse schedule for mens lacrosse was canceled due to a recent serious case involving hazing, this past week!!!
They were trying to keep it hushed but word got out and now everyone knows. Not to say it cannot happen elsewhere but it seems to happen more there, as well as suicides. Not a good thing for Cornell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP you shouldn't jump to conclusions based on this. It could be that Cornell is commendably facing a problem that is worse at other schools because their administration isn't. Have your DC speak with actual students about this. Your DD should do her own research.

Also, you should probably not go looking for things like this that will alarm you. You will find certain schools are known for drinking and certain schools are known for drugs and others have a hook-up culture, or whatever. Your DD will have to negotiate all these things where ever she goes. This is the time to step back and let her make the decisions. My first is also a senior and is important not to let your own anxiety about them leaving home cause you to intrude on the process.

Of course as a responsible parent sending off her daughter to school..she should be looking. What a ridiculous statement. Yes there is reason to be alarmed and yes it is worse at Cornell. The entire lacrosse schedule for mens lacrosse was canceled due to a recent serious case involving hazing, this past week!!!
They were trying to keep it hushed but word got out and now everyone knows. Not to say it cannot happen elsewhere but it seems to happen more there, as well as suicides. Not a good thing for Cornell.

I don't know anything about this incident, but it would seem to me there is a silver lining here, which is that the school went ahead and took action against the lacrosse team.

[Anonymous]

I just looked up the incident, news to me and its big news, sounds like it must have been a very serious event to cancel the season.

[Anonymous]

Isn't the whole suicide thing a reputation from decades ago that no longer applies?