BGLOs and the Office of Greek Life offer leadership, guidance, and commitment

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The Office of Greek Life at colleges and universities that have Greek letter organizations represented by any of the governing bodies, such as the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) for Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs), National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), and North American Interfraternity Conference, which coordinate the activities of their respective organizations, deals with a host of issues concerning the student body. They manage new programming, event planning, and meetings with officials from any one of hundreds of Greek letter organizations.

At the top of the list at any given time is the ongoing challenge of hazing and the steps needed for an incident-free year as organizations bring in new members. What measures are in place to support students who may have been involved in a hazing incident? More importantly, what is the messaging about violence under any circumstances? College and university administrations, youth leadership, and parents and guardians, want to know the answers to these and many other questions.

Students, along with their parents and guardians, who are new to Greek life may understandably have concerns about hazing and other inappropriate activities. However, despite these worries, welcoming new members into Greek organizations helps to build strong relationships from the very beginning. Forming lifelong friendships is a benefit of joining a BGLO. Members of the Divine Nine often remain active long after their college years, even after joining as undergraduates.

In an interview with Spectrum News 1 reporter Zyneria Byrd, Dr. Rodney Jenkins, a member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and director of public health for the City of Durham, North Carolina, summed up his commitment: “The Divine Nine isn’t just a fraternity you join in college. It’s a lifelong commitment you’re making to an organization that continues the betterment of humanity.”

Nevertheless, organizations with a history of hazing often struggle, due to unclear definitions of hazing. They may be reluctant to abandon traditions that contribute to their identity, even if those include hazing. The most effective way to inspire people is to follow the principles that underlie intrinsic motivation, which is best when an organization’s culture includes these four elements in its program: connectedness, autonomy, purpose, and mastery. Moreover, hazing rituals are generally about extrinsic motivation, including external rewards or punishment associated with a specific act.

According to a November 2023 Georgetown University article, “Alternatives to Hazing: Stop Hazing,” healthy initiation rituals include the first three of four points:

• Deepen authentic connection by developing appreciation and respect for difference, exploring personal histories, understanding personality types, and creating the empathy that usually accompanies human relationships that dig beneath an individual’s surface.
• It is crucial to allow participants to exercise a degree of choice and respect their input. This ensures that their voices are not just heard but integral to the process and that their opinions are not just valued but crucial.   
• From the beginning, clearly define the purpose or meaning of the goals behind the group’s cultural rites and rituals.
• Offer the chance for personal growth and exploration of one’s intellectual or cultural comfort or experience margins.

Remember, joining any organization is never worth your health or your life — never. If you find yourself too deep in a situation where you may have initially agreed to be hazed and started the process, but now want out, or have been hazed, what can you do? You can contact your school’s office of Greek Life or call their “Report Hazing” hotline and ask for help. Your university will investigate all reports of hazing behavior, including those reported anonymously, with professionals available to help in making the right decisions.

For more information about joining a Black Greek Letter Organization, consider reading “Before You Pledge: Essential Information You Should Know About Black Greek Letter Organizations and the Dynamics of Pledging in a Culture of Hazing,” with a foreword by J.T. (Ted) Childs, Jr.