Student Affairs develops Hazing Prevention Task Force

Under the direction of Vice President for Student Affairs Jason Pina, Ohio University’s Division of Student Affairs has developed a Hazing Prevention Task Force for 2019-2021.

The task force will conduct a comprehensive needs assessment and problem analysis to better understand the scope, barriers and opportunities involved in developing comprehensive education for hazing prevention at OHIO. This will include consulting best practice in the field of hazing prevention.

Taylor Tackett, OHIO’s assistant dean of students and director of Community Standards and Student Responsibility, said it will be important to leverage relationships with internal and external campus partners to develop strategies to mitigate risk and encourage proactive education for the campus community.

“Ohio University is committed to educating our campus community about hazing and ensuring that behavior like this isn’t tolerated at OHIO,” said Tackett. “I am very excited and motivated to connect with the task force in the coming weeks.”

The task force will be charged with utilizing the needs assessment it creates to develop, design and implement a comprehensive training program to be used across all groups, clubs and organizations at the University. Additionally, it will develop a committee structure to continue to support hazing prevention and education for OHIO after the conclusion of spring semester 2021.

The group’s work will commence later this month, shortly after National Hazing Prevention Week, which is Sept. 24-28. OHIO’s Sorority and Fraternity Life (SFL) has a number of events slated to recognize the week.

• Last week, SFL held new member educator training where chapter new member educator chairs were trained on how to hold safe and healthy new member education programs (this included rights and responsibilities of new members, new member needs and expectations, the purpose of new member education, hazing policy, intent vs. impact).

• During the week of Sept. 24-28, members of the SFL community or University community will be able to stop outside of the SFL office in Baker University Center and take the Hazing Prevention Pledge.

• On Wednesday, Sept. 25, the SFL office will be wearing purple and the Women’s Panhellenic Association is hosting a Hazing Prevention Panel for its members.

• On Thursday, Sept. 26, the Interfraternity Council is hosting a national speaker, Casey Cornelius, to speak to all new and active members on his program, “Be the Man: A Conversation around Healthy Masculinity.”