Throughout the week of September 22-26, the KSC Office of Student Involvement highlighted National Hazing Prevention Week on campus with a series of programs.
Emily Alexander, the senior coordinator of student involvement and well-being, spoke about the value of hazing awareness and education in the college community.
“It’s important because we’re educating students on how to build healthier and stronger communities within their organizations. The college has over 50 student organizations, and any organization is at risk for hazing: whether it is a performing arts group, a fraternity or sorority, a sports club, it really doesn’t discriminate,” said Alexander.
“Getting as much education out as we can to students on what it looks like to build a healthy group is really important. I want them [students] to understand what the definition of [hazing] is, what the signs are and how to file a report on hazing. If they think that they see it happening, it’s also important that they understand that it is a Class B Misdemeanor in New Hampshire. So you are legally liable if you participate in hazing. We also have the Stop Campus Hazing Act signed into law at the end of last year. So all of these things are important.”
The week began with “A Day to Wear Purple” in the L.P. Young Student Center on Monday, Sept. 22. This event invited students to take photos while wearing purple, which is recognized as the official color for hazing prevention and awareness.
Then, on Thursday, Sept. 25, the student involvement office planned to host a hazing prevention presentation called “Building Healthy Groups & Teams” for interested students in honor of Hazing Prevention Week in the Mountain View Lounge, but the event was canceled due to a lack of attendance.
The event would have featured a presentation that gave a brief overview of what hazing is, the different types of hazing, the difference between fear-based responding versus respect-based responding and how students are able to recognize hazing and make a difference in their community.
Up next for Student Involvement includes Wellness Wednesdays every Wednesday in the student center, as well as their Wellness Week, which will be coming up on October 6-9.
Noelle Hisgen can be reached at
nhisgen@kscequinox.com
