Hazing not to be tolerated, students asked to comply

To the Editor and the TCU student body:
Jeff Dennis’ commentary (“Hazing suspension raises issues … ”, Sept. 4, 2002) demonstrates that students are concerned about hazing among their peers. We share this concern, because hazing is not only harmful to individual students; it is harmful to our community as a whole.

It is students — not administrators — who know when hazing takes place. TCU students must take a stand as ethical leaders and responsible citizens and prove that this is a community where hazing will not be tolerated. The Code of Student Conduct definitively prohibits hazing and both the Code and Texas State Law outline serious penalties for anyone who hazes another, submits to hazing or fails to report hazing to appropriate university officials (the Campus Life Office).

The university takes every possible measure to prevent hazing. Educational programs are offered every semester by Campus Life Staff, TCU student leaders and national organizations. Presidents of organizations which have selective membership must sign and return to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs statements affirming that they have read TCU’s policies regarding hazing to their chapters and that they understand the definitions of hazing.

Student organizations provide valuable opportunities for leadership, service, personal development, camaraderie and much more. But no individual or group achievement is sufficient rationale for participating in, condoning or failing to report hazing activities within any organization. The university expects students to take responsibility for their own behaviors and share in the responsibility we all have to the community in which we live.

As administrators of the Code, we are prepared to respond swiftly and appropriately to every alleged act of hazing. However, in order to eliminate hazing within student organizations, students must comply with the Code and with state law by reporting hazing if it occurs.

- Susan Adams

Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Campus Life and the staff of Campus Life Cultural inclusion adequate, stop condemning the obese
In response to the opinion page on Sept.10, I have the following things to say:
First of all, can we please stop importing almost the entire page from other universities. We get enough liberal mumbo-jumbo from the people who actually go to school here without taking columns from California.

Second, David Hauslaib from Syracuse argued that public school textbooks do not provide a broad enough view from around the world. He said that the history books do not spend enough time talking about “the slaughter of Native Americans, the imprisonment of Japanese-Americans or the contributions Africans made to the United States … .” Let me assure him that the amount of time spent on these topics is quite sufficient compared to the amount of time available in the first place and may be too much. Does he know that kids today are brought up with the understanding that missionaries were an evil force in the world during the exploration and imperialist eras when nothing could be further from the truth?

Third, I am quite disappointed in this plan by President Bush described by J.D. Piland in which he is trying to reduce obesity among the “tweeners.” While I admire his concern for the well-being of the nation’s youth, it continues the country’s outright hatred of overweight people. Why is it that this nation will excuse the action of adulterers, pornographers and drunks, but it condemns anyone who dares to be fat?

And finally, “quarterbackWOMAN?” Give me a break.

- Christopher Suffron
Senior accounting major