Society of Recovering Sorority Girls Reacts to Al Roker Investigates: The Horrors of Hazing"

The Society of Recovering Sorority Girls (RSG), through its founders, Kristina Morgan" Rose and Deandra Brooksie" Brooks, denounced the recent special Al Roker Investigates: The Horrors of Hazing" for its biased investigation. The program aired on Court TV on March 3.

WASHINGTON, DC (PRWEB) March 10, 2005 -- The Society of Recovering Sorority Girls (RSG), through its founders, Kristina Morgan" Rose and Deandra Brooksie" Brooks, denounced the recent special Al Roker Investigates: The Horrors of Hazing" for its biased investigation. The program aired on Court TV on March 3.

Im really disappointed that the program limited its investigation to only the problems associated with a small segment of collegiate Greek life," said Morgan. Many of the national sororities began officially adopting policies which prohibit hazing in the 1960s, and the National Panhellenic Conference urges its member groups to affirm their policies denouncing hazing."

The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), umbrella organization for 26 women's fraternities and sororities, promotes values, education, leadership, friendships, cooperation and citizenship through its members. NPC groups are on 620 university campuses and represent a total of 3.6 million sorority women, collegiate and alumnae, worldwide.

According to RSG, the Court TV program focused on the story of two female Phi Phi Phi pledges at Loyola University and the death of Benjamin Klein a member of Zeta Beta Tau at Alfred University. Norm Pollard, the Director of Alfred Universitys Counseling and Student Development Center, was interviewed throughout the hour-long special as an expert on hazing. There was no attempt to represent the policies or activities dedicated to preventing hazing that are common throughout all NPC groups.

I was particularly offended by the segments use of the term 'hazing rituals. A ritual is a sanctioned part of the life of a Greek organization, hazing is not. Hazing, when it occurs, is an incident which should be addressed by both the university law enforcement and the affected organizations national officers," added Brooksie.

The programs conclusion that most hazing goes unpunished was flat out wrong," stated Morgan.    

Hazing incidents most often result in the loss of an organizations charter or university recognition and individuals who commit acts of hazing are typically forced to resign their membership.

Based on the information presented during the program about Loyolas Tri Phi Chapter, described as an off campus" sorority and not recognized by the university, it appears the school had already exacted this punishment," said Morgan.

This show did nothing but perpetuate a negative stereotype about Greek life. It presented a one-sided view of the hazing issue and failed to discuss the numerous ways Greek organizations are educating their members and working to eradicate all hazing incidents. Instead of presenting both sides of the story, the program took a cheap shot at the Greek community. Many of us find it offensive," concluded Brooksie.

The Society of Recovering Sorority Girls is an elite organization devoted to a life less ordinary. Its founders, Kristina "Morgan" Rose and Deandra "Brooksie" Brooks firmly believe in applying many of the principles of collegiate Greek life to improve the leisure activities of young professionals everywhere.
www.recoveringsororitygirls.com

National Panhellenic Conference Resolutions
http://www.npcwomen.org/policies/p_resolutions.php
1997, 1979, 1977, 1969-Hazing
Hazing is defined as any action or situation with or without consent which recklessly, intentionally or unintentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or creates risk of injury, or causes discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule or which willfully destroys or removes public or private property for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a chapter or colony of an NPC member fraternity. All member groups will affirm their policies denouncing hazing and inform their membership of this NPC position denouncing hazing through mailings and through their inter/national magazines.

National Panhellenic Confernce supports National Hazing Prevention Week, September 26-30, 2005.

National Panhellenic Conferences Something of Value, a values-based risk management program teaches sorority women to identify risky behaviors and work together to develop strategies to change these behaviors. Something of Value was presented on 24 college campuses and at one regional conference during the 2003-2004 academic year.

National Panhellenic Conference is a co-sponsor for the National Hazing Research Initiative.

###