Excerpt from The Hazing Reader by Hank Nuwer. Interview with former international sorority executive Holly McKiernan , an attorney and distinguished speaker on the topic of improving fraternity and sorority life by removing alcohol and hazing risks.

NUWER: Since sorority houses are dry by mandate, when a sorority or female fraternity does haze with alcohol, does this strike you as particularly problematic? How so?

MCKIERNAN: Alcohol and hazing.  The two, in my opinion go together.  Rarely do we have a hazing problem that does not also include alcohol.  Interestingly, hazing rarely occurs within the chapter house.  Hazing most often is off site, but I don’t believe that is because the chapter house is a substance free environment.  
       What I find very troubling is that a high-risk alcohol culture has manifested itself in Greek life – a culture that the national leadership does not value.  This high-risk alcohol culture leads to a multitude of harmful outcomes, including hazing and sexual assault.  I suggest that part of the way to address hazing is to address the high-risk alcohol culture.  Changing that culture requires a commitment of the institution, of the Greek organizations and of the students.  The entire higher education community must see the high-risk alcohol culture as undermining not only the Greek experience, but higher education as well.


NUWER: A small but troubling number of incidents has occurred among female athletes and female fraternal members where males have gotten involved in the actual hazing. From a safety and ethical standpoint, should this cause concern to those who oversee such groups?

MCKIERNAN: Men being involved in hazing women.  This is troubling for several reasons.  First, including men where there is alcohol and peer pressure to be accepted by group, provides a context that is not safe.  But, what is perhaps even more disturbing about a scenario as has been outlined is that women would place other women in such a position.  The culture of Greek life needs to focus less on the social interaction between the men and women’s groups, and more on what each of the groups and their members need to succeed.  Clearly the fraternity and sorority experience is a social experience.  But, what social means needs to be considered from the perspective of the founding of Greek organizations.


NUWER: The numbers of scholarly studies that just examine female hazing are small at this time.  From any discipline, where would you see strong possibilities for relevant research in the area of hazing?

MCKIERNAN: Data on female hazing would be very helpful.  It would be helpful to learn the context in which the hazing takes place as well as why the individual participated in the hazing.  We need to learn how to empower women, women who want to be accepted, to refuse to participate in activities that are demeaning and humiliating.  I would suggest that research be conducted on campuses that are rich in tradition—[on] campuses that have a history of Greek life.


NUWER: More so than hazing, the number of deaths of sorority members from alcohol-related accidents (traffic, falls in male fraternity houses, drug-related OD at party) is a concern for those who supervise Greeks. The annual studies from the Harvard School of Public Health and other surveys show little evidence of a reverse of risky behaviors. What do you suggest be done?

MCKIERNAN: The high-risk alcohol environment is truly harming Greek life.  Greek life must be a compliment to the academic mission of the host institution – there must a value to the institution in having a Greek community.  Today, on many campuses, administrators would be challenged to articulate the value that Greek organizations add to the institution.  It is time to change the culture.  The report of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (“NIAAA”) has put Greek organizations and higher education on notice.  Greeks are a high-risk population.  Strategies must be adopted that will change this culture.  But, it will take more than just the Greek organizations – this effort needs to include the entire campus community and the leadership needs to begin with the president of the institution.  The institution must have mechanisms that hold the undergraduate chapters accountable.   
        The NIAAA Report suggests strategies that have been successful.  Together we must strive to change the college drinking culture.  This change needs to begin now.

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