Alfred University : News : NCAA Sports Survey : How Do We Stop Hazing?

National Survey of Sports Teams

How Do We Stop Hazing?

Athletes were aware of campus policies concerning recruitment and alcohol. Most athletes reported that their institutions had athletic, behavioral, and academic standards guiding athletic recruitment. Seventy-three percent of the athletes thought that their institutions enforced state drinking laws on campus and that their administrations prosecuted alcohol misconduct violations.

Athletes had little or no knowledge, however, of strategies directly related to hazing prevention on their campuses. Only 15 percent believed that their institutions involved law enforcement in monitoring, investigating, and prosecuting hazing incidents. Only 25 percent of athletes thought the institutions had clear staff expectations in athletics for monitoring and enforcing hazing policy. Only a third (36 percent) of athletes believed that the institutions provided alternative bonding and recognition events for teams to prevent hazing. Only 25 percent of athletes thought that their institutions took strong disciplinary and corrective measures for known cases of hazing, yet these were the strategies survey respondents considered most effective in the prevention of hazing.

Respondents' Opinion of the Effectiveness of Specific Strategies to Prevent Hazing

Prevention Strategies Thought Most Effective	Athletes n=2027	%	Coaches n=822	%	Ath. Dir. n=338	%	Deans n=235	%
Strong disciplinary & corrective measures for known cases	496	52%	343	68%	128	69%	106	68%
Athletic, behavioral, & academic standards guiding recruitment	801	51%	464	61%	170	65%	122	65%
Alternative bonding & recognition events for teams to prevent hazing	482	45%	295	56%	93	56%	56	47%
Law enforcement involved in monitoring, investigating, and prosecuting hazing incidents	289	35%	175	41%	77	55%	58	46%
Clear staff expectations in athletics for monitoring & enforcing	277	27%	187	37%	76	43%	67	45%
Written anti-hazing policy with clearly prescribed consequences	801	51%	464	61%	170	65%	122	65%
Contracts of hazing policies, laws & consequences for athletes to sign	256	27%	112	31%	38	35%	32	34%
Enforcement of state drinking laws on campus/prosecution of misconduct	415	36%	300	39%	124	49%	95	47%
Designated person to whom to report suspected hazing	188	21%	172	36%	73	41%	57	42%
Hazing workshops for athletes, coaches, & athletic administrators	106	15%	104	29%	50	42%	34	37%
Peer anti-hazing activities: peer ed., counseling, team party patrols	106	14%	110	31%	41	38%	35	39%