Alfred
University conducted a national survey of college
athletes, coaches and staff members at National Collegiate
Athletic Association institutions early in 1999.
The Riedman Insurance Co., Inc., Rochester, NY, underwrote
the study. The cooperation of the NCAA was crucial
to the success of the effort.
This study established a baseline of information
on hazing in intercollegiate athletics. It included
all NCAA divisions for both male and female sports.
The study sought to identify:
- The scope of initiation rites in college athletics.
- Perceptions of what is appropriate or inappropriate.
- Strategies to prevent hazing.
The method of study was a direct mail survey that
guaranteed anonymity. Two nearly identical surveys
were used: one for athletes, a second for coaches
and administrators. All NCAA athletic directors and
senior student affairs officers were surveyed. A
national random sample of 3,000 NCAA coaches was
taken from a list of coaches registered at Intercollegiate
Directories, Inc. A national random sample of 10,000
athletes was taken from a composite list of all athletes
from 224 NCAA institutions that volunteered for this
study. Response rates were 20-30 percent. Results
for athletes are based on 2,027 respondents. Survey
results were optically scanned into a database and
analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics:
frequencies, percentages, chi-square tests, regression
analysis, and factor analysis.
Throughout the course of the study, we relied on
assistance and encouragement from our national advisers
and reviewers: Bridget Belgiovine, assistant chief
of staff for Division III of the NCAA; Todd Petr,
director of research for the NCAA; Hank Nuwer, author
of Wrongs of Passage and adjunct professor of journalism
at Indiana University-Indianapolis; and Eileen Stevens,
national anti-hazing advocate.
This report was developed to share the findings
with the institutions that expressed their concern
for student health and safety by supporting Alfred
University in this study. We also hope this report
will raise the awareness of the general public in
the United States about the prevalence and nature
of this problem.
|
