Managing Risk: A Respectable Change

Pat Gleason
Director of Housing and Compliance

INDIANAPOLIS - As we enter the fall semester, groups across TKE Nation are preparing for their Fall New Member Program. From organizing Rush events to planning weekly new member meetings, our Fraters are working to design an educational experience that will help our new brothers come to understand what it means to be a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. While the vast majority of these new members will be learning about Love, Charity, and Esteem while developing their personal worth and character, some of our new members will be faced with "traditions" that do not appear in the "Teke Guide" or "Silver Book."

While alcohol reigns supreme as the #1 campus issue among students, hazing is becoming more widely identified and addressed. Hazing has the ability to appear in all areas of campus life. From marching bands to sports teams to the university's drama society, hazing has no boundaries. While hazing is not an issue unique to Greek Life, it is most often perceived to be a sorority and fraternity problem. The only way we can combat this image is by changing the way others view fraternity life; and the only way we can change the way others view fraternity life, is by changing our actions to show the "Respect and Understanding" we promised each other during our Initiation.

The word "change" is one of the most polarizing words in the world. Regardless of what change you are trying to make, it is going to require a certain amount of effort to effectively enact that change. The easiest way to start is to identify the process by which change occurs, and how you can use that process to your benefit. In 2009, Alex Lickerman, M.D. published an article in Psychology Today outlining the 5 Steps To Changing Any Behavior. This article broke down the "Stages of Change Model" developed by researchers DiClemente and Prochaska (1983) into an easy to use 5-step program to enact healthy change. Here are ways you can utilize these 5 steps to help your chapter or colony break any unhealthy "traditions" you may have:

5 Steps To Changing Any Behavior

Precontemplation. In the first stage of change, you have never given serious thought to change the way you do things. Perhaps your group has been doing the same "tradition" since your great-great-grand big brother was initiated and every pledge class since then has undergone the same "tradition." You've been to PECs and RLCs and spoken with volunteers about hazing and why it is wrong, but you're happy with how things are going. You do not necessarily see a need for change and turn off to anyone who tries to persuade you otherwise.

Contemplation. The second stage of change involves a realization. Something occurs or is said that brings the idea of change to the forefront. This occurrence could be as simple as a conversation with a friend or family member, or as catastrophic as a major incident resulting in injury or even death. It is in this stage that the need to change becomes evident to those involved, but so do the obstacles to obtain that change. You should use whatever occurred as a source of motivation to create the change you wish to see.

Determination. At this point, you know you need to change. Now the work really begins. Start taking action to enable that change. Some possible ideas include reviewing your New Member Education Plan, speaking with a trusted advisor about possible alternatives to your current "traditions", or reaching out to a member of TKE professional staff for help. Now is your time to amass the tools to successfully change your group and make sure that change lasts more than one semester.

Action. You've got the tools and the know-how. Now, it's time to get to work. Put your plan in to action. As Lao-Tzu said, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Take that step and encourage others to take it with you. You will meet resistance, but there are more people who are willing to help you make that change than there are who are willing to fight that change. Your local volunteers, Greek Advisor, or Regional Director would be great champions for your cause and can provide you even more resources to be successful.

Maintenance. Continue, continue, and continue. You've put so much effort in the beginning of the change that you did not plan to maintain that change down the road. Re-evaluate your New Member Process every year and adjust it to fit your needs. Just remember why you changed in the first place. One of the greatest pitfalls of change is failure to replace a negative habit with a positive one, creating a void. Without something new and healthy to fill that void, you are more likely to slide back into old habits.

These steps are a proven map for successful change, but to help you along the way, see the resources below.

National Hazing Prevention Week (NHPW) occurs from September 22nd to 26th, 2014. At this time, hazingprevention.org, of which Tau Kappa Epsilon is a sponsor, offers resources to help students raise awareness about the problem of hazing, while educating and promoting the prevention of hazing. Click here for the 2014 NHPW flyer to see more details about preparing for National Hazing Prevention Week. 

Should you have any questions, or need further resources to become the change you want to see in your chapter, you can contact a TKE Professional Staff member here.