Hazing avoided through caution

As both assistant dean of Student Services and the head men’s and women’s cross country coach, Chris Hardie’s days are filled with multitasking. On a Thursday afternoon, in his office in the Stover Campus Center, he is surrounded by papers–printed maps of Pennsylvania, which he is now marking meticulously with an ink pen. Hardie is highlighting the location of each race his runners competed in this past season.

On some occasions, his two roles overlap.

In mid-December, Governor Tom Wolf passed a new criminal statute that requires Pennsylvania colleges and universities to publicly report incidents of hazing. Hardie had to comb over all records from the last five years to see if there was anything “closely related,” paying attention to cases of harassment and bullying, to be sure.

At Waynesburg University, hazing, according to the Student Code of Conduct, is defined as “any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student; this could be for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in, any organization…” The university reserves the right to sanction any individuals and organizations involved in these incidents.

But when it came time to comply with the new statute and share hazing cases with the public, Hardie said there was nothing to report.

“I think a lot of it might stem from just the type of mission we have as an institution,” Hardie said.

Maybe it’s the lack of Greek life on campus, he surmised–according to some academics, at least 73 percent of students involved in fraternities or sororities experience hazing. Athletics are also a major source of hazing incidents at colleges, but Hardie thinks this is another area where Waynesburg stands apart.

“As a coach, I recruit a certain type of athlete that fits the culture,” he said, surrounded by handwritten letters and the maps he’ll send out to high school runners. “I think the culture of our teams are a little different than what I’ve seen at Division II or Division I, or schools that have some type of fraternity/Greek system.”

That’s not to say the university doesn’t take an active approach to address the issue of hazing, Hardie said. Despite the fact that the university has had zero cases in the last five years, Hardie said athletic coaches review the university’s hazing policy at the beginning of each season. They even have athletes sign a notice confirming they’ve read it and understand what it says.

“The one thing that we’re always trying to do is get in front, be proactive,” Hardie said.

As both a coach and assistant dean of students, Hardie finds himself in a unique position. Not only does he interact with athletes at practice on a daily basis; he is also responsible for much of the disciplinary decisions when those athletes act out. Hardie said his dual role can be helpful in this regard.

“A good relationship with the athletic department is crucial,” he said. “Because I’m in a monthly meeting with them down there, in that setting, they feel more comfortable.”

Aside from routine monitoring, Hardie said Waynesburg’s hazing policy may receive some revisions soon. The university will revisit the statute and provide any updates necessary to make its policy consistent with the law.

That process is beginning now, Hardie said, but likely won’t go into effect until June or July.