One week ago on Jan. 25, SUNY Oneonta student Tyler Lopresti-Castro was found unconscious near a city bus garage. After being transported to a nearby hospital, Lopresti-Castro died due to prolonged exposure to subzero temperatures. While there is no definitive indication of criminality, and Lopresti-Castro’s exact whereabouts before his death are unknown, local police remain open to information that may bring validity to speculation of fraternity involvement.
In light of this tragedy and the upcoming spring recruitment process for Greek life, the members of the Editorial Board wish to openly condemn hazing rituals. While its supporters would likely say that hazing proves bravery or determination, in reality, hazing proves the opposite. Instead of creating a culture of loyalty or respect, hazing instead creates a wholly unsafe environment of submissiveness and fear. When power-hungry individuals continue choose to test the limits of physical or mental abuse, the results are disastrous.
Binghamton University has a history of dangerous hazing among Greek life chapters. In 2012, an anonymous student emailed the University detailing the extreme physical duress he was forced to go through while pledging. In the email, he described being hosed, waterboarded, force-fed disgusting mixtures of food and made to exercise until passing out. One sorority member claimed that pledges were made to hold hot coals in their hands. A second fraternity member said pledges were branded. After receiving several more anonymous phone calls and emails, the University ultimately suspended all pledging and induction for fraternities and sororities.
Even beyond BU, our nearby community is plagued by hazing as well. In 2019, 18-year-old Antonio Tsialias was found dead after being forced to consume too much alcohol while pledging Phi Kappa Psi at Cornell University. The same year, Sebastian Serafin-Bazan died of cardiac arrest on the lawn of University at Buffalo’s Sigma Pi house.
Still, we must keep in mind that these are only the most catastrophic results of the small number of hazing cases that actually are reported. Hundreds more students on each college campus will be subjected to abuse and degradation without reporting for fear of losing a bid or being dropped from their desired chapter.
Despite efforts to curb hazing, these rituals are imminent due to the culture of fear mentioned earlier. Administration needs to do more.
In 2012, Brian Rose, vice president for student affairs, admitted to being shocked at the pervasiveness of Greek culture. Yet, anyone paying attention could easily see what a looming threat hazing is to Greek life. Not only that, but Rose continued to say that the University was incapable of policing the multitude of chapters off campus. By saying that students have to want to change Greek culture, Rose victim-blames young, vulnerable pledges for a problem that only he and his coworkers could effectively mitigate. Students were brave for choosing to even anonymously report to administration or The New York Times in 2012, and it is the job of University administrators to take severe action against fraternities and sororities that put students in danger.
If @shareyourstorybing taught us anything, it is that forcing Greek life off campus or refusing them a University affiliation does nothing to prevent toxic behaviors like hazing or sexual assault. If anything, as Rose said himself, it just makes oversight that much harder. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life does not do enough to promote accountability, either. If they had, then the culture and our campus environment would be seeing improvements, which it clearly is not. People need to be held responsible for their actions, and criminal charges should not be off the table in cases where there is either potential or actual evidence of serious harm.
Of course, not all Greek life is bad, and not every chapter participates in such violent or life-threatening hazing rituals. But, as Rose said almost 10 years ago, it is pervasive. That being said, to the students who will undeniably rush this semester, please be safe. If you or someone around you is in danger, get help. Remove yourself from the situation. Call Harpur’s Ferry. Get help. Your safety and well-being is always more important than a bid.