Monday, May 7, 2012
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Monday, May 7, 2012
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan since 1890.
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SCOTT GUMBINERI
Bonded by battle
Kiki Golden wins
Player of the Year,
JACOB AXELRAD
EDITOR IN CHIEF
GIACOMO BOLOGNA
MANAGING EDITOR
ADRIENNE ROBERTS
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board.
All other signed articles and illustrations representnsolelythe views of their authors.
Not exclusively Greek
Hazing is now a problem for many student organizations
n college campuses all across the United States, hazing has tra-
ditionally played an important role in being initiated into Greek
life. Yet hazing has recently become more widespread as student
organizations and sports teams have begun to copy this practice as well.
Ranging from the marching band to the football team, hazing has a prom-
inent place in college life now more than ever before. It not only leads to
death and drunken injuries but also breaks down one's self-confidence and
self-worth. College officials need to enforce anti-hazing policies to ensure
that students from all different groups on campus aren't hazing new mem-
bers in order to consider them a part of their organization, and students
need to be well aware that hazing is not an acceptable practice under any
As stories of overboard and
most likely uncommon hazing
incidents become sensationalized
in the media, it seems that a grow-
ing number of students on campus
are joining the usual mindset of
college administrators in their no
tolerance stance toward hazing.
The University administration
and students alike seem to believe
that meaningful friendships can
be built under comfortable cir-
cumstances and, superficially,
that hazing can appear to be an
unnecessary and time-consuming
practice for busy college students.
While there can be some truth
to that mindset, for me, my most
meaningful and lasting friend-
ships have been forged in stressful
situations, not comfortable ones.
The University of Michigan
defines hazing as "any action
or situation ... which recklessly,
intentionally, or unintentionally
endangers the mental, physical,
or academic health of the student.
This includes, but is not limited to
any situation which:
. Creates a risk of injury to any
individual or group
. Causes discomfort to any indi-
vidual or group
C auses embarrassment to any
individual or group
" Involves harassment of any
individual or group
" Involves degradation of any
individual or group
. Involves humiliation of an
individual or group
I Involves ridicule of an indi-
vidual or group"
These so-called mentally
unhealthy situations banned by
the University are, especially
for men, the best circumstances
under which close friendships can
form. Many of our unpleasant life
experiences are what help build
our greatest friendships. In a 2008
study by University of Maine pro-
fessors, Dr. Elizabeth Allan and
Dr. Mary Madden, it proves that
students actually perceive more
positive outcomes from hazing,
rather than negative. Only three
percent of participants reported
feelinghumiliated or degraded.
My closest friendships in high
school, for example, were forged
through the common struggles we
experienced as members of sports
teams. The University bans put-
ting pledges in "discomforting"
situations, but in my experience,
it is this common discomfort we
experienced as teammates at cold
practices, long workouts and away
games on weekends that made us
such close friends.
The University hazing policy
bans "degradation" and "embar-
rassment," but, as team players,
being publicly scolded by our
coaches was an embarrassing
experience. These embarrass-
ing moments not only taught us
important lessons, but made us
closer as a whole due to our strict
coaching staff. It's a common
tactic of sports coaches, notably
exemplified by Herb Brooks and
his 1980 U.S. Olympic team, to put
their players through extremely
strenuous circumstances in order
to bring the team closer together,
thereby forging friendships in the
process.
Similarly, when I worked as a
lifeguard and at a pizza shop, I
bonded with my fellow employees
by lamenting our job and dealing
with the long hours, rude custom-
ers and low wages.
The incredible friendships that
soldiers form under the stress and
trials of war have been famously
portrayed in culture through
stories of strife, such asaShake-
speare's play "Henry V" and the
HBO mini-series "Band of Broth-
ers." While these examples are
extreme, they illustrate the fact
that life-long friendships are made
through sharing adversity. Even
somethingas simple as marriage is
often strengthened by the shared
responsibilities and hard work of
raising children.
Whether it's the stress due to
a boyfriend or girlfriend, a tough
class, ahard practice, longhours at
a job or being hazed during pledge
term, the closest friendships are
formed through times of struggle,
not times of ease. The stressful cir-
cumstances underwhich friend-
ships are formed are exactly the
circumstances that pledge terms
try to replicate through hazing.
While hazing can, and often
does, go beyond its purpose of
bringing pledges together as
friends, the University of Michi-
gan's zero-tolerance policy for
hazing is nevertheless trying to
restrict an invaluable method of
forming life-long friendships dur-
ing some of our most formative
years.
Scott Gumbiner is a LSA junior.
By JEREMY SUMMITT
For the Daily
In the Midwest, kids typically
begin their sports careers on the
field with soccer or Little League
Baseball.
But for Michigan water polo's
junior attacker Kiki Golden,
recently named the CWPA West-
ern Division's Player of the Year,
began her sports career in the
pool.
Golden grew up in the San
Francisco Bay area. She started
playing water polo in the sixth
grade, thanks to some inspiration
from her older brother, Matt, who
also played.
"I thought it was better than
swimming," Golden said.
Her high school career began
at Monte Vista High School, just
north of Sacramento. There, she
played on the varsity team, while
she stayed fit with her local club
team, Diablo Water Polo, in the
offseason.
Michigan coach Matt Anderson
said he recruited Golden because
of her club team.
According to Anderson, he was
thoroughly impressed the first
time he watched her play.
"There were a few other highly
recruitable athletes on her team,"
Anderson said. "(But) I saw what
Kiki could do, and (opposing
recruiters) focused on the other
players on her team.
"Immediately, I set my sights on
going after her."
It was a good decision by Ander-
son, as he acquired an under-the-
radar recruit on a stellar club
team.
Even more impressive was the
San Francisco native's transition
from California to Michigan.
Many people wonder how any-
one could sacrifice the sunny, blue
skies for a state filled with snow
anti unpredictable weather. For
Golden though, the choice was a
matter of change.
"A lot of my friends from my
club team went to (University
of California at) Berkeley, then I
came on a trip (to Michigan)," she
said.
"I came here, fell in love with
the place and wanted to go some-
where different."
The transition from a warm cli-
mate to brisk Michigan weather
was not the only change in Gold-
en's forecast as she arrived in Ann
Arbor her freshman year in the
fall of 2009.
"I'd say that freshman year, I
wasn't quite sure what everything
was all about," Golden said. "It
was difficult to balance school and
water polo."
As many college students have
trouble transitioning from high
school to life at a large university,
Golden learned from her mistakes,
and her teammates and coaching
staff took note.
"Her first year and a half, it was
hard because she tried to get by on
just talent," Anderson said. "She
has matured through her junior
year.
"She focuses on the mental and
emotional aspects as well as tal-
ent."
Golden has transformed from a
young college kid to the Player of
the Year and a leader of the water
polo team.
"She is definitely someone that
everybody looks to in order to set
the pace of the game," Anderson
said. "Players look to her a little
too much sometimes."
Her success this year has led
the team to a third-place finish
at the Eastern Championships, as
Michigan narrowly missed out on
an NCAA Tournament berth.
Golden would never take full
credit for the exceptional season
that the Wolverines were a part of,
though.
"(The Player of the year Award)
showed me how far I've come
since freshman year," she said.
"(Though) I never really think
about those things."
Rather, Golden is looking for-
ward to next season, specifically
another shot at the Eastern Cham-
pionships.
"I think we've developed more
as a team," she said. "We'll be los-
ing fewer seniors, and I'm excited
to see how far we can go next year
and how much we can improve."
Maloney not to blame
f the Michigan baseball self out, snagging a grounder to But this year, he was forced
team won its last six confer- turn a double play and freshman to pick the fruit from the tree
ence games, it would have a shortstop Dylan Delaney started before it was ripe. Maloney called
chance to earn a spot in the Big almost every game as a rookie, on the freshmen, which put the
Ten Tournament. going 3-for.3 against Northwest- Wolverines in a vulnerable posi-
Pretend for a minute that the ern in the final matchup - it's tion. Though the young players
Wolverines could somehow win those sparks of hope that keep stepped up, it wasn't enough to
their way Michigan coach Rich Maloney replace the level of experience it
through those LIZ from throwing in the towel. needed.
six games. NAGLE With every new obstacle and After a downhill season, Malo-
Michigan injury, he looks at the team on the ney alone must bear this burden
would post a On Baseball field and makes adjustments. - it's his name that carries the
12-12 confer- Maloney has toyed with the weight of a 19-28 record.
ence record and the year wouldn't batting order, which was once a Maloney once claimed three-
end after the Nebraska series - it permanent structure with the straight Big Ten Championships,
would continue into the confer- three outfielders - junior Patrick ranks fourth on-Michigan's win-
ence playoffs with Michigan as Biondi, freshman Will Drake and ningest coaches list and has pre-
the six-seed. O'Neill - leading the way. pared numerous players for the
Unfortunately, this is too far- The lineup has seen multiple big leagues.
fetched of a scenario. changes since O'Neill and Drake But since finishing last in the
If the team regains full were injured. Some seemed to conference in 2011, people have
strength, it could potentially win work, others didn't. So Maloney kept a close eye on Maloney's
two or three conference games returned to the drawing boards. decisions. Whether or not he
before the season ends - contests He's done everything in his was at fault for last year's 17-37
against the Big Ten's top dog, power to squeeze the last bit of results, this time around excuses
Purdue, and the Huskers. potential out of a bare-bones can be made.
Before the Northwestern series team. Maloney has improvised Put away the tar and feathers
in late April, Michigan wasn't and experimented, but there's not because there is no blame here.
overly concerned with its handi- much more he can do. Put any coach in his situation,
capped situation. But as time At one point, he had the cream in Maloney's shoes, and see if he
wore on, the Wolverines knew of the crop. From 2006-08, Malo- can build a winningcteam without
what their future had in store. ney had options - most coaches healthy players.
They say misery loves com- would take them for granted, and No one can point a finger in
pany, and after the Wildcats won maybe he did, too. Maloney's direction.
two of three games over Michi-
gan, both sat at the bottom of the
conference standings.Ut
One week later, both got swept
by top-tier conference teams.
But because Northwestern was
series deeper into its conference
schedule, its win percentage
claimed a narrow lead and the 7 4 8 9
No. 10 spot in the rankings.
Michigan, alone, sat in last7
place.
With a little bit of luck and
sophomore right fielder Michael 2 8 5 6
O'Neill on their side, the Wol-
verines regained their dignity 9 6 7 3
and won the series against Iowa
this weekend and reclaimed lot 3 9 1
place.
Before the series win, some
players seemed to have give 7
up and others looked fatigued,
but there have always been brie 1 6 7 5
moments when Michigan looked
like a different team - rejuve-
nated, energetic and simply bet-
ter.
Freshman Kevin White 5 9 1
smacked one over the fence i
back-to-back games agains e
Indiana, senior third basema
John Lorenz has often laid him
circumstance.
On May 2, 13 students were
charged for being involved in the
death of Robert Champion, a drum
major in the Florida A&M Univer-
sity marching band. Champion'
died last November after a long
night of hazing rituals, which cov-
ered his body in cuts and bruises.
According to the Huffington Post,
Champion's attorney Christopher
Chestnut stated, "Ultimately, the
case shows how deeply hazing
is entrenched in the culture at
FAMU." Many people, including
Champion's mother, have publicly
disagreed with the charges, claim-
ing they didn't go far enough.
Hazing needs to be taken seri-
ously and is a real and dangerous
problem across college campuses
today. Not only are Greek life
members partaking in these ritu-
als, but students in other campus
organizations are as well. Campus
officials need to step in to ensure
that anti-hazing policies aren't
being violated and are taken seri-
ously by students. Hazing is illegal
in 44 states, including Michigan,
and strict anti-hazing policies
are in place to promote a safe and
healthy community among Greek
life members and other student
groups on campus. Campus offi-
cials, however, need to see to
it that these policies are being
adhered to in all areas of campus
and enforce them if necessary.
Hazing isn't necessary to have a
"real" undergraduate experience.
Students shouldn't be subjected
to extreme measures simply to
become a part of agroup or organi-
zation. Hazing does not take into
account individuals' past experi-
ences, their threshold for pain or
their tolerance for alcohol. Not
only does it create an extremely
dangerous atmosphere, it also
leads to psychological effects that
can scar students for life.
Hazing is a dehumanizing con-
cept that has been instilled in
college culture across the coun-
try. Many assume it is a practice
reserved for Greek life, and thus
any other organization will not
haze, even if they actually do. But
studies of more than 11,000 stu-
dents have revealed that 74 per-
cent of students on varsity athletic
teams have been hazed, and 56
percent of students in performing
arts organizations claim the same.
Hazing is defined as "subjection to
harassment or ridicule." Students
must realize that this can happen
anywhere.
Hazing is not only dehuman-
izing and destructive, but it could
also lead to feelings of worthless-
ness and crush one's self-confi-
dence. The University must crack
down on its anti-hazing policies
to ensure a safe community for all
groups on campus. As Michigan
students, we need to realize that
subjecting each other to these
horrendous measures is com-
pletely unnecessary and simply
degrading.