Tradition in question: the end of initiations?

In response to student complaints, the University considers cracking down.

On this, Yale's tercentennial, institutional egoism often compels students to reflect with pride on the University's long and storied traditions. For most, those traditions seem a fundamental part of the Yale experience, having stood the test of time and embedded themselves into the social and academic framework of the community. Nor, in the school's curious crucible of scholars, athletes, singers, frat boys, musicians, and weirdos, are those traditions likely to be the same for every student. But, regardless of the academic or social organizations to which they belong, students are often able to find similar traditions which unite them all.

Initiation is one such tradition, an event during which new members officially join an organizational fold. Many Yalies with organizational ties to the community can likely recount memorable, and perhaps comparable, initiations. For most, these initiations conjure memories of dark, chilly fall nights—uncomfortable perhaps, but certainly unforgettable. And, in retrospect, most are likely to sing the praises of the tradition, considering short-term misery or embarrasment a fair price to pay for long-term camaraderie.

But initiations may soon become a thing of the past. Dean of Student Affairs Betty Trachtenberg, in meetings with the captains of several Yale teams, has signaled that the University will possibly take a more active role in monitoring the teams' behavior during initiation rituals. Trachtenberg was quick to point out, "I have taken no action. I don't even know what the practice is. I have general opinions about initiations. For one, I think they are a much widely-held activity." But the meetings come in response to a number of problems, including student complaints and hospitalizations as the result of initiations.

Play with matches...

The incident sent shockwaves through the women's swimming team, leaving its members surprised and disappointed. One source close to the team was quick to defend the practice. "It was all a big misunderstanding," she said. "There was a miscommunication of what the intention was. It was all in fun, about bringing the team together. It was not meant to humiliate anyone or make them feel uncomfortable." Swimmer Kimberly Richardson, ES '03, stressed a similar point, saying, "It's a really fun bonding experience. A lot of people didn't understand how it could not be a fun experience."

Others, in defense of the team, have claimed that the incident could have been avoided had the student chosen to abstain from the initiation in the first place. According to another source close to the swimming team, female swimmers, unlike their male counterparts, have the option of not participating in initiation. As the source put it, "She could have taken a stand and said `no.' Four or five other freshmen did. She chose to do it and complained."

But of course, that is easier said than done, considering that the freshman diver was only in her first few months of college. "As a freshman," said the first source, "I was really nervous about the initiation. You don't know what is going on." For just that reason, many on the team have been quick to label the situation a misunderstanding and are eager to put the incident behind them. The team has attempted to make the initiation flap a non-issue, to silence talk about it and prepare for the season. "We're trying to put negative sentiments behind us and work together," Richardson said.

But, it will be a long time before the memories of this initiation fade. And the cloud that now hovers over the team is likely to resurface next fall, when a new group of initiates joins the swimming squad.

...and you might get burned

If nothing else, his comments suggest that initiations are a thing of the past, at least in the case of the women's swimming team. And Keefe was quick to criticize initiations as a practice. "According to state law," Keefe said, "there is not supposed to be initiation. Initiation starts with the previous class saying, `Can you top this?' We should work on team chemistry from the time they come to campus. There are other ways of initiating people—the kids go to the beach at the beginning of the year...No one wants to be ridiculed or put in a situation where they are uncomfortable."

And while Trachtenberg may not have taken official action, she clearly agreed with Keefe's assessment of the legality of some of the current practices. "Students don't understand the difference between initiation and hazing," Trachtenberg said. "They would be well-advised to look at the hazing statutes."

Picking up the pieces

While Trachtenberg did speak with the captain of the women's swimming team, Laura Schned, BK '01, in what she termed a "very productive meeting," she noted that the Athletic Department, and not her office, was more directly responsible for overseeing the conduct of Yale athletes. "I don't administer the programs in the Athletic Department," Trachtenberg said. In reference to one specific problem, she said, "I didn't hear about it until after the incident and until after someone was hospitalized."

And the Athletic Department, particularly Athletic Director Tom Beckett and Assistant Athletic Director Larry Matthews, have indicated they plan to take action. For that reason, they met with Schned to discuss the issue. "Our challenge to the team and to ourselves," Matthews explained, "was to come up with an appropriate set of guidelines to address the issue and reinforce the Yale principle and state law—that no initiations take place at Yale University."

Matthews and the department plan to focus their efforts on educating captains of the various athletic teams. "One of the things that has emerged is a sense on our part that the Athletic Department has to have a practice in place that introduces captains to our guidelines and expectations...a kind of in-service training...We have to be more proactive. This would happen on the front end of being a captain—late spring or early fall of your captaincy. And it would discuss this and a lot of other things."

But, when asked if he too had called an end to women's swimming initiation, he said, "I would say our goal would be to educate, to have frank and open discussions." Yale policy makers have stopped short of trying to impose a ban, hoping instead that students will make good decisions.

That was how Yale women's rugby captain Regina Fitzpatrick, BR '01, interpreted the results of her meeting with Matthews. Her team was embroiled in the controversy as well after news of their rowdy initiation reached him. Of the meeting, she said, "It was more of a question to us. What do we do about it? I think there is now zero-tolerance for initiations."

But Yale's monitoring and apprehension might effectively ruin what, for most, is a positive experience. Soccer player James Pearce, BR '02, remarked, "Our initiation takes place at the end of the season, which some people may argue makes them much more comfortable." Nor does it ever get out of hand. "There are enough people there to balance it out—a system of checks and balances."

A less hands-off attitude also raises the question of whether all of Yale's undergraduate organizations would come under scrutiny, from singing groups to secret societies. Certainly non-athletic groups have had initiations get out of control. Tony Quackenbush, BR '02, made no secret of his disliking of the Debate Society initiation, saying "It really made me re-evaluate my position not only in the Yale Debate society, but also in any student organization that espouses such initiation practices. It is a testament to the gravity of the Debate initiation that no one came forward to speak about it."

Trachtenberg's inaction thus far, coupled with the athletic department's seeming resolve to do more, may mean that Yale's teams bear the brunt of any potential crackdown on initiations. For now, though, initiations seem likely to continue. And for many Yale students, that seems like a perfectly fine solution. Most athletes seem to favor keeping initiations intact. "They are bonding experiences," Pearce said. "As long as people can look back and laugh, regardless of whatever they feel at the time, it is perfectly fine."

Graphic by Sarah England.

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