PLATFORM : Pledges Have Power

Ending the problem of hazing could be a simple process. If a fraternity pledge class would stick together and refuse to participate in any type of hazing or inappropriate activities, the chapter members would be helpless to react. There is nothing they could do. The pledge class could not be dismissed; they are needed both financially and as a matter of pride. And if a chapter tried to dismiss an entire pledge class, the national fraternity, local alumni and college officials would begin to ask a lot of questions about the chapter’s pledge program.

A fraternity pledge class, realizing how much power it had just by sticking together, could decide on every matter concerning the pledging process, including setting the date for their initiation. This group understanding of how a team works is the essence of a pledge program. Hazing is not needed and should not be tolerated.