In the wake of the death last week of a member of UGA's Alpha Tau Omega chapter, Assistant to the Senior Vice President and Dean of Campus Life Bridget Guernsey Riordan said Emory policy could not prevent a similar incident here.
University of Georgia officials said the death of sophomore Benjamin Folsom Grantham III in a traffic accident last week was related to fraternity hazing.
Grantham, an ATO member, was riding in the cargo area of a sports utility vehicle driven by a fellow fraternity member when the vehicle flipped over and hit a tree. Four ATO pledges, who also were in the car, survived the crash.
In the wake of Grantham's death, Riordan said Emory has no plans to change its hazing policy. She said the UGA incident raises questions about pranks that involve fraternities. "We don't outlaw pranks here," she said. Though Emory has policies against Greek hazing, minor pranks can be overlooked," she added
"Little pranks can go bad too," Riordan said. "It doesn't have to be a planned hazing activity."
Emory's policy concerning Greek hazing is very similar to UGA's, Assistant Dean of Students Todd Rose said Sunday. "All fraternities and sororities must educate their membership, both new, potential and active, concerning the hazing policy," he said.
Rose said the UGA incident emphasized the idea that hazing benefits no one. "If hazing turned out to be constructive to the brotherhood it would not be illegal and there would be large corporations incorporating it into their training programs," he said. "There is no good end to which a hazing activity will lead."
Emory's ATO chapter said it has heard nothing from its national office about changing any policies. "We have always approached things with a philosophy we don't do anything that demeans anyone," ATO President Michael Goldman said. "There is no point to it, it's wrong."
Goldman added he knew little about the UGA incident. "I am sure something will come of this but I can't say what will," he said.
An autopsy showed Grantham was handcuffed at the time of the crash and may have been blindfolded as well.
No charges have been filed yet regarding the incident.
Pending further investigation of the accident, the UGA suspended its chapter of ATO following Grantham's death.
UGA spokesman Matthew Winston said hazing is against school policy. "We do not tolerate it," Winston said. "Our reaction to this particular incident was in line with our current student conduct code."
But he said it is possible that UGA will change its hazing policy in the future. "We always reevaluate [policies] after circumstances of this nature," he said Sunday.
Education is currently a large part of the UGA hazing policy. The school takes "a very educational approach to knowing what the policy is and what the repercussions are," UGA Greek Life Coordinator Claudia Schamp said. "We have mandatory seminars where we discuss the policy."
Schamp said the UGA Greek system may be forced to take new measures in the future if it is to prevent hazing-related deaths. "Obviously, when a situation occurs, it should cause you to reflect, review, discuss," she said.
But Shamp added she was unsure of what changes, if any might be decided.
"Right now it's still a bit too early to tell," Schamp said.
