As part of the ongoing attempt to end hazing on college campuses and particularly within Greek organizations, 21 international fraternities and sororities have joined forces in a coalition to establish the Greek Anti-Hazing Hotline. The toll-free number is 1-888-NOT-HAZE (1-888-668-4293)

The line is available to those who think they, or students they know, have been or may become victims of hazing. Callers may remain anonymous or provide personal information so their concerns can be responded to directly.

The Anti-Hazing Hotline connects to a dedicated voice mailbox at the Cincinnati law firm of Manley Burke, the publisher of Fraternal Law, a well-known law journal that chronicles legal issues involving collegiate Greek organizations and higher education.

Manley Burke will monitor the anti-hazing hotline on a daily basis and will forward all messages to the appropriate fraternal organization, along with the hazing laws from the relevant jurisdictions. In states in which the law requires notification of other authorities, this will be done. A hazing alert for an organization not involved as a sponsor will be handled as though that organization were a sponsor. A voluntary invoice will be sent to cover costs.

"Fraternities and sororities take hazing very seriously and have worked hard to see that hazing is eliminated," said Tim Burke, president of Manley Burke. "They recognize too many people have been hurt or died as a result of hazing incidents and that today more than 45 states make hazing a crime. Officers of Greek organizations are consistently teaching their members that hazing is antithetical to the high ideals of brotherhood and sisterhood embodied in the fraternity movement," he continued.

Norval Stephens, chairman of the Delta Tau Delta Educational Foundation and former international president of the fraternity, led efforts in establishing the hotline. Stephens worked to grow interfraternal support for the hotline from the time it was conceived in January 2007 through recruitment of sponsors and participating organizations and finally to its implementation.

Stephens explained the goal: "Our experience in the Greek world on hazing and alcohol abuse is that behavior is not changed by research. We believe educational programming and action change behavior. Research illuminates the problem but does not solve it. We hope the hotline helps to eliminate hazing."

Stephens added, "Without exception, all national fraternities and sororities are serious about addressing hazing on the college campus. Many fraternal groups not listed as sponsors already have their own hotlines dedicated to the fight against hazing. We stand with them in our common goal to eliminate these behaviors."

The Anti-Hazing Hotline is a crucial new tool for Greek organizations to use to fight hazing. The 21 founding sponsors, who represent in excess of 35% of all fraternity and sorority members, have invited other fraternities and sororities to join as official sponsors of the Greek Anti-Hazing Hotline. For more information, please contact Dan McCarthy at Manley Burke at 513-721-5525.

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