For much of the Twentieth Century, black Greek-letter organizations (“BGLOs”) had few, major—e.g., deaths, law suits, major press—hazing incidents. But once the 1970s came, everything changed (deaths in red):

1977 | ALPHA | Bradley University

1977 | OMEGA | North Carolina Central University

1977 | OMEGA | University of Pennsylvania

1979 | OMEGA | University of Florida

1980 | KAPPA | Virginia State University

1981 | OMEGA / SIGMA | SUNY, Old Westbury

1981 | ALPHA / OMEGA | NC Central University

1981 | ALPHA | University of Pittsburgh

1982 | OMEGA| Alabama A&M University

1982 | KAPPA | Rider College

1983 | OMEGA | East Carolina University

1983 | OMEGA | University of Maryland

1983 | OMEGA | Tennessee State University

1983 | OMEGA | West Georgia College

1984 | KAPPA | Ball State University

1985 | KAPPA | California University of Pennsylvania

1985 | KAPPA | Michigan State University

1986 | SIGMA | LIU, C.W. Post

1986 | KAPPA | State University of New York

1986 | OMEGA | North Carolina A&T State University

1986 | OMEGA | University of South Carolina

1987 | SIGMA | Morehouse College

1987 | OMEGA | Lamar University

1987 | OMEGA | Seton Hall University

1988 | ALPHA | University of Houston

1988 | OMEGA | Norfolk State University

1989 | KAPPA | Fort Valley State College

1989 | ALPHA | Morehouse College

1989 | KAPPA | SUNY Stony Brook

1989 | ALPHA | Purdue University

In 1990, the, then, eight organizations that comprised the National Pan-Hellenic Council came together to institute a new process whereby aspiring members were brought into the respective organizations. That new process, called the Membership Intake Process (“MIP”), had been around since the 1970s within one of the groups. The aim was to do away with pledging, limit the period of time from request for membership application to initiation, and to, altogether, reduce organizational liability. What follows is the fruit of that effort:

1990 | KAPPA | Northwestern State University

1991 | SIGMA | Clark Atlanta University

1991 | OMEGA | Clark Atlanta University

1991 | SIGMA | University of Missouri

1991 | AKA | Kent State University

1992 | ALPHA | University Virginia

1992 | OMEGA | Norfolk State University

1992 | SIGMA | Southern University

1993 | KAPPA | University of Georgia

1993 | OMEGA | University of Maryland, College Park

1994 | KAPPA | Southeast Missouri State University

1994 | KAPPA | Tennessee State University

1994 | KAPPA | Southern College of Technology

1994 | OMEGA | Indiana University

1994 | OMEGA | Paine College

1994 | SIGMA | University of Southern Mississippi

1994 | KAPPA | Georgia Institute of Technology

1994 | KAPPA | Louisiana Tech University

1995 | ALPHA | Purdue University

1995 | ALPHA | Cornell University

1995 | DELTA | Northern Illinois University

1996 | KAPPA | University of Pittsburgh

1996 | OMEGA | University of West Virginia

1996 | SIGMA | University of Georgia

1996 | KAPPA | Northern Illinois University

1996 | AKA | Temple University

1997 | OMEGA | University of Louisville

1997 | SIGMA | Georgia State University

1997 | AKA | Georgia State University

1997 | DELTA | Western Illinois University

1998 | KAPPA | University of Maryland, Eastern Shore

1998 | KAPPA | Kansas State University

1998 | SIGMA | Southern Illinois University

1998 | AKA | Bennett College

1998 | OMEGA | Albany State University

1998 | DELTA | California State University, Long Beach

1999 | DELTA | University of Kentucky

1999 | SIGMA | Michigan State University

1999 | KAPPA | Georgia State University

1999 | SIGMA | West Virginia University

1999 | ALPHA | Lincoln University

1999 | KAPPA | Grambling State University

1999 | OMEGA | Mississippi State University

1999 | KAPPA | Bowie State University

1999 | ALPHA | University of Florida

1999 | KAPPA | Illinois State University

1999 | OMEGA | University of Georgia

1999 | KAPPA | Georgia Institute of Technology

1999 | OMEGA | Northern Illinois University

2000 | SIGMA | University of Arkansas, Monticello

2000 | SIGMA | Norfolk State University

2001 | KAPPA | Louisiana State University

2001 | KAPPA | Old Dominion University

2001 | OMEGA | Tennessee State University

2001 | ALPHA | Ohio State University

2001 | KAPPA | Western Kentucky University

2001 | ALPHA | University of Texas, Austin

2001 | KAPPA | Ball State University

2002 | SIGMA | Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville

2003 | ALPHA | Southern Methodist University

2003 | KAPPA | Northwestern State University

2003 | SIGMA | St. John’s University

2003 | ZETA | Virginia Union University

2003 | AKA | Cal. State University, Los Angeles

2003 | DELTA | Jarvis Christian College

2004 | KAPPA | Emory University

2004 | DELTA | Savannah State University

2004 | DELTA | Arkansas State University

2005 | KAPPA | Fisk University

2005 | ALPHA | University of Pennsylvania

2005 | KAPPA | University of South Alabama

2005 | KAPPA | University of Toledo

2005 | AKA | Howard University

2006 | KAPPA | Florida A&M University

2006 | SIGMA | University of South Carolina

2006 | SGRHO | San Jose State University

2007 | ALPHA | OK State University, Stillwater

2007 | ZETA | Southeast Missouri State University

2008 | SIGMA | Mansfield University

2008 | AKA | Southeastern Louisiana University

2009 | ALPHA | Fort Valley State College

2009 | SIGMA | Prairie View A&M University

2009 | KAPPA | Eastern Kentucky University

2009 | OMEGA | University of Houston

2009 | KAPPA | University of North Texas

2009 | SIGMA | Virginia State University

2009 | DELTA | University of Tennessee, Chattanooga

2009 | ZETA | Colorado State University

2009 | DELTA | Northern Kentucky University

2010 | ALPHA | Mercer University

2010 | ALPHA | University Florida

2010 | KAPPA | University of Central Florida

2010 | OMEGA | University of South Florida

2010 | KAPPA | Wayne State University

2010 | KAPPA | Georgia State University

2010 | OMEGA | Purdue University

2010 | DELTA | East Carolina University

2010 | DELTA | University of Tampa

2010 | SGRHO | Rutgers University

2010 | ZETA | University of Maryland, Baltimore

2010 | ZETA | Coastal Carolina University

2010 | ZETA | University of Southern California

2011 | KAPPA | University of Maryland, Baltimore

2011 | KAPPA | Cal. State University, Bakersfield

2011 | SIGMA | Francis Marion University

2011 | KAPPA | Auburn University, Montgomery

2012 | KAPPA | Youngstown State University

2012 | KAPPA | Arkansas Technical University

2012 | ALPHA/ KAPPA | University of Florida

2012 | ALPHA | Winthrop University

2012 | OMEGA | University of Virginia

2013 | ALPHA | Virginia State University

2013 | ALPHA | Jacksonville State University

2013 | KAPPA | Kent State University

2013 | OMEGA | University of Central Florida

2013 | DELTA | Florida A&M University

2014 | KAPPA | University of Central Arkansas

2014 | ALPHA | University of Akron

2014 | KAPPA | University of Memphis

2014 | KAPPA | University of Georgia

2014 | OMEGA | Saginaw Valley State University

2014 | SIGMA | University of Minnesota

2014 | SIGMA | North Carolina State University

2014 | ALPHA | University of Tennessee

Why did MIP fail? The conventional argument is that there is no solution to the problem—that despite leaders’ best efforts, undergraduates, mostly, and some alumni, just won’t get their acts together. The reality, however, is that there is a universe of solutions out there that BGLOs just have never employed. And this is largely because they haven’t gone looking for them. Even more, the exacerbation (study finding BGLO hazing has become more violent since the 1950s) of the problem can be traced back to 1990 and NPHC leaders’ reform efforts. There are two things that NPHC leaders did that likely kicked hazing into high gear. One is that they took a zero-tolerance approach; the other is that they engaged in moral over-regulation.

While zero tolerance varies in definition depending on context, it is generally intended to express the rejection of targeted behaviors that if committed, will be severely punished; no matter how major or minor. The problem with such policies is that research has shown that they are often ineffective in reducing or deterring the outcomes they seek to address. On the other hand, moral over-regulation is a proscriptive moral orientation that involves a focus on “should nots” and sanctions for violating rules. The problem is that such an approach fails to inculcate the person who is the object of the regulation with the values that would likely deter the undesirable behavior. It also forces the behavior into the shadows. In short, the behavior persists but even more secretly and sometimes more perversely or severely. Taking the two theories together, what NPHC leadership did was delay the use of more effective strategies by employing poorly conceived ones. They also exacerbated the problem by the use of particular approaches.

Now, all of this wouldn’t be so bad given that NPHC leadership needed to make sudden changes in light of Joel Harris’ death in 1990 while pledging Alpha Phi Alpha at Morehouse College. However, why didn’t they use substantially better methods prior to 1990 and since—methods rooted in best practices, research, and data? There are a lot of reasons to explain that—e.g., lack of leadership vision, poor strategy, poor operations, or even cognitive biases on the part of leaders. Much of that, I’ll unpack in the coming months.

What’s for sure is that old habits die hard. BGLOs, generally, still don’t employ much best practices, research, or data in their problem-solving. Dare I say that they still engage in what I call “guess work.” They guess at the nature of problems, and they guess at solutions. You want to stop members from using calls or hand signs? Tell them, forcefully, to stop. You want to stop members from using certain mascots (e.g., apes, dogs, playboy bunnies [see book chapter HERE]) or chapter monikers (e.g., bloody, deadly, ruthless [see HERE]) then threaten to sanction them. You want to stop members from hazing? Zero tolerance! Moral over-regulation! More aspirants will die. More law-suits will ensue. More cases will be lost. More bad press will be had. More brands will be damaged. Part of this will be because of the actions of members; it will also be because the leadership class keeps on guessing….and guessing wrong.