On Thursday, Feb. 18, a Buffalo State student died from yet-unknown causes.
Bradley Doyley, 21, was a business major ready to graduate in the spring. After his death, allegations of hazing circulated around the fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha in which reports stated that Doyley was forced to drink a toxic beverage.
Buffalo State President Katherine Conway-Turner released a statement on the passing of Doyley and said that the Buffalo State chapter of the fraternity has been suspended.
According to the Buffalo News, as of Monday police have found no evidence of hazing related to Doyley’s death. However, the cause of death is not expected to be known until a toxicology report is completed.
The Oswego State chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha had recently ended under different circumstances, as its last members graduated.
While the Buffalo State investigation is still underway, the question is raised how students and administration throughout the SUNY system should respond to hazing. Oswego State Greek life is already being proactive to avoid such situations occurring here.
“As a member of Greek life, especially on Greek Council, hearing these stories makes me determined to prevent these situations from occurring here at Oswego,” said Sasha Padilla, an executive board representative for Greek Council.
According to the SUNY Oswego Student Handbook, hazing is “any act, or creation of, or participation in the creation of any situation, which endangers mental or physical health or which involves the consumption of alcohol or other drugs for purposes of initiation into or affiliation with any group or organization.”
Oswego State administration has taken a number of proactive steps to ensure that students know the dangers of hazing.
Each semester Risk Management Training is provided to the presidents of sport clubs, fraternities and sororities.
“To be proactive and educate people on what’s out there and what can happen is really the best thing you can do,” said Mike Paestella, the director of student involvement. “Obviously, if there’s a tragedy, we’re going to react to that.”
The four key components to the Risk Management Training are liability, alcohol, hazing and resources available on campus or in the community where students can get assistance in alcohol or drug problems, hazing concerns, sexual assaults and mental health and wellness.
Beyond Risk Management Training, Paestella said that a new system has been implemented to ensure that Greek organizations are striving for academic success and being involved in the community. It is called Fraternity and Sorority Standards of Excellence and is aimed at getting Greek organizations to think more about academics, use resources on campus to their advantage and to become more involved with the campus community.
“I think there is a lot more engagement and I think people are trying to showcase that we want to be involved, we want to do the right thing,” Paestella said.
Paestella also acknowledged that there have been issues in the past, but there are opportunities to ensure those issues do not escalate.
“In any populace there are some bad apples,” Paestella said. “And when things happen, they are addressed. Student conduct does a very good job of investigating and addressing things when hazing or other situations come up. But we also have that medium where groups can start to share on LakerLife, start to be engaged and start to see what kind of programming’s there.”
Such past issues include one in 2013 when Oswego State student Liam McDonald sued the state after a hazing incident with Sigma Gamma caused physical injuries. Paestella assured that the new Standards of Excellence have nothing to do with this incident or any others.
Reckless behavior among Greek organizations may cause a negative stigma toward them, but students like Padilla believe those obstacles can be overcome.
“There is a very huge disconnect between the college’s administration and faculty, Greek life, as well as within the community,” Padilla said. “Many people who live in Oswego only get to see the negative aspects of college life and students. I think one way to prevent this would be to make people more conscious of the different community service projects and events that many Greek organizations host to benefit our community.”
Brandon Farmer, the former student involvement coordinator, spearheaded the Standards of Excellence, which began this academic year. While the position is now vacant, Paestella is hopeful for the future of the Standards of Excellence and what it will do for Greek organizations.
“The Standards of Excellence, once they’re fully operational and once we are adequately staffed, will give our fraternity and sorority members that opportunity to really showcase all that they do and all that they bring to campus,” Paestella said.
Part of the Standards of Excellence is that students must have a GPA of 2.25 in order to pledge to a fraternity or sorority.
Padilla feels that these Standards are beneficial to Greek Life as a whole.
“I think this is an excellent standard to hold for potential new members of Greek organization,” Padilla said. “In my own sorority, Alpha Sigma Chi, we value academics for all of our sisters as well as our prospective sisters. Being a student should always come first, and I think this standard will encourage people who are interested in becoming part of a the Greek community to focus on their course work.”
Padilla said the Standards of Excellence will have a positive impact on students’ personal growth, not just their academic success.
“I think the Standards of Excellence that we have put in place is a way for Greek organizations to reflect on themselves and improve where needed,” Padilla said. “Every organization has a set of values and principles unique to their organization; this is a way for sororities and fraternities to remember those concepts for themselves.”
As Greek organizations set higher standards for themselves at Oswego State, Paestella noted it is important to remember just why these standards are so important in the first place.
“What happened at Buffalo is a tragedy, regardless of whether it was hazing or not,” he said. “A student died, and we shouldn’t lose focus of that.”
