Ryerson University’s president is condemning an engineering department event where half-naked students crawled through slush and ice.
University president Sheldon Levy spoke out against the on-campus event, which was held last Thursday, after video posted to YouTube described it as “unpleasant hazing.”
In a statement, Levy said the event, organized by the engineering orientation committee, is not condoned by the university and he vowed that it will not be repeated in the future.
“There is no excuse for the completely unacceptable activities that took place at the event, and anyone who contends it is ‘just fun’ or ‘builds community’ has no place at Ryerson,” Levy said. “My response to the students and the community is to express my strongest determination that this kind of behaviour never happens again.”
Levy said the university is dealing with those who were involved, but he did not reveal what type of punishment, if any, the organizers may be facing.
“The university is categorical in affirming it does not condone student conduct that demeans individuals in any way, and I am making clear our shock and anger in the face of this departure from dignity,” Levy said. “This incident does not represent the principles of civil society, and the positive and supportive culture of Ryerson.”
Levy said the university’s executive is meeting with the leadership of the Ryerson Engineering Student Society (RESS) on Monday to discuss the event.
It is not known if the president's office received a complaint from a student who was involved in the event.
The RESS told the Toronto Star that the “voluntary” event builds school spirit and allows students to bond, and denied claims that it is a form of hazing.
The event is held as a way for engineering students to earn the right to serve as frosh week leaders in the following school year.
The YouTube video, which is one minute and 45 seconds in length, shows students crawling on their hands and knees in their underwear, swimwear or shorts in cold weather, as they are taunted by former frosh week leaders.
Some of the half-naked students are sprayed with water guns, others are pelted with snowballs. At one point in the video, a female student is spanked by a male student.
RESS president Rose Ghamari told the Star that the event has been held for at least seven years with no problems.
Even if students don’t participate, they still get a chance to be frosh week leaders, she told the newspaper.
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