Hazing is an issue at many colleges and universities nationwide. Depending on a school's definition of hazing, it can range from small pranks to death. However, hazing doesn't always involve alcohol.

No matter how it's defined, hazing has been around for many years. Schools have recently been trying to curb the amount of hazing on college campuses by educating students about hazing. Yet this often does not happen until an incident occurs.

"We do maintain a zero-tolerance policy," said Todd Cohen, associate director of university relations at the University of Kansas. "When cases do come forth they are put on probation and we teach them that hazing is a violation of human dignity. There is an educational aspect."

Similarly, at California State University-Chico, administrators faced with hazing deaths are looking into educating students about hazing. There have been three deaths at Chico as a result of hazing. Most recently, Matthew Carrington, a 21-year-old student, was pledging to a fraternity when he died as a result of drinking too much water.

"We've had numerous educational programs to deal with hazing," said Rick Rees, assistant director of student activities at Chico. "Matthew Carrington was pledged to a fraternity that we had kicked off campus three years prior," he said. "They then recruited members for a number of years after changing their name. In the fall they hazed Matt Carrington to the point of death with water."

Hazing does not always end in death. At the University of Kansas, members of a fraternity were recently expelled after being accused of hazing new members, according to Cohen.

"Unlike some places all our houses are off campus, there's a different set of controls," Cohen said. "We don't have ownership or controls."

In this case, the national chapter of the fraternity performed the investigation into the hazing allegations at Kansas. The university was aware of the student's actions, but they did not participate in disciplining the students.

"They kept us informed that they were performing an investigation and they shut the house down," Cohen said.

Hazing does not only occur in college fraternities and sororities but also in college sports teams. At St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., the men's cross country team was recently reprimanded for streaking across campus, which was seen as hazing by the college.

The incident "came to our attention because it happened on campus and I contacted the coach," said Greg Kneser, dean of students at St. Olaf College. "It was the coach's decision to do that. They just cancelled a meet."

"People are going to debate over whether or not this is hazing," Kneser said. "Actions that are more coercive are hard to convince people that it's hazing. If the seniors and the captains do it, then everyone will."

Excessive alcohol is often an issue with college hazing. At Chico, a student involved with a fraternity died five years ago due to alcohol.

"In 2000, a pledge at a fraternity died as a result of alcohol; some people would not call that hazing," Rees said. "It was Big Brother night and booze was involved."

On some campuses, especially those without active athletic or Greek communities, hazing is not a major problem. At Minnesota State University-Moorhead, for example, hazing does not occur often, according to Warren Wiese, vice president of student affairs.

We haven't really experienced that on our campus," he said. "Athletics isn't really a major focus on our campus and neither is the Greek system. We're not an institution that typically has those kinds of issues."

Although hazing has been aroundfor decades, administrators at colleges say they are more aware of the amount of hazing that occurs on their campuses.

"I think hazing has been around a long time," Kneser said. "I don't think this is a new thing, but there's much more awareness among sports now."

Administrators are speculating about where college students are learning about hazing.

"I think it goes well beyond college," Rees said. "It involves sports of all kinds, we see it in private sectors and the military. I think there's a human need for rights of passage. Not that long ago all freshman had to be hazed in the '20s, '30s and '40s."

Kneser said that many students at St. Olaf have experienced hazing in high school.

"We're seeing more of it at the high school level," Kneser said. "What I worry about is what experiences our students are coming to college with."