Catholic University in Washington and Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn., are investigating sports teams after photographs allegedly depicting student-athletes taking part in initiation parties were posted on a Web site.
The Web site www.badjocks.com on Wednesday posted those pictures and others,
allegedly of athletic teams at 12 colleges and universities,
showing hazing or initiation rituals from 2003-06. It labeled
them the "Dirty Dozen."
Earlier this week, Northwestern suspended its women's soccer
team after the Web site displayed pictures of alleged hazing at a
party.
Catholic is investigating its
women's lacrosse program after photos were posted on the Internet
allegedly showing a male stripper at a freshman initiation party. And Quinnipiac is looking into photos allegedly taken during
an "initiation party" for members of the school's baseball team depicting men dancing around in underwear and adult diapers and
spraying whipped cream on a woman who is lying on the floor.
"If the evidence demonstrates that any of our current students
willingly participated in these activities, appropriate
disciplinary action will be taken," Catholic athletic director Michael
Allen said in a statement.
Allen said that neither he nor coach Kristine Manning was aware
of the party until Wednesday morning. He said an investigation
began immediately.
"The president and I will meet with all the coaches at the
university to discuss additional measures and policies that we can
implement to ensure that in the future this kind of deplorable
situation does not occur with any of the students at The Catholic
University of America," the statement said.
The photos were posted on a Web site under the heading
"Catholic University Women's Lacrosse Initiation Party 2006." The
site doesn't say when or where the party was held.
At Quinnipiac, spokesman John Morgan said the pictures did not make it clear that members of the baseball team were involved.
"We've seen some pictures that have come to our attention, but
it's not clear to us that our baseball players are involved in
anything that raises concerns," Morgan said. "We're looking into it."
Quinnipiac has an anti-hazing policy that prohibits "any action
taken or situation, on or off campus, intended to create mental or
physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, ridicule or
possible mental or physical injury."
The policy also bans paddling; covering a person with things
like water, paint or food; forcing any members to drink alcoholic
beverages or use illegal substances; depriving people of sleep;
unplanned road trips or kidnappings; assigning "pranks," such as
stealing, painting objects, panty raids or harassing another
organization; or any physical or psychological shock to a student.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.