Hazing at Ryerson: Bullying and humiliation or just good fun?

Engineering students at Ryerson have taken their traditions beyond weird and into the territory of hazing, say school officials who are displeased about a video showing half-naked students crawling through slush.

In a video posted last week, students wearing little more than underwear drag themselves through slush over a shallow frozen pond made from a water fountain. Those ordering them to crawl and cheering them on carry water guns, while some throw snowballs.

The videographer asks someone the purpose of the event during the recording, to which the student replies "frosh leader initiation."

The event was organized by the Ryerson Engineering Student Society for students applying to become leaders during frosh week next fall, according to CBC News.

Dying your hand purple is one thing, but some are asking whether enduring slush in below zero temperatures is taking kooky engineering traditions too far.

The RESS told the Toronto Star students volunteered to participate for fun. However, the president of the society told CBC the crawling wasn't planned. She said things had gotten out of hand.

Ryerson's president, Sheldon Levy, condemned the event in a statement posted on the university website.

"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," the statement says. Levy added that members of the student society involved are meeting with the university executive on Monday.

So here's today's Pulse of Canada question: Is it just good fun or has Ryerson taken things too far?

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