This past week, a student at Florida A&M University was reported dead as a result of excessive hazing by the school's nationally renowned marching band.

The marching band has had a persistent history of hazing, this time resulting in the death of Robert Champion, a 26-year-old drum major at the university.

Prior to this incident, in 2001, trumpeter Marcus Parker was paddled so severely he ended up in the hospital with kidney damage. Although intense hazing within the marching band is just one instance, the issue is a serious one that needs to be addressed. Though hazing is notoriously more popular among fraternities and sororities, this incident with the marching band shows that hazing is present in even the most unlikely clubs and activities.

While hazing hasn't openly been a problem at Brandeis, there have been many colleges that have had issues with the practice. To show some equally severe examples, we can turn to fraternities.

Last year, a pledge of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at Cornell University died after reportedly being kidnapped, tied up and then asked to answer questions about the fraternity's history.

The consequence for a wrong answer: being forced to drink until his blood alcohol concentration eventually rose to .409. Once he passed out, he was left in the frat house's library to die.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon has had issues in other chapters, as well. In 2006, a pledge at the University of Texas fell off a five-story building after a night of forced intoxication and other physical hazing. And even years before, a pledge of the Chi Tau fraternity at California State University, Chico passed away after the fraternity members poured cold water on him in front of powerful electric fans while forcing him to drink several gallons of cold water.

The pledge, Ryan Carrington, died from a combination of water intoxication and hypothermia. These are just a few of many examples that prove that hazing is a dangerous and inappropriate practice that can undoubtedly be detrimental to one's physical and mental health.

Vicki Hays, the associate director for Counseling and Psychological Services at the University of Michigan, has observed that people "have had a negative emotional or psychological reaction with hazing that's happened to them or even to someone else."

Hays also said that other reactions can include anger, confusion and both physical and emotional pain.

Sometimes, the psychological effects of hazing are delayed, and people may not think they are affected by it; however, a reminder of the event may trigger an emotional reaction at any time.

The concept of extreme hazing is troubling. You shouldn't have to do something terrible just to be able to be part of a group. I understand the concept of a mandatory pledge process, but that doesn't mean that the tasks assigned need to be detrimental to an individual's health.

There are ways to initiate a member without crossing the line, such as throwing a party or getting to know them one-on-one through pledging interviews. Nothing inappropriate needs to occur in order for that individual to be accepted into the group.

Extreme hazing like this does not build any sort of unity, and students need to understand that they can leave the pledging process if they feel they do not want to associate with a group that makes them do terrible things. They need to have the courage to believe that enduring physical and emotional trauma for the sake of being accepted into a group is not worth it.

Universities need to take hazing more seriously and investigate instances where students are being harmed.

The worst thing about the marching band death was that Florida A&M had been warned about incidents of excessive hazing but took no solid action other than sending a stern warning to stop it.

Of course schools should have a strict "no hazing" policy, but when there is evidence brought to the administration of extreme hazing that may potentially put students in danger, the university needs to take further action.

While there can be innocent forms of hazing and teasing, fraternities, sororities, sports teams and other groups need to ensure the safety of their members.

This should be their first priority.

Admittedly, the pledge process is supposed to be difficult and challenging; however, no member should be forced to cross his or her moral boundaries just to be part of a group.