Policies + Procedures — Governance + Compliance — Anti-Hazing

1.34 Anti-Hazing

I. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to maintain a safe, positive environment for students and staff that is free from hazing and to ensure compliance with all legal requirements. Hazing activities of any type are inconsistent with the educational goals of the college and are prohibited at all times.

II. Scope

This policy applies to all organizations recognized by the college and to all students, employees and volunteers associated with the college.

III. General

Hazing is defined as any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student or which willfully destroys or removes public or private property for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with, or as a condition of continued membership in, any organization. Hazing shall not include reasonable and customary athletic contest, competitions or events.

Hazing shall include, but not be limited to:

Coercion to violate state or federal criminal law.
Any brutality of a physical nature, such as whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics or exposure to the elements.
Consumption of any food, liquid, alcoholic liquid, drug or other substance which subjects the student to risk of emotional or physical harm.
Any brutality of a sexual nature.
Any brutality of a mental nature, including activity adversely affecting the mental health or dignity of the individual, sleep deprivation, exclusion from social contact or conduct that could result in extreme embarrassment.
Any other activity that creates a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury to the student.

Organization is defined as any organization, team, club, society or group operating under the sanction of, or recognized as an organization by, the college.

General

The college prohibits hazing in connection with any student activity or organization, regardless of whether the conduct occurs on or off school property or outside of the hours of college operation.

No student, college employee or volunteer shall engage in, condone or ignore any form of hazing.

All members of the campus community shall be alert to incidents of hazing and shall report such conduct promptly when observed.

In addition to posting this policy on the college website, the college shall annually inform students, organizations, college employees and volunteers that hazing is prohibited, by means of distribution of written policy and publication in handbooks.

The college shall maintain a report of all violations of the anti-hazing policy or of Federal or State laws related to hazing that are reported to the college. This report shall be updated biannually and posted on the college website on January 1 and August 1.

Reporting & Investigation

When a student believes that s/he has been subject to hazing, the student shall promptly report the incident using the student-facing complaint form available on the college website. Students may also report to any college official, who then can submit the report through the employee-facing Behavior and Student Conduct Form located on the college portal.

The members of the college Behavioral Intervention Team shall conduct a timely, impartial, thorough, and comprehensive investigation of the alleged hazing.

If the investigation results in a substantiated finding of hazing against a student, the college shall recommend appropriate disciplinary action up to and including student expulsion, as circumstances warrant, in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct.

Additionally, the student may be subject to disciplinary action up to and Including removal from the organization or activity.

If the investigation results in a substantiated finding that a college employee or volunteer affiliated with the student activity or organization engaged in, condoned or ignored any violation of this policy, s/he shall be disciplined in accordance with college policy and applicable laws and regulations. Disciplinary action may be taken up to and including dismissal from college employment.

If a student activity or organization authorizes hazing in disregard of this policy or other applicable college rules, penalties may also include recission of permission for that organization to operate on college property or to otherwise operate under the sanction or recognition of the college.

Any person who causes or participates in hazing is subject to criminal prosecution.