4.19.1 : Hazing Defined
Hazing shall include any or all of the following, but not limited to:
- Any willful act or requirement by a student or organization directed against an individual that with or without intent,
- Is likely to cause bodily harm or danger, injury, physical punishment, or disturbing pain;
- Is likely to compromise the dignity of a person, cause embarrassment, shame, malicious ridicule, psychological harm, or substantial emotional strain;
- Would reasonably impair a person's academic efforts;
- Compels a person to participate in illegal or immoral behavior or behaviors that are contrary to any University policies or state laws.
Examples of hazing include, but are not limited to the following:
- Ingestion of alcohol, food, drugs, or any undesirable substance;
- participation in sexual rituals or assaults;
- Emotionally or psychologically abusive or demeaning behavior;
- Acts that could result in physical, psychological, or emotional deprivation, shock, or harm;
- Physical abuse, e.g., whipping, paddling, beating, tattooing, branding, and exposure to the elements, or the threat of such behaviors;
- Creation of excessive fatigue; Quests, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips, or any other such activities as required for membership;
- Wearing of public apparel that is conspicuous and not normally in good taste;
- Engaging in public stunts and buffoonery;
- Morally degrading or humiliating games and activities; and
- Any other such activities that are not consistent with academic achievement, policy, or the regulations of the educational institution or applicable state law.
Where an activity amounts to hazing, a person's consent to the activity is not a defense. In order to encourage students who may hesitate to report incidents of hazing for fear of revealing other policy violations, the University may offer leniency to a reporting student with respect to the behavior reported, depending on the circumstances involved.