2007-2008 Your Right to Know & Academic Policies Handbook

Chapter 6: Addressing Hazing at SUNY Brockport

• Statement of Position
• Definitions
• Codes of Student Social Conduct
1. Examples of Hazing
2. How to Know
• For Student Groups - What Are Some Myths About Hazing?
• How Do You "Break the Tradition"?

SUNY Brockport seeks to promote a safe environment where students may participate in activities and organizations without compromising their health, safety and welfare. Hazing is contrary to the principles upon which the College community is built. SUNY Brockport, therefore, asserts its position to define and prohibit hazing as a requirement for admission or acceptance into any club, organization or athletic activity.

This chapter is designed to assist students in understanding College and New York state positions on hazing. Prevention of hazing is the responsibility of every member of the College community. In no way should this guideline be considered all-inclusive in definition and content as to what constitutes hazing. It is solely educational in purpose and serves as an outline of practices that may be considered hazing and counter-productive to missions, principles and purposes of student groups and the College itself. Any questions regarding this chapter should be directed to the Office of the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at (585) 395-2772, or e-mail helpline@brockport.edu.

Statement of Position

SUNY Brockport recognizes that student groups and athletic teams are integral parts of campus life. They provide leadership opportunities, social and academic support, scholarship, friendship and community service. The College has an obligation to protect the environment within which they operate. All students are expected to conduct themselves responsibly and respect the rights of their fellow citizens. Any departure from these standards may result in disciplinary action.

Definitions

For purposes of this policy:

1. Organization means an athletic team, association, club sports, order, society, corps, cooperative, student organization, fraternity, sorority or other similar group that is affiliated with the College and whose membership consists primarily of students enrolled at the College. Organization includes a local chapter, unit or other local division consisting primarily of students, regardless of the nature of membership of the larger public or private organization.
2. Student means any person who is enrolled at SUNY Brockport.

Codes of Student Social Conduct

Hazing. Any action or situation in the course of a person’s initiation, admission into, or membership in an organization that:

1. recklessly or intentionally endangers her/his emotional or physical health; and/or
2. is intended to humiliate another person; and/or
3. destroys, defaces, or removes public or private property; and/or
4. constitutes any other illegal act.

SUNY College at Brockport specifically prohibits any recognized student organization from engaging collectively or individually in the following practices as part of initiation into or affiliation with any organization.

SUNY College at Brockport endorses the definition of hazing to include: Any mental or physical requirement, request or obligation placed upon any person (pledge, associate member, member, affiliate or guest) that could cause discomfort, pain, fright, disgrace or injury, or that is personally degrading or that violates any federal, state, local statute or university policy. (Hazing is further defined in the Codes of Student Social Conduct).

The New York state law states that a person is guilty of hazing when, in the course of another person’s initiation into or affiliation with any organization, s/he intentionally or recklessly engages in conduct that creates a substantial risk of physical injury to such other person or a third person and thereby causes such injury. This offense is now a Class A misdemeanor, which may be punishable by:

• Three (3) years probation and up to $1000 fine.
• One (1) year in jail and up to $1000 fine.
• Sixty (60) days in jail, three (3) years probation and up to $1000 fine.
• Conditional discharge and up to $1000 fine.
• Facing permanent criminal record.

All students and/or student groups are also subject to College disciplinary actions for any hazing policy violations.

A person(s) or organization(s) may be charged with hazing under the Codes of Student Social Conduct (see Chapter 5 of this publication) according to Respect for the Dignity of the Person, #16. Sanctions to persons found responsible of hazing range up to and include expulsion. Sanctions for organizations found responsible of hazing range up to and include permanent loss of recognition and possible criminal charges against the organization’s leaders and/or members. Charges of hazing are referred to and investigated by University Police and/or the local municipal law enforcement agency having legal jurisdiction.

1. Examples of Hazing

Depending upon circumstances, the following activities have, at one time or another, been construed by the courts and/or institutions of higher education as hazing. Such activities are often required or implied as conditions of inclusion or exclusion from a group, formal or informal. Hazing, therefore, may be perpetuated by individual(s) against individual(s), individual(s) against group, group against individual(s) or group against group.

1. Subtle Hazing: Never doing anything with prospective members, calling prospective members demeaning names, silence periods, any form of demerits, depriving prospective members of privileges, scavenger hunts for meaningless objects, etc.
2. Harassment Hazing: Verbal abuse; any form of questioning under pressure or in an uncomfortable position; requiring prospective members to wear ridiculous costumes or perform ridiculous activities; stunt or skit nights/events with demeaning and/or crude skits and/or poems; requiring prospective members to perform personal service to current members such as carrying books, running errands, or performing maid duties; deception and/or threats contrived to convince a prospective member that they will not be able to join the organization or that purposely inflicts mental stress by not revealing the requirements or basic timetable for joining; morally degrading, humiliating or embarrassing games or activities; line-ups or any interrogation for information that is not consistent with legitimate testing, etc.
3. Physical Hazing: Push-ups or other punitive calisthenics, sleep deprivation (any required or recommended activity taking place between midnight and 7 am during the weekday, or series of activities that do not allow for 8 hours of sleep per night), forced consumption of alcohol or food that may cause physical distress, subjection to excessively loud music or noises, paddling, branding, beating, nudity or partial nudity, sexual abuse or assault, requiring or recommending the carrying of unusual items (rocks, plants, pumpkins, pillows, etc.), personal servitude, etc.

NOTE: This list in no way includes all activities or actions that could be considered hazing.

2. How to Know

How do you know if you are hazing or being hazed? Answer the following questions to find out:

1. Would you feel comfortable enough to show or perform the activity in front of key members of the administration, your coach or your adviser?
2. Would you show pictures of the event to your parents?
3. Would you print it in university recruitment publications as a selling point?
4. Would you object to the activity being photographed for the school newspaper or filmed by the local TV news crew?
5. Is alcohol involved?
6. Is there risk of injury or a question of safety?

If you answered any of the first three questions with a “no” or if you answered any of the last three questions with a “yes,” you are most likely involved in hazing.

Hazing encompasses any action or activity that does not contribute to the positive development of a person; that inflicts or intends to cause mental or bodily harm or anxieties; or that may demean or disgrace any person. It is not necessary to participate directly in a hazing activity to be held to some level of accountability and/or liability. Knowledge of such activity can indicate a level of responsibility. Also a person’s willingness to be hazed does not excuse the activity from being considered hazing, from charges being filed or possible sanctions from being imposed.

A good rule to follow when determining if an activity is hazing: If you have to ask if what you’re doing is hazing, it probably is.
Hazing could be, but is not limited to, the following:

1. An activity that might reasonably bring embarrassment or emotional harm to the individual(s).
2. An activity that might reasonably bring physical harm to the individual(s).
3. An activity that requires an unreasonable or inordinate amount of the individual’s time or any manner that impairs the individual’s academic efforts.
4. An activity that requires consumption of any liquid or solid matter.
5. An activity that would degrade or otherwise compromise the dignity of the individual.
6. A requirement that compels an individual to participate in any activity that is illegal or contrary to an individual’s genuine, moral, and/or religious beliefs or contrary to the rules and regulations of the College.

All acts of hazing, both on and off campus by an organization or any of its members, are strictly forbidden.
If you are being hazed or know someone in your student group who is hazing or being hazed, come forward and report it to the any of the following offices:

• University Police (585), 395-2222
• Office of Residential Life/Learning Communities, (585) 395-2122
• Office of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, (585) 395-2137 or 395-5990
• Office of Campus Life (585), 395-5646
• Office of Recreational Services, (585) 395-5076

For Student Groups — What are Some Myths About Hazing?

1. Myth #1 — Hazing is a Unity Builder

Hazing does not build unity. It separates the membership into “hazees” and “hazers.” How can an organization realistically accept new members by separating them from the rest of the group?

2. Myth #2 — Hazing Motivates New Members

Hazing does not motivate new members. It turns them into hazers. It hinders academic achievement, damages self-esteem, and causes emotional strain and physical harm. If an organization hazes to motivate its new members, then it is a weak organization.

3. Myth #3 — Hazing is Non-damaging

Hazing damages people and the organizations to which they belong. Hazing doesn’t just hurt the people who were hazed, it hurts everyone!

How Do You “Break the Tradition?”  

1.  Step #1 — Be an Educator

Educate your members and make them aware. Use all the resources available to you to let your members know what hazing is and why it will not be tolerated. Talk about alternatives to hazing and what the founding beliefs of your organization are. How do your group activities fit into those beliefs?

2. Step #2 — Be Proactive

Take advantage of speakers, programs, workshops, and other resources that can help you educate your group and build a team.

3. Step #3 — Be Alert

Be on the lookout for activities that could lead to hazing. Simply looking the other way will not solve the problem and could cause serious harm.

4. Step #4 — Take Action

If you do have members who are hazing, report it and discipline those members.

5. Step #5 — Develop Programs

Activities that promote scholarship, develop leadership, encourage community service, provide workshops on different issues, and involve campus life are all positive ways to bring your membership together.