Hazing Prevention FAQs

Hazing is:

1. Any action or situation which recklessly, intentionally, or knowingly endangers the mental, emotional, or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into, or affiliation with, any student organization or group regardless of the person's consent or willingness to participate.
2. Brutality of a physical nature including but not limited to paddling, whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, branding, placing of a harmful substance on someone's body, forced calisthenics, exposure to the elements or other similar activity.
3. Causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing consumption, including but not limited to any food, alcoholic beverage, liquid, drug, or any other substance that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm.
4. Causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing acts intended to cause mental stress, including but not limited to sleep deprivation, transportation or abandonment, confinement to a small space, forced exclusion from social contact, forced conduct which could result in embarrassment, any forced activity that is designed to shame or humiliate, or any action of harassment (as defined in the "Student Code of Conduct").
5. Any activity that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words or conduct.
6. Any activity against another person, including a criminal violation of local, state, or federal law.
7. Coerced activities, including but not limited to violation of local, state, or federal laws, violation of university policies, rules, or regulations, and personal servitude.
   • Personal servitude is defined as activities that are performed for the personal benefit of individual members and may include, but are not limited to driving, cooking, cleaning, serving meals, running errands, picking up laundry, and purchasing items on another's behalf.
8. Acts of sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct as defined by Ohio university policy 03.004, including without limitation causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts.

Yes, hazing is against Ohio law. You can review of copy of Ohio Senate Bill 126 here.

Students and student organizations found responsible for hazing are subject to the full range of sanctions set forth in the Student Code of Conduct, including suspension and expulsion from Ohio University.  Additionally, student organizations may lose recognition/registration or face permanent expulsion from Ohio University.

Hazing is not a problem exclusive to fraternities and sororities and takes place across all types of groups. There have been incidents of hazing at universities with varsity athletic teams, club sports, intramural teams, religious groups, honor societies, ROTC, student organizations, and marching bands.

Under Ohio law and Ohio University policy, an individual's consent to the conduct in question is not a defense to a charge of hazing. In hazing situations, such a “choice” is typically offset by the peer pressure and power dynamics that exist when individuals are seeking to gain membership into an organization.