Hazing Policy | Welcome to MyHanover

Fraternity/Sorority Life

What Is Hazing?

Hanover College prohibits hazing and any other activities that violate College policy, federal, state, or local law.

Hazing Definitions:

Hazing is defined as an act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or that destroys or removes public or private property, for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a group or organization. Participation or cooperation by the person(s) being hazed does not excuse the violation. Failing to intervene to prevent (and/or) failing to discourage (and/or) failing to report those acts may also violate this policy.

Policy:
Hazing is not permitted on or off campus by any student organization, team, its members, or any individual.

IFC and Panhellenic Council forbid hazing in member organizations. Each governing council has the authority to sanction any chapter found in violation of their policies .

Likewise, all of Hanover College chapter's Inter/National Headquarters strictly forbid hazing as part of new member education programs or chapter activities. Any allegation of hazing is grounds for investigation and disciplinary action from the chapter's Inter/National Council and Hanover College.

Hanover College policy is in compliance with the Stop Campus Hazing Act of 2024 and

IN Code § 35-42-2-2.5 (2024)

Sec. 2.5.

(a) As used in this section, "hazing" means forcing or requiring another person:

(1) with or without the consent of the other person; and

(2) as a condition of association with a group or organization; to perform an act that creates a substantial risk of bodily injury.

(b) A person who knowingly or intentionally performs hazing commits a Class B misdemeanor. However, the offense is a Level 6 felony if it results in serious bodily injury to another person, and a Level 5 felony if it is committed by means of a deadly weapon.

(c) A person, other than a person who has committed an offense under this section or a delinquent act that would be an offense under this section if the violator were an adult, who:

(1) makes a report of hazing in good faith;

(2) participates in good faith in a judicial proceeding resulting from a report of hazing;

(3) employs a reporting or participating person described in subdivision (1) or (2); or

(4) supervises a reporting or participating person described in subdivision (1) or (2);is not liable for civil damages or criminal penalties that might otherwise be imposed because of the report or participation.

(d) A person described in subsection (c)(1) or (c)(2) is presumed to act in good faith.

(e) A person described in subsection (c)(1) or (c)(2) may not be treated as acting in bad faith solely because the person did not have probable cause to believe that a person committed:

(1) an offense under this section; or

(2) a delinquent act that would be an offense under this section if the offender were an adult.

Anti-Hazing Education

https://3rdmil.com

3rd Millennium Classrooms

Hanover College has partnered with 3rd Millennium Classrooms which provides evidence-based online prevention and intervention courses were developed with industry leaders and subject matter experts to create engaging experiences.

Hazing Warning Signs

Warning Signs of Hazing:

Members of the chapter are evasive or elusive when asked about new member program activities
Being asked to not enter a chapter building for extended periods of time
Hesitation on the part of new members when asked about how they are enjoying their new member program
New members looking like they have not slept, showered, changed clothes, or eaten
New members avoiding you
New members traveling back and forth from the chapter house at odd hours, early morning, late evening
New members being the only one to answer the phones or get the door or being ordered or commanded to do something by a member in a domineering fashion
New members segregated from the group continuously
Rumors of hazing
Behavior on the part of members that seems unusual
Chapter house is totally clean or spotless (if this is not normal) or a complete mess (if this is not normal)
Over excess of rituals
Silence
A new member educator who seems to justify everything they do
Strange noises at odd hours
Suspicious activity occurring or a comment slips out when you are around a new member

Report Hazing

Any person who experiences or witnesses hazing should report hazing to Campus Safety (812-801-1533), Lindsay Faulstick, Vice President of Student Life, 812-866-7079, Casey Heckler, Associate Vice President of Student Life, 812-866-6740, Mark Shook, Vice President of Athletics, 812-866-7735 or file a report here: Hazing Report

All reports of hazing will be investigated by the Office of Student Life, Campus Safety, and/or designee of the Vice President of Student Life. Students who have experienced hazing also have the right to file criminal charges through the legal system.

Hazing Investigative Process

Process & Procedures

The Vice President of Student Life will designate investigators to investigate any report of hazing on campus involving Hanover College students.

The Investigator will initiate investigative meetings with the reporting party and the alleged victim/s.

Line Up Witnesses - witnesses need to be individuals who may have been involved in the alleged hazing, members of the group in questions, or have direct knowledge of the incident. Investigators may select random members of the organization to question the conduct of the organization.
Witness Statements The investigator/s will create a summary of the witness statements and interviews. Having witness statements in the case file will help preserve the full scope of the incident. Witness statements and interviews may be kept anonymous and coded to protect the identity of the witness.
Executive Report-The Investigator/s will compile the information gathered through the investigation process to create an executive report. This report will detail the initial report, the investigation, the witness statement summary, and the investigative findings based on the evidence.
Sanctions- If a group is found responsible for hazing, the Vice President of Student Life and/or the Associate Vice President of Student Life will work with the host organization to determine appropriate sanctions for the Hazing. Sanctions can range from Written warnings to removal of the organization from campus for a predetermined length of time. Hazing that takes place with NCAA regulated sports teams will work through the Vice President of Athletics and the College President.

Individual students may also be found responsible for hazing through this process. Sanctions can range from written warnings, removal from the organization, and up to dismissal from the institution.

Appeals- Students or organizations may appeal the findings to the Vice President of Student Life within 10 calendar days of the findings. Appeals must be based on one of the following:

A procedural irregularity that affected the outcome.

- New evidence being discovered that was not reasonably available at the time of the determination or dismissal.
- A conflict of interest or bias for or against generally or the individual complainant or respondent that affected the outcome of the matter of the Investigator or investigator(s), or decision-maker(s).

The Vice President or designee will examine all evidence in order to determine if the appeal has merit. The Vice President or designee will make an unbiased objective conclusion as to the appeal’s merit and issue a written decision describing the result of the appeal and the rationale for the result; and will provide the written decision simultaneously to both parties.

Hazing Investigations & Outcomes

January 2025-July 2026

No reports of hazing were received