Hazing

Report Hazing

Have you experienced hazing or a concerning incident as a member of a Greek Chapter, Team, or Student Organization?

Fill out this form to report the incident to the Office of Student Life.

Your responses are confidential and will be viewed by the Associate Dean of Students and Assistant Directors of Fraternity/Sorority Life. Additional staff members and the students involved will not be notified without your permission.

Definition of Hazing

Hazing is defined as anything that does not contribute to positive member development.  It is involved when a chapter, team, student organization, or its members think not what they can do for the new members/associates, but what they can do to the new members/associates. Hazing subverts and corrupts the student experience and can occur any time chapter, team, or student organization members do not treat new members/associates with dignity.

Key words: intimidation, degradation, discomfort, inconvenience, humiliation, ridiculous tricks, physical abuse, mental or emotional abuse.

It is important to understand that participating in hazing in any form rather the hazer, the hazed or the member or new member/associate that allows hazing to continue without reporting it is in violation of the policies outlined below and could be held accountable both by the College and in a court of law.

Campus Policy & State Law

Hazing is not tolerated at Hanover College.  Any suspicion that hazing may be occurring should be reported immediately to Casey Heckler, Associate Dean of Students and Director of Greek Life. 

 

Hanover College Student Handbook, p. 118:

Hazing is not permitted on or off campus by any student organizations, its members or any individual.  Hazing is defined as any action taken or situation created, with or without the consent of the other person, that produces mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, ridicule or places that person at a substantial risk of bodily injury.  Additionally, any activity that sets an individual apart without constructive purposes shall be considered hazing.

 

Fraternity Insurance Protection Group (FIPG):

Hazing:  Any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on or off fraternity premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule.  Such activities may include but are not limited to the following: use of alcohol; paddling in any form; creation of excessive fatigue; physical and psychological shocks; quests; treasure hunts; scavenger hunts, road trips or any other such activities carried on outside or inside of the confines of the chapter house; wearing of public apparel which is conspicuous and not normally in good taste; engaging in public stunts and buffoonery; morally degrading or humiliating games and activities; and any other activities which are not consistent with fraternal law, ritual or policy or the regulations and policies of the educational institution.

 

Indiana State Law:

35-42-2-2 Criminal Recklessness

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.

A person who recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally performs:

  1. an act that creates a substantial risk of bodily injury to another person; or
  2. hazing;

commits criminal recklessness, a Class B misdemeanor.

 

Examples of Hazing

The following are some examples of hazing, as defined by college IFC/Panhellenic policy, state law and FIPG policy these activities or behaviors are prohibited and will be sanctioned by the College and the Greek Standards Board.  It is impossible to include a comprehensive list of all hazing activities, so this list is not intended to be all inclusive, but to provide you with several examples of explicit activities or behaviors:

  1. Conducting new member-related activity between the hours of midnight and seven a.m. or awakening individuals during these hours.
  2. Permitting less than six continuous hours of sleep for new/associate members each night.
  3. Calling new members/associates “pledge” or other demeaning names.
  4. Silence periods for new members/associates.
  5. Any form of demerits.
  6. Initiated members writing progress reports on new members/associates.
  7. Requiring new members/associates to call members Mr., Miss, etc.
  8. House or sober duty, if only assigned to new members/associates.
  9. Intimidating new members/associates with what may happen at initiation.
  10. Deprivation of privileges.
  11. Verbal abuse.
  12. Any form of questioning under pressure or in an uncomfortable position.
  13. Requiring new members/associates to wear ridiculous costumes or perform ridiculous activities.
  14. Requiring only new members/associates to enter by back door or go up back staircase.
  15. Stunt or skit nights/events with demeaning and/or crude skits and/or poems.
  16. Requiring new members/associates to perform personal service to initiated members such as carrying books, running errands, performing maid duties etc.
  17. Forcing, requiring or endorsing new/associate members to drink alcohol or any other substance and/or providing such alcohol or other substance.
  18. The unauthorized or illegal use of alcohol in any form or quantity during any new/associate member activity.
  19. The eating of spoiled foods, raw onions, goldfish, or anything an individual refuses to eat.
  20. Dropping food (eggs, grapes, liver etc.) into mouths.
  21. Calisthenics such as sit-up, push-up and runs.
  22. Chairings, “polings,” pledge walks or other similar “traditional” activities.
  23. Branding.
  24. Causing excessive fatigue through physical and psychological shocks.
  25. Paddle swats of any nature.
  26. Pushing, shoving, tackling or any other physical abuse.
  27. Unauthorized line-ups of any nature.
  28. Throwing anything (whipped cream, garbage, water, paint etc.) at an individual.
  29. Theft of any property under any circumstances.
  30. Assigning or endorsing “pranks” such as stealing composites, panty raids, false fire alarms or harassing another organization.
  31. Defacing trees, grounds or buildings.
  32. Engaging in unauthorized activity which involves compelling an individual or group to remain at a certain place or transporting anyone anywhere, within or outside of Hanover/Madison (road trips, kidnaps).
  33. Conducting unauthorized quests, string hunts, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, paddle hunts, big sister/brother or little sister/brother hunts.
  34. Conducting activities which do no allow adequate time for study during pre-initiation or initiation periods.
  35. Expecting participation in an activity that the initiated members will not do.
  36. Requiring new/associate members to “march” in formation.
  37. Carrying of such items such as coconuts, helmets, swords, burlap bags, eggs, shields, paddles, rocks, matches, cigarettes etc.
  38. Publicly wearing apparel which is conspicuous and not “normally” in good taste.
  39. Playing extremely loud music or music repeated over and over or any other audible harassment.
  40. Engaging in public stunts and buffoonery, public displays or greetings to initiated members by new/associate members.
  41. Requiring or encouraging new/associate members to act like animals or other objects.
  42. Nudity at any time.
  43. Members messing up the house or a room for the new/associate members to clean.
  44. New/associate members messing up the house.
  45. Forcing, requiring or endorsing new/associate members to violate any college or national/international policy or any local, state or federal law.

Signs of Hazing

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

Handouts

Ungrouped