Definitions
As part of The Ohio State University’s commitment to promoting a safe and healthy campus environment, members of the university community have the right to be free from all forms of hazing, which impede the realization of the university’s vision of being a 21st-century public, land grant, research, urban and community-engaged institution. The university has zero tolerance for hazing in any form and all members of the university community must conduct themselves in a manner that supports an environment free from hazing.
What is hazing?
The Ohio Revised Code, Section 2903.31 defines hazing as:
doing any act or coercing another, including the victim, to do any act of initiation into any student or other organization or any act to continue or reinstate membership in or affiliation with any student or other organization that causes or creates a substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm to any person, including coercing another to consume alcohol or a drug of abuse, as defined in section 3719.011 of the Revised Code.
The Code of Student Conduct further defines hazing:
Section 3335-23-04 (L) of the Code of Student Conduct prohibits hazing, which is defined as:
Doing, requiring or encouraging any act, whether or not the act is voluntarily agreed upon, in conjunction with initiation, continued membership, or participation in any group, that causes or creates a substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm or humiliation. Such acts may include, but are not limited to, use of alcohol, creation of excessive fatigue and paddling, punching or kicking in any form. Failure to intervene, prevent or report acts of hazing may constitute a violation of this section.
What kind of activities might be considered hazing?
- forced cleaning
- running errands/menial tasks
- forced interviews
- scavenger hunts
- mental and/or psychological abuse
- public or private displays of humiliation
- forced use of alcohol or drugs
- providing alcohol to minors
- use of alcohol or drugs during the new member education/intake process or other membership events
- line-ups
- forced eating or drinking of items
- being yelled at or cursed at by other members of the team or group
- sleep deprivation
- public nudity
- forced wearing of embarrassing clothing
- depriving you of regular hygiene practices (brushing teeth, bathing)
- making you steal or destroy property
- "drop-offs" or "dumps" in unfamiliar locations
- lockups or being confined to small spaces
- being duct-taped or some other physical restraints
- violence
- sexual assault
- beating
- kicking
- calisthenics
- creation of excessive fatigue
- any activity which seriously endangers the health or safety of another individual.
To help you identify whether something is hazing or not, ask yourself the following questions:
- Would active, current members of the group, refuse to take part in this activity with the new members and do the same activity?
- Does the activity risk emotional or physical harm/abuse?
- Would I object to this activity being photographed for the school newspaper or filmed by the local TV news crew?
- Would I feel comfortable participating in this activity if my parents, professor, coach or university official were watching?
- Would we get in trouble if the director of Student Conduct walked by?
- Am I being asked to keep these activities a secret?
- Am I doing anything illegal?
- Does participation violate my values or those of my organization?
- Is this activity causing emotional distress or stress of any kind to myself or others?
- If someone were injured, would I feel comfortable being investigated by the police or insurance carrier?
If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, the activity is probably hazing. (Adapted from stophazing.org and University of Florida)