Educational Block 1 | 10:20-11:20 a.m.

This program will focus on the requirements of the Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA), how those impact ongoing compliance with The Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (Clery Act), and how the new federal requirements complement current state anti-hazing law in Ohio. SCHA was signed into law in December 2024, with implementation of various elements of the law throughout calendar year 2025. The first implementation date was January 1, 2025, for beginning to record reports of Hazing for inclusion in the 2026 Annual Security Report. We will discuss the federal definition of Hazing under the Clery Act and how we may apply that to various reported scenarios. 

This session will cover proven investigations methods to assist in student organization investigations. This student-centered approach uses collaborative tactics to encourage participation and transparency from organizations and their members. 

Hazing risks exist across all types of student organizations -- not just fraternities, sororities, or athletic teams. Academic groups, cultural organizations, religious communities, and others may unknowingly engage in hazing practices. This session will explore Ohio State's implementation of hazing prevention efforts, including compliance training, collaborative programming, tailored workshops, and one-on-one organization coaching across a variety of campus spaces. We will share the lessons we have learned along the way, how we engaged staff across the university, and practical tips to implement hazing prevention through multi-office collaboration. Throughout the session, attendees will have space to reflect on their own campus structures and how different techniques or opportunities could be implemented on their campus, along with time for large group sharing. Join us as we expand the conversation around hazing preventon and explore scalable strategies for reducing risk in student communities. 

College student-athletes report the highest incidence of hazing of any college student population. Nearly half of college students were hazed in high school, frequently on their athletic teams, and some students report athletic hazing before age 13. This session will explore the unique challenges associated with hazing on athletic teams and the underlying factors that contribute to its persistence. You will learn the crucial role administrators, athletics departments, and coaches have in effectively preventing hazing in sports. By examining best practices and evidence-based strategies, you will leave equipped to address and mitigate hazing behaviors within your athletic programs, fostering safer and more inclusive team environments. 

Recent state and federal laws have provided campuses guidance on elements of hazing prevention training, but there remain gaps in relevant and evidence-based training. Addressing hazing on campuses will continue to require practitioners to remain informed on the behaviors and attitudes of individuals and the implications on programs and trainings. This session will explore national survey data on approximately 89,000 students and 11,000 faculty/staff during the 2024-2025 academic year. Prior to an online educational training course, participants provided responses that indicated prosocial attitudes about hazing. However, half of the students surveyed would not support a no-hazing policy at their school and many indicated a lack of confidence of their peers. Meanwhile, many faculty/staff indicated a lack of understanding about how to handle hazing incidents as well as confidence in their institution. Post course, these attitudes shifted significantly for both groups, but there is still room for improvement in specific areas.

The goal of this presentation is to provide suggestions for building prevention practice, fueled by research, in addressing student behavior change for safer student organizations and fraternity and sorority life. The Piazza Center gathered a group of frontlife staff engaged in prevention to ask what Senior Student Affairs Officer needed to be aware to navigate, support, and lead prevention practice. 

There's everything else, in terms of accountability, and then there's hazing. And some people reserve a front seat on the Uncertainty Struggle Bus when their experience and indirect evidence indicate that hazing is occurring. We'll review what "More likely than not" or "Preponderance of the Evidence" mean and at least thirty indirect indicators of hazing that can be used to meet the burden of proof.