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Hazing Policy

 Effective date:
 10-31-17
Revised Date: 
10-01-19
Southeastern Green Seal

 

Policy Statement

In compliance with Acts 635, 637, and 640 of the 2018 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature as well as Act 382 of the 2019 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, the 2019 Louisiana Board of Regents Uniform Policy on Hazing, and the University System Policy, Southeastern Louisiana University (“the University”) reaffirms in this Policy its mandate that any form of Hazing of any student is prohibited. 

 

Purpose of Policy

The University including the Division for Student Affairs does not tolerate hazing, including the physical, mental or psychological abuse of any individual or individuals. All allegations of hazing will be fully investigated by the appropriate authorities. Any organization, and/or individuals within an organization, found responsible of hazing may face disciplinary action up to and/or including expulsion from the University and criminal charges.

 

Applicability

This policy applies to all Southeastern students, student organizations, potential student organizations, student organization advisors, alumni, volunteers, and faculty and staff, associated with student organizations.

1. Prevention and Education Programs

  1. Each new student shall be provided educational information on the dangers of and prohibition on Hazing during the new student orientation process in the form of a handbook.
  2. In addition, beginning the fall semester of 2019, each new student shall be provided education information on the dangers of and prohibition on Hazing during the new student orientation process either in person or electronically.
  3. If the student receiving this information is a minor, that information shall also be provided to the student’s parents or legal guardians.
  4. The Hazing prevention education required in this policy shall include the information about criminal penalties for the crime of criminal hazing. University shall also provide information to Organizations on their obligations under the law, including the duty to investigate and report, and on the possible loss of funding and other penalties applicable to Organizations under the Hazing laws.

2. Organization Requirements to Operate at University

Each organization (as defined below in this policy and R.S. 17:1801.1), as a condition of operating at the University, is required to:

  1. Adopt the Hazing Policy and shall include the possible University sanctions against the Organization in the event of a reported or confirmed hazing incident and have a policy that prohibits hazing.
  2. Provide annually at least one hour of hazing prevention education that includes education relative to the applicable hazing policies to all members, prospective members, and anyone who is employed by or volunteers with the organization. The education may be provided in person, electronically, or both.
  3. Report annually to the university the students, employees, and volunteers who have received the education with an attestation from each that they received the education.

3. Duty to Seek Assistance

  1. In accordance with the Hazing laws, any person at the scene of an emergency who knows that another person has suffered serious bodily injury shall, to the extent that the person can do so without danger or peril to self or others, give reasonable assistance to the injured person. Reasonable assistance includes immediately seeking or reporting the need for medical assistance from an appropriate authorit
    1. An appropriate authority includes:
      1. Any state or local law enforcement agency
      2. A 911 Public Safety Answering Point
      3. Emergency Medical Personnel
      4. Dean of Students
      5. Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability
  2. Any person who violates the provisions of this Section shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars, imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than one year, or b If the serious bodily injury results in the death of the person, any person who violates the provisions of this Section shall be fined not more than two thousand dollars, imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than five years, or both.
  3. It is important to note that consent is not a defense. It is not a defense against prosecution of an offense that the person against whom the hazing was directed consented to the Hazing Activity.

 

Louisiana Laws on Hazing 

RS 17:1801 Amended: Hazing Prohibited 

Hazing in any form, or the use of any method of initiation into organizations in any education institution supported
wholly or in part by public funds, which is likely to cause bodily danger or physical punishment to any student or other person attending any such institution is prohibited.  

Whoever violates the provisions of this Section shall be expelled, suspended, or dismissed from the education institution and not permitted to return for at least one semester, quarter, or comparable academic period. In addition, the person violating such provisions may also be subject to the provisions of R.S. 14:40.8.  

 

RS 14:40.8 Criminal Hazing 

It shall be unlawful for any person to commit an act of hazing. Any person who commits an act of hazing shall be fined up to one thousand dollars, imprisoned for up to six months, or both.

If the hazing results in the serious bodily injury or death of the victim, or the hazing involves forced or coerced alcohol consumption that results in the victim having a blood alcohol concentration of at least .30 percent by weight based on grams of alcohol per one hundred cubic centimeters of blood, any person who commits an act of hazing shall be fined up to ten thousand dollars and imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for up to five years.  

If any person serving as a representative or officer of an organization, including any representative, director, trustee, or officer of any national or parent organization, is a sanctioned or recognized member at the time of the hazing, knew and failed to report, as soon as practicable under circumstances to law enforcement, that one or more of the organization’s members were hazing another person, the organization may be subject to the following:

  1. Payment of a fine up to ten thousand dollars.
  2. Forfeiture of any public funds received by the organization.
  3. Forfeiture of all rights and privileges of being an organization that is organized and operating at the education Institution for a specific period of time as determined by the court.  

If the hazing results in the serious bodily injury or death of the victim, or results in the victim having a blood alcohol concentration of at least .30 percent by weight based on grams of alcohol per one hundred cubic centimeters of blood,  the period of time shall be for not less than four years.  

 

Definitions

1. Louisiana Law defines Hazing as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act by a person acting alone or acting with others that is directed against another when both of the following apply:

  1. The person knew or should have known that such an act endangers the physical health or safety of the other person or causes severe emotional distress.
  2. The act was associated with pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, participating in, holding office in or maintaining membership in any organization.

Hazing includes but is not limited to any of the following acts associated with pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with participating in, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization:

  1. Physical brutality, such as whipping, beating, paddling, striking, branding, electric shocking, placing of a harmful substance on the body, or similar activity.
  2. Physical activity such as sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, or calisthenics, that subjects the other person to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects the physical health or safety of the individual or causes severe emotional distress. 
  3. Activity involving consumption of food, liquid, or any other substance including, but not limited to, an alcoholic beverage or drug, that subjects the individual to an unreasonable risk of harm that adversely affects the physical health or safety of the individual or causes severe emotional distress.
  4. Activity that induces, causes, or requires an individual to perform a duty or task that involves the commission of a crime or an act of hazing.
  5. Activities or events that facilitate rapid drinking, drinking games, intoxication or impairment, and forced consumption of both palatable food and, or any other substance.
  6. Any action taken or situation created that may cause pain, injury, excessive physical stress or fatigue including, but not limited to the following: paddling, slapping, tackling, pushing, and exercise that is not part of a reasonable all-organization athletic event.
  7. ctivities that involve the use of rope, string, elastic, or any device or material utilized to restrain or confine an individual.
  8. Activities involving lineups, interrogation, or verbal abuse.
  9. Theft of prperty.
  10. Transportation against an individual’s will such as kidnapping and/or abandonment at distant location.
  11. Illegal activities such as requirement to steal items as part of a scavenger hunts.
  12. Activities or expectations that are so time consuming as to significantly interfere with class work, study time, and sleep.
  13. Requirements that financially take advantage of individuals within the group (Requiring an individual to purchase items as punishment).
  14. The use of obscenities and vulgarities in dress, language or action.
  15. Sexual degrading activities, including stripping, simulation of sexual acts or sexually explicit cheers, chants, and songs.
  16. Conducting any form of personal servitude including, but not limited to driving individuals to class, cleaning another individual's room, serving meals to another individual, washing another individual's car; etc.
  17. Activities that cause psychological stress including, but not limited to, any deception designed to convince a student that he/she will not be initiated, will be removed, or will be injured during any activity.
  18. Dressing alike in specific costumes or clothing (this does not apply to dress attire required for business or ritual meetings).
  19. Activities that cause psychological stress, including but not limited to, any deception designed to convince a student that they will not be made a member of the organization or group, will be removed, or will be injured during the activity.
  20. Forcing or requiring the violation of University Policy, Federal, State or local law including, but not limited to, burglary, defacement, trespassing, animal cruelty, academic dishonesty, and providing false or misleading information.

 

Reporting Hazing Activities and Sanctions

1. University

  1. When the University receives a report alleging the commission of an act or acts of Hazing by one or more members of an Organization, the University shall:
    1. Report, as soon as practicable under circumstances, the alleged act or acts to the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction in the place where the alleged act or acts of Hazing occurred and the University Police Department. The information reported to law enforcement shall include all details received by the University relative to the alleged incident, without any information being redacted, including the name of all individuals alleged to have committed the act or acts of hazing; and
    2. Document in writing all actions taken with regard to the report, including but not limited to the date the report was received, reports made to law enforcement as provided in R.S. 14:40.8, and any information relative to the University’s investigation, processing, and resolution of the incident.
    3. A standardized form that the University shall use to document such reports made to law enforcement as provided by La. R.S. 14:40.8 and the manner in which each hazing incident is handled and resolved at the University level is attached to this policy as Appendix A.
  2. If the University fails to comply with the provisions of the Hazing Laws it may be subject to the penalties outlined in La. R.S. 14:40.8, including payment of a fine up to ten thousand dollars.

2. Authority of University Police Officers

  1. The right of university or college police officers to carry a concealed weapon and to exercise the power of arrest when discharging their duties shall extend to alleged acts of hazing committed by members of an organization that is organized and operating at the university or college for which the police officer is commissioned regardless of the location where the alleged act occurs. Any person arrested by a college or university police officer, in the exercise of the power granted through R.S. 14:40.8, shall be immediately transferred by such officer to the custody of the sheriff or city police wherein the arrest occurs.

3. Organizations and Affiliates

  1. If an organization takes disciplinary action against one of its members for Hazing or has reason to believe that any member of the organization has participated in an incident of hazing, the organization shall report the incident as soon as practicable to law enforcement and to the Dean of Students without any information being redacted, including the name of all individuals alleged to have committed the act or acts of hazing
  2. If an organization or any of its members has been disciplined by a parent organization for hazing, the organization shall report the hazing for which the organization was disciplined as soon as practicable to law enforcement the Dean of Students without any information being redacted, including the name of all individuals alleged to have committed the act or acts of hazing
  3. If any person serving as a representative or officer of an organization (including but not limited to, any representative, director, trustee, or officer of any national or parent organization) knew and failed to report, as soon as practicable under the circumstances, to law enforcement that one of the organizations members were hazing another person, the organization may be subject to penalties under R.S. 14:40.8
  4. A standardized form that Organizations shall use in making the reports required is attached to this Policy as Appendix B.

4. Students

  1. Any student who violates the provisions of the Hazing laws and or this policy shall be expelled, suspended, or dismissed from the University; will not be permitted to return for at least one semester, and may be subject to criminal charges
  2. Any student who fails to seek assistance as defined by the Hazing Laws and this policy shall be subject to the penalties outlined in La. RS. 14:40.8

 

How a student should report

Southeastern cares about the safety and wellbeing of its students. If you are being hazed or know someone in your student group or organization who is hazing or being hazed, we want you to be aware of your options in seeking
assistance and reporting to the following designees.

If you are being hazed or know someone in your student group or organization who is hazing or being hazed, come forward and report to any of the following office/designees:  

  1. University Police Department:
  1. Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability
  2. Office for Student Engagement
  3. University Housing
  4. Athletic Department
  1. University of Louisiana System

Many organizations and groups also have internal procedures for reporting hazing anonymously. Please see your advisors and/or coaches for information specific to your organization or group. 

Additionally, any faculty member or staff member that becomes aware of possible hazing of Southeastern Louisiana University students must immediately report the matter to one of the offices listed above.  

 

Enforcement of Hazing Policy 

Any violation of the hazing policy shall be deemed a violation of the University’s Student Code of Conduct and applicable laws. Thus, all allegations of hazing will be investigated by local law enforcement, the University Police Department, and the Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability. Individuals or groups found responsible for violating the Hazing Policy may face disciplinary action including expulsion from the University. The Chief Conduct Officer and the Assistant Director of Advocacy and Accountability may impose interim sanctions immediately upon notice of charge of violation of the Hazing Policy.  

The University will not tolerate retaliation by any individual or group (whether that person was directly involved in the original incident) against any faculty, staff or student who reports, participates in an investigation of, or is Complainant or witness in a disciplinary proceeding involving the allegation of hazing. Claims of retaliation will be investigated as a breach of the University’s Hazing policy and may result in University sanctions. 

 

Policy Amended: 10/1/2019 
Review Process: Executive Staff Review    

 

For access to attachments, please click on the pdf link for this document.