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What is Hazing?

SUNY Oswego's Anti-Hazing Statement

Student groups, organizations, and athletic teams are an integral component of campus life. At all times, participants in University programs and activities are expected to act in accordance with the Code of Conduct and treat others with respect. Hazing can happen in any organization and is not limited to fraternities and sororities. In all forms, hazing is abusive, degrading, psychologically damaging, often life-threatening, and has no place within the SUNY Oswego community. The University takes every report of hazing seriously. We will investigate all complaints thoroughly and vigorously to ensure all students are treated with fairness and dignity. Those found responsible for committing, soliciting, encouraging, directing, aiding, or recklessly permitting hazing to occur will be subject to disciplinary action. Sanctions may range from educational outcomes to suspension or expulsion.

Hazing Policy

An individual student or group of students that intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes or creates an unreasonable risk of harm to another student as a requirement for initiation into, affiliation with, or continued membership of a recognized or unrecognized student organization, regardless of whether a student willingly participates. 

This may apply, but is not limited to Greek organizations, clubs, Student Government Associations, and athletic teams. 

Under New York State Penal Law, a person may be charged with hazing if, during another person's initiation into or affiliation with any organization, they intentionally or recklessly engage in conduct that creates a substantial risk of and/or causes physical injury to another person. A criminal charge of hazing may result in a violation or misdemeanor.

For purposes of the hazing policy, the following definition applies: 

  • Student Organization—An organization at an institution of higher education (such as a club, society, association, varsity or junior varsity athletic team, club sports team, fraternity, sorority, band, or student government) in which two or more of the members are students enrolled at the institution of higher education, whether or not the organization is established or recognized by the institution.
Prohibited Behaviors
  1. Any activity that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words or conduct;
  2. Whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone's body, or any activity which has a foreseeable potential for personal injury, imparts pain or causes mutilation or alteration to the body;
  3. Causing, coercing, or otherwise depriving individuals of sleep, edible meals, personal hygiene, or exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, lockdowns, overcrowding rooms, tests of endurance, extreme calisthenics, leaving a person in a location without means of identification, communication, or ability to return or other similar activity.
  4. Any activity for human degradation, public embarrassment or by its nature, has the potential to cause severe anxiety, distress or panic;
  5. Causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to consume food, liquid, alcohol, drugs, or other substances;
  6. Causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts;
  7. Any activity that disrupts or interferes with an individual's pursuit of academic endeavors;
  8. Any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, State, or Federal law; and
  9. Any activity that induces, causes, or requires another person to perform a duty or task that involves a criminal violation of local, New York State, or Federal law.

In the case of students participating in a student organization unrecognized by the campus that contains two or more members that are students enrolled at the campus, such individual students may be subject to a charge or charges of hazing on an individual basis.

Amnesty Policy

The University recognizes that students may be reluctant to report hazing activity due to a fear of potential consequences for their own conduct. Therefore, a student who acts in good faith to report activity that may fall within the definition of hazing and who cooperates fully as a witness in the investigation and student conduct process may not be subject to student conduct sanctions related to their own participation in hazing behavior, as determined by the University in its sole discretion.

What Hazing Looks Like

Hazing can happen to anyone, at any point in one’s membership experience. Students may not recognize the behavior as hazing, but it is often seen as a “tradition” or “bonding” experience.

Intimidation

  • Deception
  • Assignment of demerits
  • Silence periods with implied threats for violation
  • Social isolation of new members
  • Use of demeaning names
  • Expecting certain items to always be in one’s possession

Harassment

  • Verbal abuse
  • Threats or implied threats
  • Asking new members to wear embarrassing attire
  • Skit nights with degrading or humiliating acts
  • Sleep deprivation
  • Sexual simulations

Violence

  • Forced alcohol or drug consumption
  • Beating, paddling, or other forms of physical assault
  • Branding
  • Forced ingestion of vile substances
  • Water intoxication
  • Abduction/kidnapping
  • Sexual assault

Allan, 2005; Allan & Kerschner, 2020; [Adapted from Bringing in the Bystander®], The Spectrum of HazingTM

If this is an emergency or someone is in danger, call University Police at 315-312-5555. 
Organizational Misconduct Form

Office of Student Conduct

501 Culkin Hall

Oswego, NY 13126

Contact

315-312-3378, Fax: 315-312-2503

[email protected]

Hours

M-F, 8am-4:30pm

Summer Hours: M-F, 8am-4pm