Hazing Policy
Shippensburg University Antihazing Policy (SU Policy Number: 301-012.0)
ORIGINATING OFFICE: Chief Student Affairs Officer
PURPOSE: Shippensburg University ("SU") is committed to maintaining an educational environment that fosters the health, safety, and dignity of all those within the university community. The University has no tolerance for hazing.
SCOPE: This policy applies to individuals and organizations associated with the university. In addition, this policy applies to acts that are conducted on or off-campus if such acts constitute hazing under this policy. This policy does not apply, however, to reasonable athletic, law enforcement or military training, contests, competitions, or events.
OBJECTIVE: To provide clear guidance on what constitutes hazing and the consequences for engaging in hazing.
DEFINITIONS:
Hazing – Hazing is any action taken or situation created intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly that places an expectation on a person joining or maintaining status in an organization that is not consistent with requirements for membership, team rules, university regulations and policies, etc. Conduct that may be considered hazing is as follows:
- a) Actions that produce an emotional, psychological or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule;
- b) Can occur regardless of a person’s willingness to participate;
- c) Is prohibited by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and/or United States of America.
Hazing behaviors can include, but are not limited to:
Any brutality of a physical nature, such as whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the elements, forced consumption of any food, liquor, drug, or other substance, or any other forced physical activity that could adversely affect the physical health and safety of the individual; activities that cause extreme mental stress, such as sleep deprivation, forced exclusion from social contact, forced conduct that could result in extreme embarrassment, or any other forced activity that could adversely affect the mental health or dignity of the individual; or any willful destruction or removal of public or private property.
Any activities as described in this definition upon which the initiation or admission into, affiliation with, or continued membership in a student organization is directly or indirectly conditioned shall be presumed to be forced activity, the willingness of an individual to participate in such activity notwithstanding. Any student organization or Shippensburg University student that commits hazing is subject to disciplinary action through the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards.
Organization - Includes any of the following:
- A fraternity, sorority, association corporation, athletic team, club or intramural sports team, order, society, corps, club or service, social, or similar group, whose members are primarily minors, students, or alumni of the organization or University.
- A national or international organization with which a fraternity or sorority or other organization, as enumerated under paragraph (1), is affiliated.
ENFORCEMENT: Any individual or organization associated with the university, who is found responsible for committing hazing, will be held accountable under this policy, as well as the university's Code of Conduct. For information on the university's Code of Conduct, please refer to the website or contact the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards at 717-477-1164.
In addition, the University, organizations, and individuals may also be criminally charged under Pennsylvania law.
SANCTIONS:
Possible sanctions for an individual student may include:
- Probation, suspension, or expulsion from Shippensburg University;
- Imposition of fines;
- The withholding of diplomas or transcripts pending compliance and/or payment of fines.
Possible sanctions for an organization may include:
- Educational requirements;
- Loss of permission to operate on campus or other university property;
- Loss of privileges and/or activities within the campus community;
- Loss of recognition at Shippensburg University;
- Imposition of fines.
PROHIBITED DEFENSES: It is not a defense that the consent of the minor or individual was sought or obtained. It is also not a defense to hazing that the conduct was sanctioned or approved by the University or organization.
REPORTING HAZING ACTIVITY: All reports of hazing are taken very seriously. If you have been hazed, have witnessed hazing, or suspect that someone you know has been hazed, you can report such information confidentially via our website or by phone to University officials. If you wish to speak to someone directly, please contact the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards at 717-477-1164.
If the situation requires immediate attention and/or an individual's safety is at risk, please contact the University Police Department 717-477-1444, or 911 if off-campus. Always call 911 in an emergency. Please provide as much detail as possible when reporting.
AMNESTY PROVISION: In any situation where an individual is seeking help for someone experiencing a medical emergency, amnesty for hazing related charges will be granted within the student conduct process under this policy. In order to be eligible for amnesty, the following requirements must be established:
- The individual is reasonably believed to be the first person notifying 911, police, or emergency services;
- The individual provided their own name to the 911 operator, police, or emergency services;
- The individual remained with the person(s) needing assistance until first-responders arrived.
HAZING REPORT: Shippensburg University will maintain a publicly available report of all alleged hazing incidents for a period of five years, in accordance with Pennsylvania law. The SU Hazing Report can be found online here.
DATE: January 26, 2023
RECISSION
APPROVALS
Executive Management Team; 8/25/2020
FILENAME
301-001.0 Student Code of Conduct Policy
DATE
8/25/2020
DISTRIBUTION
Public