Stop Campus Hazing
Hazing Prevention and Education
As members of the University of Cincinnati (UC) community, we all share the responsibility of building and maintaining an environment that recognizes the worth and potential of every individual and communicates respect among all members. Our success depends on our ability to work together in an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.
At UC, it is critical that all students, faculty, staff, and volunteers understand that hazing is not only unacceptable and a violation of UC rules and policies but is also against the law.
University of Cincinnati’s Policy Against Hazing
UC's Anti-Hazing Policy reiterates the strict prohibition against hazing while aligning with Collin’s Law: The Ohio Anti-Hazing Policy. This anti-hazing policy applies to conduct that occurs on or off campus, between two or more people who are affiliated with the university or any student or other organization associated with the university.
The Anti-Hazing Policy policy states "'Hazing’ means 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."
Reporting
All UC employees (including part-time employees, student workers and graduate assistants) and volunteers acting in an official capacity who advise or coach student organizations and/or student groups are mandatory reporters and must report acts of hazing to law enforcement and UC.
Reports can be made to UC Public Safety at 51 West Corry Boulevard, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0215 or by calling 513-556-1111. For emergencies, call 911 immediately.
In conjunction with reporting acts of hazing to law enforcement, the individuals must also report hazing activities to:
The Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards at 745 Steger Student Life Center, call 513-556-6814, or submit a report.
Investigations Process
Any violation of this anti-hazing policy by a student or student organization shall be handled pursuant to the student code of conduct, rule 3361:40-05-5 of the Administrative Code, including determining if interim measures are needed to protect the safety and/or well-being of others. Any violation of this anti-hazing policy by faculty, staff, alumni, volunteers, as well as visitors and other licensees and invitees, shall be handled pursuant to applicable university policies, collective bargaining agreements, or other agreements.
Collin’s Law
Collin’s Law: The Ohio Anti-Hazing Act went into effect on October 7, 2021. Among other things, Collin’s Law:
- Requires institutions of higher education to adopt the definition of “hazing” as set forth in R.C. 2903.31 in their anti-hazing policy.
- Increases penalties for hazing, making it a second-degree misdemeanor and a third-degree felony if the hazing includes coerced consumption of alcohol or drugs of abuse resulting in serious physical harm to the other person.
- Sets forth mandatory reporting requirements for administrators, employees, faculty members teachers, consultants, alumnus, or volunteers of any organization, who are acting in an official and professional capacity. Failure to report may also result in criminal charges.
- Sets forth educational requirements for employees, volunteers, and students.
- Requires institutions of higher education to maintain and publish a report of violations of their anti-hazing policy.
Support for Victims of Hazing
If you are, or know others who are victims of hazing, please contact Counseling & Psychological Services for support. CAPS can connect you with other institutional and community resources.
What We’re Doing
UC has provided hazing prevention and education for many years. Recently, a Hazing Prevention Taskforce has been formed to:
- Facilitate an annual review of hazing prevention strategies and incidents to identify gaps and needs
- Review recommendations regarding professional development opportunities centered on hazing for campus stakeholders
- Support and amplify social media and marketing efforts
Members of the Taskforce include staff from the following units: Academic Advising, Athletics, Bearcat Bands, Counseling & Psychological Services, Dean of Students Office, First-Year Experience, Fraternity & Sorority Life, Gender, Equity, & Inclusion, Parent & Family Programs, Resident Education & Development, ROTC, Center for Student Involvement, Student Conduct & Community Standards, Student Wellness Center, UCPD, students, and volunteers. For questions about the taskforce, please contact Dr. Kate Butler, Director of Fraternity & Sorority LIfe.
UC's Bearcats Got Your Back campaign encourages students to work together to create a supportive, respectful campus community where all Bearcats can thrive and succeed. The campaign provides prevention education around alcohol and other drugs, gender-based violence, hazing, and mental health.
Online Training
In support of UC’s commitment to maintain a positive academic environment that is free of any form of hazing and to provide our community with the knowledge and skills needed to fulfill these responsibilities, all faculty, staff, and volunteers that advise or coach a UC known organizations, and have direct contact with students, are required to complete an online training program.
UC will provide all students with a research-informed, educational program on hazing via VectorSolutions. It is important to note that students cannot participate in student organizations or university groups (athletics, marching band/performing arts, ROTC, etc.), until the student completes the hazing training program.
If you have questions about this training, please contact prevention.training@uc.edu.
Additional Prevention Strategies
UC works with students and organizations to prevent hazing through:
- Bearcats Got Your Back Campaign
- Bystander Intervention Training
- Education for fraternity and sorority officers
- Review of fraternity and sorority new member plans
Past Organization Hazing Violations and Reports
Student organizations must honor community standards identified in the Bearcat Bond and reflected in the Student Code of Conduct.
UC publicly identifies organizations that, as a result of violations of the Student Code of Conduct, are currently on disciplinary status with UC.
Please note that organizations with pending conduct matters will not be publicly identified until their organization's case is resolved. For a list of organizations with past violations of the Student Code of Conduct, see Organizational Misconduct History & Transparency Report.
Additional resources
Hazing FAQs
Actions and activities which constitute “hazing” include, but shall not be limited to, the following:
- Any activity that creates a substantial risk of physical or mental harm to the individual.
- Enduring brutality of a sexual or physical nature, including, whipping, paddling, beating, branding, calisthenics, or exposure to the elements.
- Wearing anything designed to be degrading or to cause discomfort.
- Depriving individuals of sleep or proper and adequate means, or access to means, of maintaining body cleanliness.
- Activities that interfere with an individual’s academic efforts by causing exhaustion, or loss of reasonable study time.
- Use of drugs.
- Eating or drinking foreign or unusual substances, including alcohol or anything an individual chooses not to eat or drink.
- Having any object or substance thrown at, poured on, attached to or otherwise applied to the bodies of individuals.
- Any activity or game that makes an individual the object of amusement, ridicule, or intimidation or which cause the individual to be degraded or humiliated.
- Kidnapping, transporting and/or stranding anyone.
- Interrogations or audible stress such as yelling or loud noises.
- Activities that violate federal, state, or local law, regardless of whether an arrest is made, or criminal charges are brought.
- Activities which are contrary to the policies and rules of the university.
Yes, hazing is against Ohio law. You can review of copy of the Ohio Anti-Hazing Act (aka Collin's Law) here.
UC's primary concern is the health, safety, and welfare of its members. To maintain a safe and scholarly community, UC encourages students to report code of conduct violations and crimes involving a victim, including sexual misconduct.
To encourage reporting hazing, UC has the discretion not to pursue certain alleged, non-violent Student Code of Conduct violations such as use of alcoholic beverages or drugs related to the incident. Amnesty may be applied to parties, bystanders, witnesses, students, or student organizations who participate in the conduct process, or students who seek assistance for themselves or other students experiencing an alcohol and/or other drug- related emergency. Amnesty will be determined on a case-by-case basis, in an equitable manner so as not to interfere with the rights of the parties, and at the discretion of the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards.
Students receiving amnesty may still be required to participate in an educational conference. Law enforcement and criminal charges are not applicable to Amnesty.
Students and student organizations found responsible for hazing are subject to the full range of sanctions set forth in the Student Code of Conduct, including suspension and permanent dismissal from UC. Additionally, the student organization may lose its recognition/registration or face permanent disassociation from UC.
Hazing is not a problem exclusive to fraternities and sororities and takes place across all types of groups. There have been incidents of hazing at universities with varsity athletic teams, club sports, intramural teams, religious groups, honor societies, ROTC, student organizations, and marching bands.
Under Ohio law and UC's Anti-Hazing Policy, an individual's consent to the conduct in question is not a defense to a charge of hazing. In hazing situations, such a “choice” is typically offset by the peer pressure and power dynamics that exist when individuals are seeking to gain membership into an organization.
There are many safe alternatives to hazing. Our campus partners at StopHazing.Org provide great suggestions, including a downloadable document with a list of activities.