Hazing Policy

Approved November 4, 2019

I. Introduction

The purposes of this policy are to maintain a welcoming and inclusive campus environment that includes protection of the health, safety, and welfare of the campus community; and to comply with applicable laws, including Oregon state law prohibiting hazing at colleges and universities. The policy applies to all student organizations and their individual members.

II. Definitions

II.a. “Haze” means:

II.a.i. To subject an individual to whipping, beating, striking, branding, or electronic shocking, to place a harmful substance on an individual’s body, or to subject an individual to other similar forms of physical brutality;

II.a.ii. To subject an individual to sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, or other similar activity that subjects the individual to an unreasonable risk of harm or adversely affects the physical health or safety of the individual;

II.a.iii. To compel an individual to consume food, liquid, alcohol, cannabis, controlled substances, or other substances that subject the individual to an unreasonable risk of harm or adversely affect the physical health or safety of the individual; or

II.a.iv. To induce, cause, or require an individual to perform a duty or task that involves the commission of a crime or an act of hazing.

Conduct that subjects another person to humiliation, degradation, intimidation, harassment, or endangerment of mental health as a condition of association with a group, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate, may not be violations of this policy but may be violations of other college policies and/or the honor principle.

II.b. A student organization or a member of a student organization commits the offense of hazing if, as a condition or precondition of attaining membership in the organization or of attaining any office or status in the organization, the organization or member intentionally hazes any member, potential member, or person pledged to be a member of the organization.

II.c. “Student organization” means an athletic team, club, academic group, or other organization that is organized or operating for the purpose of providing members an opportunity to participate in student activities of the college.

II.d. “Member” includes students, volunteers, coaches, faculty advisers, and staff advisers of a student organization.

III. Policy

Hazing is prohibited by this policy. Retaliation against anyone making a report of hazing is prohibited by this policy.

IV. Annual Training and Notification

IV.a. Each academic year, Reed will offer on-campus policy training for students. The training will set forth the harmful effects of hazing and the relevant laws and institutional policies that prohibit hazing.

IV.b. By December 31 of each calendar year, the director of community safety shall submit a report to the Oregon Legislative Assembly, in the manner prescribed by ORS 192.245, that sets forth:

IV.b.i. The number of hazing incidents reported to the institution during the previous academic year; and

IV.b.ii. The number of hazing incidents investigated by the institution during the previous academic year.

V. Response to Reports

Anyone may report a possible incident of hazing to the director of community safety, who will evaluate and investigate as appropriate. Additionally, when the individual alleged to have engaged in hazing is a student, the report may be made to the vice president for student life; when a member of Reed’s staff, to the director of human resources; when a member of Reed’s faculty, to the dean of the faculty; or when a P.E. coach or instructor, to the director of athletics, fitness, and outdoor programming. Any of the parties named here will refer reports to the director of community safety for evaluation and investigation as appropriate. When a report is originally received by the director of community safety, they will notify the appropriate office as described above. The director of community safety will maintain a log of all reports and investigations.

If an incident may be a violation of the college’s Honor Principle, Discriminatory Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy, or Alcohol and Other Drug Policy, it may be referred for investigation and further action as described by those policies.

Medical amnesty, as described in Section XIII of the Alcohol and Other Drug Policy, may be applied if relevant.

During the investigation of a report, non-disciplinary steps may be taken to protect individuals and prevent further hazing. Additionally, the appropriate office of the college may take actions designed to remedy or to prevent hazing that are non-disciplinary in nature.

Investigations will not in themselves result in disciplinary action. Regardless of the outcome of the investigation, anyone may submit a formal complaint for consideration by the appropriate disciplinary body. The vice president for student life, director of human resources, director of athletics, fitness, and outdoor programming, or dean of the faculty may submit a formal complaint on behalf of the college to the appropriate disciplinary body.

Should the alleged hazing incident(s) result in a referral to one or more of the established Reed disciplinary processes, such processes will take place according to the relevant policies and procedures. If appropriate, the college may refer an incident of hazing to law enforcement, in addition to or instead of a college disciplinary process.