End Hazing

Bethel University is committed to providing and promoting a safe and healthy environment for its students, staff, faculty, and visitors and does not tolerate any form of hazing. All members of the campus community are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent with the mission of Bethel University, which fosters Christian ideals with respect and inclusion of all members of the community and is free from hazing.

The Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA), signed into law in December 2024, amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require colleges and universities like Bethel to establish hazing prevention and reporting policies, as well as compile statistics on reported hazing incidents in the annual security report. The Act also requires Bethel University to implement research-based prevention programs and ensure compliance with local, state, tribal, and federal laws, enhancing student safety and accountability.

In addition to the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, Bethel University also publishes a biannual Campus Hazing Transparency Report, which lists any organizations found responsible for hazing and details the violation, important dates, and sanctions issued.

What is Hazing?

Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a person (whether individually or in concert with other persons) against another person or persons regardless of the willingness of the other person or persons to participate in the act, and

1. is committed in the course of an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, a student organization; and

2. causes or creates a risk, above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in the institution of higher education or the organization (such as the physical preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team), of physical or psychological injury.

3. whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone’s body, or similar activity;

4. causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, extreme calisthenics, or other similar activity;

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 places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words or conduct;

8. any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, 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, State, Tribal, or Federal law.

Common Examples of Hazing

• Humiliation, roast nights, or wearing embarrassing clothing

• Being taken to and left at an unknown location

• Sleep deprivation and being woken up in the night

• Greeting others in a specific manner

• Expecting items to always be in one's possession, such as a football

• Threats, implied threats, verbal abuse, and assigning demerits

• Water intoxication or forced ingestion of substances

• Making prank calls or harassing others

• Branding

Preventing hazing is a campus-wide responsibility! You’ll find below some basic tips for students and all campus community members on how to be proactive and prevent hazing before it happens.

Speak Up

Say something! Make your voice heard.

Consider Asking Questions

If you suspect hazing has occurred or is occurring, ask questions.

• See fresh bruising or scratches? Ask what happened and why.

• Has a friend’s grades dropped unexpectedly? Ask them what’s going on and if they’re okay.

• Hearing derogatory nicknames? Ask why they’re being called by that name.

• Noticed a friend walk to class wearing a funny costume? Ask if they were forced to wear it.

• Has a friend recently been tattooed or branded with a logo? Ask if it was for a fraternity, sorority, or other club.

• See a classmate carrying a gym weight all day? Ask why they’re carrying it.

Bethel provides various programs that address hazing, as well as the related topics of drug and alcohol misuse and bystander intervention. Bethel’s programs have included various public awareness events, such as seminars, and other campus-wide education and prevention efforts, including in-person trainings and online educational modules. Several individual departments, offices, and student organizations also provide regular and ongoing programming on these important issues, e.g., incoming freshmen receive in-person training and fraternity and sorority life complete online educational modules. During these training sessions, students are educated on ethical leadership and trained on how to recognize and identify what is hazing, how to report it, as well as how to take action to stop it.

Training is provided by the Title IX and Prevention Services Office and the Student Engagement Office.

Bethel University is required to publish a Campus Hazing Transparency Report, separate from the Clery Act’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, to help enhance public awareness of hazing and encourage accountability. This report includes information about student organizations found responsible for hazing violations as well as the sanctions issued. The transparency report does not contain personally identifiable information for students in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Beginning July 1, 2025, Bethel University is required to collect statistics on hazing. The transparency report only contains information for recognized student organizations that were found responsible for hazing, and must be published on the institution’s website and updated twice a year, on June 1st and December 23rd, to reflect any new incidents.

The content of the transparency report includes:

1. The name of the student organization involved;

2. Description of the violation, including whether drugs or alcohol were involved;

3. Findings of the institution and any sanctions issued to the organization; and

4. Dates of when the alleged incident occurred, when the investigation started and concluded, and when the university notified the organization of its findings.

Sometimes organizations that haze new members are confused about how to change these practices. Other times, those who believe in the supposed “benefits” of hazing might resist the change. There are many creative ways to change from a hazing to a non-hazing organization and those who believe in the “benefits” of hazing may be more likely to change their opinion if they can envision and participate in some alternatives to hazing.

The following are some specific examples of ways to eliminate hazing while continuing to build group unity, as presented in the infographic above. These suggestions are developed with fraternal groups in mind but can be adapted for other types of organizations.