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The definition of hazing is expansive. Federal law defines hazing as 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 that person’s willingness to participate that: (I) was committed in the course of an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, an organization and (II) causes or creates a risk, above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in the institution of higher education or the organization of physical or psychological injury.

Examples of hazing include, but are not limited to:

• Whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone’s body, or similar activity;
• Causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, extreme calisthenics, or other similar activity;
• Causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to consume food, liquid, alcohol, drugs or other substances;
• Causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts;
• Any activity that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words or conduct; and
• Any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, state, tribal, or federal law or induces, causes, or requires another person to perform a duty or task that involves a criminal violation of local, state, tribal or federal law.

An individual cannot consent to hazing. Even if an individual willingly participates in an act, the act may still constitute hazing under this policy.