Hazing & Hazing Prevention Policy

Northeast College of Health Sciences (“Northeast”) is dedicated to promoting a safe living and learning campus environment for its students, faculty, staff and visitors. As such, Northeast will not tolerate hazing activities by any students, groups, faculty, staff, athletic teams or student organizations. Northeast complies with the Federal Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA) and does not tolerate any acts of hazing. No campus student organization shall engage in hazing or hazing-type behavior, whether required as a condition for membership, expected as part of a group tradition, or carried out as a spontaneous action.

Reported allegations of violations of this policy will be investigated and managed under the Code of Conduct policies and procedures.  Violations of this policy may result in penalties including suspension or expulsion from the College or other appropriate disciplinary action from the College, as deemed appropriate. In the case where a group or organization authorizes such conduct, recission of permission for that organization to operate on campus property may occur. Hazing may also constitute a violation of state law and alleged offenders may face external prosecution, depending on the severity of the conduct.

Further, student organizations (clubs, intramural activities) are bound to comply with anti-hazing expectations outlined herein. All approved campus organizations shall include, as part of the respective group constitutions or by laws, prohibitions against hazing.

Hazing is defined, pursuant to the Stop Campus Hazing Act, as intentionally, knowingly, and/or recklessly committing an act (whether individually or in concert with other persons) against another person (or persons) regardless of the willingness of a party to participate in such an activity that”

  1. Is committed in the course of an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of members in, a student organization; and
  2. Causes of creates a risk, above reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in the institution of higher education or the organization, of physical or psychological injury including:
    • whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone’s body, or similar activity, including paddling, branding, pelting, or throwing objects.
    • causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, extreme calisthenics, or other similar activity, including kidnapping, abandonment, scavenger hunts, etc.
    • 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.
    • any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, or Federal law.
    • 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.

Student Organization is defined as an organization at Northeast (such as a club, society, association, intramurals, or student government) in which two or more of the members are students enrolled at Northeast, whether the organization is established or recognized by the institution.

Any individual who has directly experienced or witnessed any act(s) of hazing behavior, has the right to file an official report.  Reporting options include the following:

Northeast will engage and provide a myriad of anti-hazing prevention programming through, but not necessarily limited to, the following activities:

  • New Student Onboarding requirements
  • Annual Employee Training
  • Campus hosted programming
    • Campus Security Authority
    • Guest presenters
    • Programming resources from entities such the Clery Center
    • Residence Hall Safety Presentations
    • Themed and focused bulletin boards

The following types of programs and resources will be provided on an annual basis:

  • Bystander intervention presentations
  • Awareness through bulletin board themed topics
  • Brochures that outline the policy and reporting expectations

Northeast reports on acts of hazing as part of the Annual Safety Report which is published on or before every October 1.  Any incidents of hazing that are reported to the College’s campus security authorities which fall within the above-referenced definition pursuant to the Stop Campus Hazing Act will be reported in the College’s Annual Security Report (ASR) statistics in compliance with applicable federal law. 

Additionally, the College will publish on the website, no less than twice annually, a Campus Hazing Transparency Report, which will summarize findings concerning any student organization established or recognized by Northeast that is found to be in violation of the College’s prohibition against hazing.  The Hazing Transparency Report will not include any personally identifiable information that would reveal the identity of a person (or persons) or about any impacted student(s).  This report will, however, include the following data:

  • The name of the organization
  • Incident dates which include
    • The incident date
    • Investigation initiation date
    • Investigation date ending
    • Institution notice to the organization 
  • A general description of the violation that resulted in a finding or responsibility
  • Will include information relative to whether the incident involved the abuse or illegal use of alcohol or drugs
  • Investigatory findings
  • Sanctioning

Hazing is punishable under New York State Law as follows:

  • §120.16 Hazing in the First Degree
    • “A person is guilty of hazing in the first degree when, in the course of another person’s initiation into or affiliation with any organization, [they] intentionally or recklessly engage in conduct including, but not limited to, making physical contact with or requiring physical activity of such other person, which creates a substantial risk of physical injury to such other person or a third person and thereby causes injury.  Hazing in the first degree is a class A misdemeanor.”
  • §120.17 Hazing in the Second Degree
    • “A person is guilty of hazing in the second degree when, in the course of another person’s initiation or affiliation with any organization, [they] intentionally or recklessly engage in conduct including, but not limited to, making physical contact with or requiring physical activity of such other person, which creates a substantial risk of physical injury to such other person or a third person.  Hazing in the second degree is a violation.”

Any retaliation or threat to retaliate against any person who reports, is a witness to, is involved with, or cooperates with the investigation of hazing is strictly prohibited.

More Resources.

Community Reporting 
Code of Student Conduct 
Campus Safety & Security