Hazing Prevention and Reporting

Hazing of any kind is illegal and strictly prohibited at Miami University. Miami seeks to promote a safe environment where students may participate in activities and organizations without compromising their health, safety, or welfare.

What is Hazing?

Under Collin’s Law and University policy, hazing is defined as doing, requiring, encouraging or coercing another, including the victim, to do:

• any act of initiation into any student organization or other University sanctioned organization or athletic team; or
• any act to continue or reinstate membership in or affiliation with any student organization or other University sanctioned organization or athletic team

that causes or creates a substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm to any person, including coercing another to consume alcohol or another drug.

Failure to intervene, prevent or report any act of hazing may also constitute a violation.

University Policy and Ohio Law

• Miami's Anti-Hazing Policy is embedded in the Code of Student Conduct
  • Code of Student Conduct (See Prohibited Conduct--Hazing)
  • Appendix B. Hazing
• Hazing Criminal Liability
  • Hazing (ORC 2903.31)
  • Reckless failure to immediately report knowledge of hazing (ORC 2903.311)
• Hazing Civil Liability (ORC 2307.44)

Report Hazing

Hazing is not tolerated at Miami University. Not within our sororities and fraternities, our athletic teams, sports clubs, registered student organizations, the band or anywhere else.

For hazing to stop, it must be reported. All reported incidents of hazing will be investigated, and all individuals involved in hazing activities are subject to both criminal liability and/or university discipline.

Collin’s Law requires all University administrators, staff, faculty members, consultants, alumni and volunteers to report any knowledge of hazing to a law enforcement agency in which the victim of hazing resides or in which the hazing is occurring or has occurred. Failure to report is a criminal offense.

If you have knowledge of hazing, you should also report it to the Office of Community Standards. The Office of Community Standards, upon receipt of the report, will notify the appropriate law enforcement agency to comply with the law.

For more information on this reporting requirement, see the University's policy on Reporting and Addressing Illegal Activity and Misconduct. 

Students who have witnessed or have knowledge of a possible hazing incident, should also report the incident immediately to the Office of Community Standards, Miami University Police, and/or local law enforcement. If emergency assistance is required, call 911. Miami University Police: 513-529-2222

Office of Community Standards

• Report an Incident
• 513-529-1417
• CommunityStandards@MiamiOh.edu

EthicsPoint provides a confidential and anonymous method for reporting illegal or unethical conduct that violates Miami's policies at Confidential Reporting.

National Hazing Hotline

Monitored by a Cincinnati law firm, callers may remain anonymous when using this system. Reports of suspected hazing are relayed to the national fraternity or sorority that may be involved. Call 1-888-NOT-HAZE (1-888-668-4293).

Hazing can be physically and emotionally harmful. There are available resources if you need support or medical attention as the result of hazing activities.

Educational Programming

Collin’s Law states that each institution shall provide students, as well as all staff and volunteers that advise or coach an organization and have direct contact with students, with an educational program on hazing awareness, prevention, intervention, and the institution's policy.

Click here to complete this education program provided through United Educators' EduRisk Learning Portal.

Please email FSLL@MiamiOH.edu for questions regarding Miami University's Hazing Policy, the State Law, or Educational Programming. 

National Resources

HazingPrevention.org

This national organization is dedicated to hazing prevention in college and university student groups. Visit their website for hazing facts, special programming information, and to stay informed by signing up for their free e-newsletter.

StopHazing.org

This website was created to help educate thousands of students, parents, and educators on the topic of hazing. Recommended reading materials as well as suggested avenues for personal involvement are just a few of the resources that can be found here.