Hazing Defined

What?

Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, activity, or method committed by a person (whether individually or in concert with other persons) against another person or persons, including current, former, or prospective students, regardless of the willingness of such other person or persons to participate, that is committed in the course of a preinitiation, an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, an official or unofficial student organization or other student group that

• 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, including personal degradation or disgrace, and/or
• the person knew or should have known was likely to cause serious bodily injury.

(Source: University of California Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations and Students (PACAOS 100 Section 102.12) and UC Abusive Conduct in the Workplace Policy.)

Where?

Hazing happens in many different places and settings. Incidents of hazing occur in many types of clubs, organizations and teams (Source: https://stophazing.org/issue/). Additionally, you can see a list of UC Davis groups that have undergone the Organizational Conduct process. 

More than half (55%) of college students involved in clubs, teams, and organizations experience hazing.

Examples of hazing?

Actions and activities which may constitute hazing include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Behavior that is emotionally or psychologically abusive, humiliating or demeaning.
2. Physical abuse, e.g., whipping, paddling, beating, tattooing, branding and exposure to the elements, or the threat of such behaviors.
3. Ingestion of alcohol, food, drugs or any undesirable substance.
4. Participation in sexual rituals or assaults.
5. Kidnaps, road trips, etc., which are conducted in a manner that endangers the health or safety of an individual.
6. Sleep deprivation, acts of servitude, isolation and expecting certain items to always be in one’s possession.

Why not haze?

• Individual Harm — simply put, hazing victimizes people. In whatever form it’s encountered—from obviously degrading to seemingly benign—hazing is abusive, potentially life-threatening and has long-term consequences. Like other forms of abuse, hazing fosters hurt and feelings of betrayal, NOT the sense of unity, camaraderie or tradition that groups who engage in hazing often use to justify the exercise of power and control over others.
• Group Harm — groups that add new members normally do so out of a desire to strengthen the group, grow membership and improve the overall experience of group members. Hazing may provide an increased perception of the value of membership because of the “cost” of joining, but it negatively impacts new members’ ability to contribute positively and undermines overall group cohesion.
• Penalties — hazing is against campus policy and California state law, and a range of penalties may be applied to both organizations and individuals who are found to have engaged in acts of hazing. Penalties may include loss of registration as a student organization and other disciplinary measures in accordance with UC policy and state and federal law.

Hazing: Policies and Laws

The University of California, in accordance with applicable federal and state laws and university policy, prohibits hazing by any student, student organizations, staff, faculty or third parties, against any former, current or prospective student of the University. Each member of the University shares in the responsibility for maintaining this unique community so that the University’s mission of teaching, research, and public service can be achieved free from hazing.

The Stop Campus Hazing Act requires institutions of higher education to publish applicable local, State, Tribal and Federal Laws on hazing, available below. There are currently no Tribal laws regarding hazing in Yolo County, California.

UC Policies on Hazing

400, Campus Climate Interim Section 10, Hazing Prevention

"For definitions of hazing, see PACAOS 100 and the Abusive Conduct in the Workplace Policy. 

Student Organization--for the purposes of this policy: 

1. A Registered Student Organization (RSO), Campus Recreation student organization, or Student Government (when not in the course of employment) as defined in Section 270-05;
2. A team administered by Intercollegiate Athletics; or
3. Any other student group with two or more enrolled students that operates at or claims association with UC Davis, but is not officially established, administered, or recognized by the University."

See also: Full Interim Hazing Prevention policy.

UC Davis Policy on Student Conduct and Discipline 102.12

"Participation in hazing or any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, activity, or method committed by a person (whether individually or in concert with other persons) against another person or persons, including current, former, or prospective students, regardless of the willingness of such other person or persons to participate, that is committed in the course of a preinitiation, an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, an official or unofficial student organization or other student group that

i. 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, including personal degradation or disgrace, and/or

ii. the person knew or should have known was likely to cause serious bodily injury."

See also: UC Davis Policy on Student Conduct and Discipline on the Student Conduct and Integrity website.

UC Policy Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

"Participation in any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, activity, or method committed by a person (whether individually or in concert with other persons) against another person or persons, including current, former, or prospective students, regardless of the willingness of such other person or persons to participate, that is committed in the University of California – Abusive Conduct in the Workplace 3 of 14 course of a preinitiation, an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, an official or unofficial student organization or other student group that (I) 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, including personal degradation or disgrace, and/or (II) the person knew or should have known was likely to cause serious bodily injury."

See also: Full UCOP Abusive Conduct in the Workplace policy.

State and Federal Laws on Hazing

California State Anti-Hazing Law

PENAL CODE – PEN [240-248]

245.6.
(a) It shall be unlawful to engage in hazing, as defined in this section.

(b) “Hazing” means any method of initiation or preinitiation into a student organization or student body, whether or not the organization or body is officially recognized by an educational institution, which is likely to cause serious bodily injury to any former, current, or prospective student of any school, community college, college, university, or other educational institution in this state. The term “hazing” does not include customary athletic events or school-sanctioned events.

(c) A violation of this section that does not result in serious bodily injury is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100), nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or both.

(d) Any person who personally engages in hazing that results in death or serious bodily injury as defined in paragraph (4) of subdivision (f) of Section 243 of the Penal Code, is guilty of either a misdemeanor or a felony, and shall be punished by imprisonment in county jail not exceeding one year, or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.

(e) The person against whom the hazing is directed may commence a civil action for injury or damages. The action may be brought against any participants in the hazing, or any organization to which the student is seeking membership whose agents, directors, trustees, managers, or officers authorized, requested, commanded, participated in, or ratified the hazing.

(f) Prosecution under this section shall not prohibit prosecution under any other provision of law.

Federal Anti-Hazing Law

The Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA) (S.2901, H.R.5646), enacted on December 23, 2024, amends the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act to prioritize the prevention of and transparency about hazing incidents at colleges and universities. The federal anti-hazing law defines hazing as follows.

The term ‘hazing‘, for purposes of reporting statistics on hazing incidents…means 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 such other person or persons to participate, that:

• is committed in the course of an initiation into, an affiliation with or the maintenance of membership in, a student organization; and
• 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 including—
  • 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;
  • any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal or Federal law; and
  • 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.

A student organization is defined as an organization at an institution of higher education (such as a club, society, association, varsity or junior varsity athletic team, club sports team, fraternity, sorority, band or student government) in which two or more of the members are students enrolled at the institution of higher education, whether or not the organization is established or recognized by the institution.