Hazing:
- Ohio law defines hazing as “doing any act or coercing another, including the victim, to do any act of initiation into any student or other organization or any act to continue or reinstate membership in or affiliation with any student or other organization that causes or creates a substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm to any person, including coercing another to consume alcohol or a drug of abuse, as defined in section 3719.011 of the Revised Code.”
- The University of Findlay further defines hazing as physically, mentally, or emotionally harming or threatening to harm any person; intentionally or recklessly causing harm to any person or reasonable apprehension of such harm; or creating a condition that endangers the health and safety of self or others, including through the facilitation of, or participation in, any mental, emotional or physical hazing activity.
- Examples of hazing under this Policy include, but are not limited to the following:
- Forced cleaning
- Running errands/menial tasks
- Mental and/or psychological abuse
- Public or private displays of humiliation
- Forced use of drugs or alcohol
- Providing alcohol to minors
- Use of alcohol or drugs during new member education/intake process or other membership events
- Line-ups
- Forced eating or drinking of items
- Sleep deprivation
- Public nudity
- Forced wearing of embarrassing clothing
- “drop-offs” or “dumps” in unfamiliar places
- Violence
- Sexual assault
- Beating
- Kicking
- Creation of excessive fatigue
- Any activity which seriously endangers the health or safety or another individual
Student: An individual enrolled at the institution from the time that person has signaled their intent to enroll at the University of Findlay, through commencement, including all breaks during the academic year.
Student Organization: An organization or group recognized by, or operating under the sanction of an institution, including national or international organizations with which a fraternity or sorority is affiliated.
- Student organizations include, but are not limited to:
- Athletic teams (i.e., varsity teams, junior varsity teams, intramural teams, club teams, equestrian teams, etc.)
- Groups affiliated with academic programs (i.e., band, ensembles, etc.)
- Military organizations
- Honor societies
- Performing arts groups
- Spirit groups (i.e., cheer, dance, drill, etc.)
Employee: An individual employed by the University of Findlay, including both full and part-time employees, administrators, faculty members, teachers, consultants, student employees, and graduate assistants.
Alumni: An individual who is a graduate or former student of the University of Findlay.
Volunteer: An individual who freely, with or without compensation, takes part in a task intended to benefit the University and/or a Student Organization, and does so in an official and professional capacity.
Coercion: Coercion is defined as using unreasonable pressure to persuade someone to do something, possibly by force or threat. In the event that another person makes it clear they do not want engage in a particular activity, that they want to stop a particular activity, or that they do not want to go past a certain point with respect to a particular activity, the act of using unreasonable pressure to persuade the person to engage in the activity, continue the activity, or go beyond a certain point, can be coercive.