Lafayette College Anti-Hazing Policy

Definitions

Hazing is intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly, for the purpose of initiating, admitting, or affiliating a Student¹ into or with an Organization, or for the purpose of maintaining, continuing, or enhancing a Student’s membership or status in an Organization, causing or creating a risk, above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in College or Organization activities², of physical or psychological injury. This includes, but is not limited to, any criminal act; any act which places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm; or any act causing, coercing, forcing, or otherwise inducing a Student to do any of the following: 

1. Violate federal, state, Tribal, or local law, or College policy. 
2. Consume any food, liquid, alcohol/alcoholic liquid, drugs or other substances, including, but not limited to, those which subjects the student to a risk of emotional or physical harm.
3. Endure brutality of a physical nature, including whipping, beating, striking, electric shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone’s body, sleep deprivation, confinement in a small space, branding, calisthenics, or exposure to the elements. 
4. Endure brutality of a mental nature, including activity adversely affecting the mental health or dignity of the individual, sleep deprivation, exclusion from social contact, or conduct that could result in extreme embarrassment.
5. Endure brutality of a sexual nature or perform sexual acts.
6. Endure any other activity that creates a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury to the student.

For the purposes of this Policy, It is not be a defense to a charge of any Prohibited Conduct that the consent of the Student was sought or obtained or that the conduct was sanctioned or approved by the Organization or the College. Prohibited Conduct may be committed individually or in concert with other persons.  

Aggravated Hazing is when a person commits an act of Hazing that results in serious bodily injury or death to the Student and (1) the person acted with reckless indifference to the health and safety of the Student, or (2) caused, coerced, or forced the consumption of alcohol/alcoholic liquid or drugs by the Student.

Organizational Hazing is when an Organization intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly promotes or facilitates an act of Hazing or Aggravated Hazing.

For the purposes of this Policy only, an Organization is a club, society, association, corporation, corps, order, varsity or junior varsity athletic team, club sports team, fraternity, sorority, band, student government, or other service, social, or similar group in which two (2) or more of the members are Lafayette Students, whether or not the Organization is established or recognized by the College. 

For purposes of this Policy only, a Student is an individual who attends, has applied to attend, or has been admitted to the College. 

Retaliation is taking or attempting to take materially adverse action by intimidating, threatening, coercing, harassing, or discriminating against any individual for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege secured by law or policy, or because the individual has made a report or complaint, testified, assisted, or participated or refused to participate in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this Policy and procedure. Retaliation is prohibited and may result in the imposition of disciplinary action.

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¹In this Policy, all references to Student victims in the definitions of Hazing, Aggravated Hazing, and Organizational Hazing (collectively, “Prohibited Conduct”) should be construed to include minors (individuals under the age of eighteen (18)) regardless of student status as potential victims. 

²This includes such activities as the physical preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team, or other reasonable and customary athletic, law enforcement, or military training, contests, competitions, or events.

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Students, staff, and faculty are encouraged to report incidents of Prohibited Conduct. Reports may be made or filed through any of the following options:

• File a complaint with, or give a verbal notice directly to, as applicable:
  • For complaints involving alleged Prohibited Conduct by Students:
    • The Dean of Students
    • The Director of Residence Life, or a Residence Life Office professional staff member
    • The Associate Director of Fraternity & Sorority Life 
    • The Director of Student Involvement, or a Student Involvement professional staff member
    • The Director of Institutional Equity/Title IX Coordinator 
  • For complaints involving alleged Prohibited Conduct by employees:
    • The Associate Vice President of Human Resources 
    • The Director of Institutional Equity/Title IX Coordinator 
• Submit an online report via OnePard, at http://onepard.lafayette.edu/. The online reporting tool is only monitored during regular business hours and should not be used in emergencies or situations where an immediate response is required. In such situations, call 911, or contact Public Safety at (610) 330-4444 (emergency), or (610) 330-5330 (non-emergency).
  • Anonymous reports are accepted. Anonymous reporting may limit the College’s ability to investigate, respond, and provide remedies, depending on what information is shared. Measures intended to protect the community or redress or mitigate harm may be enacted. It also may not be possible to provide supportive measures to impacted individuals who are the subject of anonymous reports.
• Use the toll-free Anonymous Tip Hotline (1-800-539-6085).
• Report to law enforcement. The Department of Public Safety and Easton Police Department are available 24 hours a day to receive reports. Call Public Safety at (610) 330-4444 (emergency), or (610) 330-5330 (non-emergency). Call the Easton Police Department at (610) 759-2200 (main number), or 911 (emergency).

A professional staff member may reach out to the reporter to gather additional information, if deemed necessary. Once the report is filed, the College will follow the process described below.

Individuals who are Campus Security Authorities (CSAs) are required to report Prohibited Conduct, and may not satisfy this obligation by reporting anonymously.  

Sometimes, individuals are hesitant to assist others for fear that they may get in trouble themselves. The College maintains a policy of amnesty for Students who offer help to others in need. Although policy violations cannot be overlooked, the College may provide purely educational options with no official disciplinary finding, rather than punitive sanctions, to those who offer their assistance to others in need. The College may offer amnesty to employees on a case-by-case basis.

If you, or someone else, are in immediate danger, or if there could be an ongoing threat to you, another individual, or the community, please call 911.

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For Students

Allegations of Prohibited Conduct under this Policy against Students are adjudicated through the Code of Conduct Process, as described in the Student Handbook:

1. Incident of alleged Prohibited Conduct occurs. 
2. Students, faculty, staff, or community members report the incident. 
3. The Office of Student Conduct works with Public Safety to investigate the allegations. 
   1. Public Safety will conduct the investigation. 
   2. If necessary, the dean of students, or designee, may initiate an investigation to collect more information before determining if allegations will be pursued by Public Safety. 
4. If appropriate, the responding Student, Organization, or both will be sent through the Code of Conduct process. 
   1. A Case Administrator or Student Conduct Board will determine responsibility. 
      1. The Student or Organization will be notified in writing of the meeting with the Case Administrator or Student Conduct Board.  
      2. During the process, the Student or Organization will be allowed to tell their side of the story, accept or deny responsibility, present evidence, ask questions, and make statements.
   2. A Case Administrator or Student Conduct Board will impose sanctions according to the Accountability Plan under the Code of Conduct Process within the Student Handbook. 
5. The Student or Organization will be notified of the outcome in a writing, which outlines the determination of responsibility, imposed sanctions, and interim measures, as explained in the Student Handbook in Section 4: Student Conduct Procedures and Section 6: Accountability Plans. 
6. The Student or Organization will receive information regarding appeal eligibility.

The professional staff member will follow up with the Student or Organization to offer continued support, provide further education, and reinforce expectations.

For Employees

Allegations of Prohibited Conduct under this Policy against employees of the College – including failure to report Prohibited Conduct where required – are adjudicated through the applicable sections of the Faculty and Staff Handbooks.  Employees who violate this Policy may be disciplined, up to and including termination, and the College may impose interim actions during the pendency of any investigation under this Policy in a manner consistent with the Faculty and Staff Handbooks and/or College policy.

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If you or a friend have been directly affected by hazing, confidential support is available from the Counseling Center and the College Chaplain.

• Counseling Center:  610-330-5005
• College Chaplain:  610-330-5959

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The College offers campus-wide prevention and awareness programs related to Hazing, including programming designed to reach Students and employees, in order to provide information about this Policy; primary prevention strategies intended to stop Hazing before it occurs; and strategies for building group cohesion without Hazing. Information about these prevention and awareness programs is found in Appendix A to this Policy.

For additional information regarding Federal or State criminal law, review Stop Campus Hazing Act, Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, and/or Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law.

The following are resources regarding how Lafayette College educates students on hazing.

Hazing Prevention Programs 

• Various research-informed campus-wide prevention programs
• Primary prevention strategies intended to stop hazing before hazing occurs.  May include:
  • Skill building for bystander intervention
  • Information about ethical leadership
  • Promotion of strategies for building group cohesion without hazing.
• Conversations with FSL Risk Managers about expectations

Hazing Prevention Events

• Hazing Prevention Week (September 22, 2025 – September 26, 2025)
  • Events
    • These Hands Don’t Haze Event
    • Byron Hurt Film
    • Dough Nut Haze Breakfast
    • Hazing Prevention Gallery –  Fraternity and Sorority Life Organizations will explore a different aspect regarding hazing and present on a tri-fold boards

Hazing Prevention Resources

• Personnel
  • Athletics – Department of Athletics
  • Students – The Dean of Students
  • Fraternity and Sorority Organizations – The Associate Director of Fraternity & Sorority Life 
  • Student Organizations – The Director of Student Involvement, or a Student Involvement professional staff member
• Educational
  • Vector Solutions – Available for Students.
    • Hazing Awareness and Prevention for Students 
    • Hazing Awareness and Prevention for Students Follow-Up Survey (Part Two)
    • Hazing Awareness and Prevention for Athletes 
    • Hazing Awareness and Prevention for Athletes Follow-Up Survey (Part Two) – new

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