Hazing

The Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA), enacted on December 23, 2024, amends the Clery Act to prioritize the prevention of and transparency about hazing incidents at colleges and universities. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 269, Sections 17 through 19 prohibit hazing and requires Fitchburg State to certify that the university has adopted a disciplinary policy with regard to the organizers and participants in hazing. 

Fitchburg State University defines Hazing as any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, team, group, or otherwise affiliated or unaffiliated student group, whether on or off public property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person, regardless of the person's consent or the perceived "good" intent or outcome. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to:

• Forced listening to loud, repetitive music or recordings 
• Forced calisthenics, whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, branding, tattoos, placing of a harmful substance on someone’s body, or similar activity
• Personal servitude
• Forced or coerced wearing of conspicuous clothing not normally in good taste, such as togas 
• Extended deprivation of food, water, sleep, adequate study time, rest, or extended isolation 
• Exposure to settings or conditions that adversely affect the physical health or safety of any student or that subject such student or other person to extreme mental stress
• Individual or group interrogations 
• Involuntary consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug, or other substance, or any other brutal treatment or forced physical activity which is likely to adversely affect the physical health or safety of any student or other person
• 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 or 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.
• Causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts

Prohibited Conduct and Reporting

Hazing is banned in any form as a practice by an organization, group, or team, etc., using the Fitchburg State University name or claiming to act in any way under the supervision of Fitchburg State University. Any individual or organization found responsible for practicing hazing, in any form, is subject to penalty, including but not limited to dismissal from Fitchburg State University and, in the case of a recognized student organization, loss of recognition. An individual in an alleged violation of the Hazing Policy may not use consent as an acceptable reason for participation.

Reporting Procedures and Resources

Anyone with knowledge that another person is the victim of hazing, or has witnessed an act of hazing, shall immediately report such act to the Dean of Students or designee, the Director of Title IX and Equal Opportunity, or the University Police Department. Failure to report known hazing incidents may result in disciplinary action.

Reports can be made confidentially, and the university will take all reasonable steps to protect the privacy of individuals involved in a hazing investigation. Retaliation against any person who reports hazing or participates in a hazing investigation is strictly prohibited and will result in disciplinary action.

All crimes should be reported to the University Police Department. However, individuals may also report incidents of hazing to the Dean of Students’ Office or to Title IX through the online reporting portal: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?FitchburgStateUniv. 

Incidents and reports of hazing will be investigated through the Student Conduct Process, Title IX, and/or by the University Police Department. 

Policy Dissemination

Fitchburg State University issues to every student organization, team, group, etc., which is recognized by Fitchburg State University or is known to exist as an unaffiliated student group, student team, or student organization, a copy of the Fitchburg State University Hazing Policy and Chapter 269, Sections 17 through 19. This policy will also be readily accessible on the university's website and included in relevant student handbooks.

Related University Links

• Clery Act and the Annual Security Report
• Clubs and Organizations
• Student Conduct
• Compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA)
• Equal Opportunity and Title IX
• University Police
• Athletics Compliance 

Contacts

For additional information or prevention and awareness training on Hazing, please contact one of the following individuals:

• Director Title IX and Equal Opportunity, Rebecca H. Newell, rnewell7@fitchburgstate.edu
• Assistant Dean for Student Engagement, Ben Kadamus, bkadamus@fitchburgstate.edu
• Dean of Students, Tim St.John, tstjohn1@fitchburgstate.edu
• University Police Lieutenant, Phillip Karampatsos, pkrampa@fitchburgstate.edu
• Executive Director of Athletics, Matthew Burke, mburke43@fitchburgstate.edu
• Associate Athletic Director, Bettiann Peura, bpeura@fitchburgstate.edu