5 things faculty and staff should know about recognizing and reporting hazing
Faculty and staff can play an important role in recognizing and preventing hazing. You may notice changes in a student鈥檚 behavior, hear about a concerning group activity or have a student come to you because they trust you.听
Knowing what to look for and what to do when something seems wrong can help you respond early and connect students with the right resources.听
Here are five things to know about recognizing and reporting hazing at 麻豆免费版下载Boulder.听
1. Hazing can happen in many campus settings听
Hazing can happen in any group where people are joining, participating or seeking a sense of belonging.听
This can include:听
- Fraternities and sororities听
- Student organizations and clubs听
- Sport clubs and athletic teams听
- Student employment teams听
- Academic programs, cohorts, labs and research groups听
- Performance groups听
- Informal student communities听
Hazing includes activities expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliate, degrade, abuse or endanger them, regardless of their willingness to participate.听
These activities may be described as traditions, team-building exercises, rites of passage or simply 鈥渢he way we鈥檝e always done it.鈥 Regardless of what an activity is called, expectations that put someone鈥檚 health, safety or well-being at risk should be taken seriously.听
2. Know the signs of possible hazing听
Hazing isn鈥檛 always obvious. Faculty and staff may be among the first people outside of a group to notice that something has changed.听
Potential signs of hazing can include:听
- Sleep deprivation or unusual fatigue听
- Missing class, work, meetings or other commitments听
- Excessive or unusual physical demands听
- Isolation from friends or other communities听
- Secrecy around group activities or traditions听
- Fear or anxiety about disappointing the group听
- Public humiliation or degrading activities, including wearing costumes听
- Coercive traditions or pressure to participate听
- Dangerous or risky activities听
- Unexplained injuries or changes in well-being听
You might also notice a student struggling to keep up academically or professionally because group activities are taking priority over other responsibilities.听
One sign doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean hazing is occurring. However, you don鈥檛 need to determine whether a situation meets the definition of hazing before sharing a concern.听
3. Report suspected hazing to SCCR听
If you observe, learn about or suspect hazing involving students, report the concern to Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution (SCCR).听
You do not need to investigate the situation yourself, gather proof or determine whether a policy violation has occurred before making a report. Share the information you have and allow SCCR to review the concern and determine the appropriate next steps.听
This applies whether the potential hazing involves a fraternity or sorority, student organization, sport club, student employment team, academic program or another student group.听
If you鈥檙e an advisor, coach, faculty member, supervisor or staff member connected to the group, you may also have department-specific people you normally contact when concerns arise. Those conversations can be helpful, but suspected hazing should still be reported to SCCR so the university can appropriately review and respond to the concern.听
If there is an emergency or someone is in immediate danger, call 911. For an imminent threat on campus, you can also contact the 麻豆免费版下载Police Department at 303-492-6666, then submit a report to SCCR.听
4. Reporting early can help prevent harm听
You don鈥檛 have to wait until a situation becomes severe or someone gets hurt to report a concern.听
听Early reporting gives the university an opportunity to assess risk, follow up with those involved and connect students or organizations with appropriate resources.听
After SCCR receives a hazing report, the office reviews the information and determines appropriate next steps. Depending on the situation, this can include:听
- Assessing potential safety concerns听
- Connecting individuals or organizations with support听
- Notifying relevant university partners听
- Following up with those involved听
- Investigating potential policy violations听
- Determining appropriate outcomes听
SCCR may also take interim measures during the process when needed to support safety and compliance.听
You may not always receive detailed information about what happens after you submit a report. Depending on the circumstances, the university may be required to keep findings or subsequent actions confidential.听
The important thing is to share what you know. You don鈥檛 need to have all the answers before making a report.听
5. You can support a student while also reporting a concern听
If a student tells you about something that may be hazing, start by listening.听
You can:听
- Thank them for coming to you.听
- Listen without judgment.听
- Ask what they need in the moment.听
- Avoid questioning them as though you are investigating what happened.听
- Let them know there are resources available to help.听
- Explain what steps you plan to take with the information they鈥檝e shared.听
- Continue to check in when appropriate.听
Students may have complicated feelings about what is happening. They may care deeply about the group or people involved, worry about losing friendships or opportunities, or not think of what they鈥檙e experiencing as hazing.听
You don鈥檛 need to convince a student that something is hazing before taking a concern seriously.听