Hazing Prevention

Institutional Policy on Hazing Prevention, Reporting, and Disclosure

1. Policy Statement and Federal/State Compliance

Ogeechee Technical College strictly prohibits hazing in any form. In compliance with the federal Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA)—which amended the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (20 U.S.C. § 1092(f))—and Georgia’s SB 85 “Max Gruver Act” (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-61), the College is committed to preventing hazing, transparently reporting violations, and maintaining a safe campus environment.

2. Legal Definitions of Hazing

 For institutional oversight and disciplinary purposes, hazing is defined under both federal and state standards:

  • Federal Definition (Stop Campus Hazing Act / Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act): 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 College or the organization (such as the physical preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team) of physical or psychological injury
      • Definition for Physical or Psychological Injury:
        • 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.
  • State Definition (Georgia O.C.G.A. § 16-5-61 - Max Gruver Act): (a) As used in this Code section, the term:
    • (1) "Haze" or "hazing" means to subject a student to an activity which endangers or is likely to endanger the physical health of a student or coerces the student through the use of social or physical pressure to consume any food, liquid, alcohol, drug, or other substance which subjects the student to a likely risk of vomiting, intoxication, or unconsciousness regardless of a student's willingness to participate in such activity.
    • (2) "School" means any unit of the University System of Georgia, any unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, or any private postsecondary school, college, or university in this state.
    • (3) "School organization" means any association, corporation, order, club, society, fraternity, sorority, athletic team, or a group living together which has students or alumni as its principal members, including local affiliate organizations.
    • (4) "Student" means any person enrolled or prospectively enrolled in a school in this state.
  • (b) It shall be unlawful for any person to haze any student in connection with or as a condition or precondition of gaining acceptance, membership, office, or other status in a school organization.
  • (c) Any person who violates this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.

3. Campus Transparency & Public Reporting

To satisfy both federal (SCHA) and state requirements, the College maintains two distinct reporting standards:

  • Public Campus Hazing Transparency Report: The College publishes a publicly accessible online log detailing all findings of hazing violations, adjudications, and criminal convictions involving student organizations. Each entry includes the organization name, incident date(s), specific findings, sanctions, and final outcomes. This report is updated biannually (at least twice per year) and maintained for a minimum of five (5) years following final adjudication.
  • Clery Act Annual Security Report (ASR): In accordance with the SCHA amendments to the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, all reported hazing incidents are recorded in the official campus crime log and included as statistics in the College’s published Annual Security Report (ASR).

4. Reporting Hazing Violations

Violations may lead to institutional disciplinary sanctions and criminal charges under Georgia law (guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature). To report suspected hazing:

  • Campus Police: Call (912) 531-2367 or visit the Campus Police Department.
  • Email Reporting: Send reports to police@ogeecheetech.edu.
  • Online Reporting: Reports may also be submitted via the College’s online Incident Report Form.

5. TCSG Policy 7.1.1p2

https://tcsg.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/policymanual/overview