Hazing
A page within Student Life
Introduction
The mission of University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL) is to provide a teaching, learning, and working environment in which faculty, staff, and students can discover, examine critically, preserve, and transmit the knowledge, wisdom, and values that will improve the quality of life for all. To fulfill this mission, UWL is committed to creating and maintaining a community environment that is free from hazing.
The Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA) was signed into law on December 23, 2024. The law amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 and establishes new federal requirements aimed at increasing transparency and accountability around hazing incidents in their annual security reports, educating students about hazing prevention, and maintaining publicly accessible records of hazing violations.
This policy implements the requirements of the Stop Campus Hazing Act.
Specific incidents of alleged misconduct under this policy will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with this policy and related procedures.
Sexual violence and harassment are addressed separately in the UWL Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy, pursuant to RPD 14.
Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation are addressed separately in the UWL Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Policy, pursuant to RPD 14-6.
Purpose and Scope of Policy
This policy prohibits acts of hazing on or off university property, at university-sanctioned or university-affiliated events, and at other activities in which two or more university members are present, whether on or off campus.
The University is committed to educating its community and to promptly and effectively responding to and redressing conduct that violates this policy.
This policy provides the UWL community with information and resources to identify, report, and respond to hazing. These efforts support the mission of UWL and the Universities of Wisconsin.
This policy applies to:
- University-sponsored and supported activities that are held both on and off campus, including those held in other municipalities, states, and nations.
- Other activities in which two or more university members are present, held both on and off campus, including those held in other municipalities, states, and nations.
- All other members of the University community (including, but not limited to, employees, volunteers, visitors, guests, contractors, and third-party vendors) while they are on campus or engaged in activities associated with University-sponsored and supported activities.
Federal Definition
Per the Stop Campus Hazing Act, hazing is defined as 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 institution of higher education or the organization (such as the physical preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team), of physical or psychological injury, including:
- 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
The Wisconsin state definition of hazing is:
- In this section, “forced activity” means any activity which is a condition of initiation or admission into or affiliation with an organization, regardless of a student’s willingness to participate in the activity.
- No person may intentionally or recklessly engage in acts which endanger the physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with any organization operating in connection with a school, college, or university. Under those circumstances, prohibited acts may include any brutality of a physical nature, such as whipping, beating, branding, forced consumption of any food, liquor, drug, or other substance, forced confinement, or any other forced activity that endangers the physical health or safety of the student.
- Whoever violates sub. (2) is guilty of:
- A Class A misdemeanor if the act results in or is likely to result in bodily harm to another.
- A Class H felony if the act results in great bodily harm to another.
- A Class G felony if the act results in the death of another.
Other Important Definitions
Student Organization
Per the SCHA, “student organization” means an organization at an institution of higher education (such as a club, society, association, varsity or junior varsity athletic team, club sports team, fraternity, sorority, band, or student government) in which two or more of the members are students enrolled at the institution of higher education, whether or not the organization is established or recognized by the institution. (Refer to Appendix A for criteria for determining a student organization.)
- Registered Student Organization – Per UWL’s Office of Student Activities, a recognized student organization is an organization that has completed the recognition procedure through the Student Organization Committee, has received full recognition, and has filed all appropriate registration forms with the Office of Student Activities and Centers.
- Student Organization – Per UWL’s Office of Student Activities, a frozen student organization is an organization that does not complete the annual requirements for recognition and loses its active status.
- Student Organization – Per UWL’s Office of Student Activities, an inactive student organization is an organization that has been frozen for more than three (3) years.
Campus Hazing Transparency Report
A report summarizing findings concerning any student organization (established or recognized by the institution) found to be in violation of the institution’s standards of conduct relating to hazing from the five (5) previous calendar years, and important information about hazing policies and procedures.
Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act Annual Security Report (Annual Security Report)
A report summarizing crime data, including hazing from the three (3) previous calendar years, information about crime warnings, crime reporting and response, disciplinary policy and procedure, fire safety, and programming on campus to prevent crimes — especially sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.
Interim Measures
A temporary action that is applied to a student or student organization prior to a hearing or before a finding or acceptance of responsibility.
Prevention
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is committed to educating its faculty, staff, and students on hazing through research-informed training. This training incorporates evidence-based practices on identifying incidents of hazing, reporting procedures, bystander intervention strategies, ethical leadership development, and effective, non-hazing methods for promoting group cohesion.
- All first-year and incoming students are required to take an online education course.
- While the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse requires all first-year and incoming students to take the required online course, it does not mandate required online education for continuing students. However, any continuing student who would like to take the online education course should contact the Student Life Office.
- Faculty and Staff have the option to take an online education course. This course examines why hazing occurs, the health and legal risks of hazing, and employees’ responsibility to recognize, address, and prevent hazing at UWL.
- Hazing prevention and education is provided to the leadership of recognized student organizations during organization officer training during the fall semester.
- Hazing prevention and education is provided to the leadership of recognized fraternities and sororities during organization officer training during the fall semester.
- Hazing prevention and education is provided to all varsity intercollegiate athletic teams during the fall and spring semesters.
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse conducts a biannual review of its hazing prevention and education to ensure their effectiveness and continued relevance to the needs of faculty, staff, and students.
Methods for Promoting Group: Alternatives to Hazing Cohesion
Ways to create good members without hazing:
- Participate in a ropes course.
- Teambuilding activities (can be facilitated by University Centers or campus professionals- there are hundreds of these activities that you can use).
- Participate in and/or plan a community service project.
- Host a new member surprise party hosted by members.
- Have a resume writing workshop presented by the Career Services Office.
- Invite a faculty advisor to lunch with new members.
- Host a study skills workshop presented by the Academic Advising Center.
- Arts and Crafts for a Cause.
- Dinner and a Movie.
- Shadow an officer and assist in the planning of a program/event.
- Plan a fundraiser to pay for initiation fees.
- Plan and present a speaker on a health/wellness topic.
- Require active membership in at least one organization outside the group.
- Host a Family Weekend event.
- Have new members take the Meyers-Briggs Personality Type Inventor and discuss.
- Ask a faculty member discuss ethical decision making.
- Ask a campus health educator to do a presentation on eating disorders or depression.
- Discuss risk management and liability with the university risk manager.
- Brainstorm ways to improve scholarship (other than study hours).
- Attend theatrical production or athletic even of a new member choosing.
- Ask the library to give a lecture on effective research methods.
- Attend a program or even another organization is sponsoring.
- Have a discussion about membership standards and expectations.
- Have a chapter goal-setting retreat.
- Attend a campus leadership conference or workshop.
- Deconstruct past hazing activities to determine intent and brainstorm alternatives.
- Develop a faculty advisor appreciation gesture.
- Give highest new member GPA recipient a plaque or $25 gift certificate to nice restaurant.
- Allow new members time for themselves to do and be what they want. Don’t monopolize their time.
- Invite a campus fitness specialist or dietician to discuss dietary fads-pros and cons.
- Attend the Etiquette Dinner together.
- Have lunch together once a week in a dining hall with the entire organization.
- Invite your faculty advisor to new member meetings.
- Attend an athletic event together.
Fraternity and Sorority Hazing Prevention Guide
Authored by: Elizabeth Allan, Ph.D., Brian Joyce, Ph.D., & Emily Perlow, Ph.D.
Hazing remains prevalent on college campuses. It is a threat to the health and safety of college students, in particular, fraternity and sorority students. Fraternity and sorority life professionals are often faced with the growing pressures and challenges to prevent hazing on their campuses. This paper is intended to serve as a resource for fraternity and sorority professionals to align practice with research findings and research-informed guidance about hazing prevention.
This information was provided by StopHazing.org
The Stop Campus Hazing Act requires UWL to publish Campus Hazing Transparency Reports which is a report summarizing findings concerning any student organization (established or recognized by the institution) found to be in violation of the institution’s standards of conduct relating to hazing from the five (5) previous calendar years, and important information about hazing policies and procedures.
This report is different than the Clery Act Annual Security Report. In the Transparency Report, UWL must summarize findings concerning any UWL recognized or established student organizations that are found to be in violation of hazing under UWS Ch. 17.
To view UWL's Campus Hazing Transparency Reports, click on the links below.
*Note - The first Campus Hazing Transparency Report is due no later than December 23, 2025.
The following PDFs depict the various processes individuals can find themselves in if accused of hazing. To learn more, click on the appropriate PDF of the process you want to learn more about.
The following PDFs depict the various processes and procedures individuals can find themselves in if accused of hazing. To learn more, click on the appropriate PDF of the process you want to learn more about.
Resources
There are lots of resources available to assist you as you learn more about hazing. Here are just a few:
STOP HAZING.ORG: www.stophazing.org
HAZING PREVENTION.ORG: www.hazingprevention.org
INSIDE HAZING: www.insidehazing.com
THE GORDIE FOUNDATION: www.gordie.org
HAZING STUDY.ORG: www.hazingstudy.org
