Hazing Law Violations & Reporting

Antihazing Committee and Timothy J. Piazza Law

Gettysburg College has established a cross-divisional Antihazing Committee whose charge is to review institutional reports of hazing and develop required final disclosures consistent with Pennsylvania’s Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing legislation (PA Act 80 of 2018); determine training needs related to hazing awareness, education and prevention; and assist in policy review and development. Departments and functional areas currently represented on the committee include: College Life, OSAGL, Public Safety, Risk Management, Athletics, Club Sports, Communications and Marketing and the Provost Office.

The Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Law requires Pennsylvania secondary schools and institutions of higher education to publish anti-hazing policies, provide hazing awareness and prevention programming, and publicly publish a report of hazing violations.

Hazing Violations of College Policy

Spring 2018

College’s Definition of Hazing Prior to Fall 2018

Any action taken, created, or situated, (on or off campus) to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule that is directed at new or prospective members of a recognized student organization. An individual, an individual against an organization, or an organization against an individual, may perpetrate such actions. In case of violations, individuals and an organization as a whole may be subject to disciplinary action. Please note that the consent of those hazed will not be accepted as a defense for hazing activities. The severity of the penalty for a hazing offense will be determined in proportion to the hazing activity.

Spring 2018

Case 2017035401

Classification: Charged – Responsible

Subject: Third year male student

Date of charge: March 7th, 2018

Policy violation description: A member (but not an officer) of Alpha Chi Rho fraternity unsuccessfully tried to compel a new member to write an essay of an anti-Semitic nature. Investigation Summary: No additional investigation occurred. The individual was found responsible for hazing. Penalties Imposed: Help to develop a hazing prevention program for the community. Write an apology letter to Alpha Chi Rho for engaging in the behavior.

Date of resolution: March 15th, 2018

Hazing Violations of State Law

Fall 2017-Spring 2022

State Law Definitions

A person commits the offense of hazing if the person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly, for the purpose of initiating, admitting or affiliating a minor or student into or with an organization, or for the purpose of continuing or enhancing a minor or student’s membership or status in an organization, causes, coerces or forces a minor or student to do any of the following:

• Violate federal or state criminal law;
• Consume any food, liquid. Alcoholic liquid, drug or other substance which subjects the minor or student to a risk of emotional or physical harm;
• Endure brutality of a physical nature, including whipping, beating, branding, calisthenics or exposure to the elements;
• 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;
• Endure brutality of a sexual nature; or
• Endure any other activity that creates a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury to the minor or student.

Organizational Hazing - an organization commits hazing when the organization intentionally, knowingly or recklessly promotes or facilitates a violation of law as outlined above.

Aggravated Hazing – a Violation of Law that results in serious bodily injury of death to a minor or student.

2021-2022

No cases for the 2021-2022 academic year.

2020-2021

No cases for the 2020-2021 academic year.

2019-2020

No cases for the 2019-2020 academic year.

2018-2019

No cases for the 2018-2019 academic year.

2017-2018

No cases for the 2017-2018 academic year.