02.12.01 Hazing

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Original Approval: 06/23/2025
Last Updated: 
Last Reviewed: 06/23/2025

Policy/Purpose:

Coastal Alabama Community College is committed to providing an environment for students, employees, and campus visitors that is free from all forms of hazing.  Hazing violates both Coastal Alabama Community College policy, federal and state law, and may lead to removal from school or termination of employment as well as personal liability—civil and criminal.

Coastal Alabama Community College (“the College”) is committed to maintaining a supportive, educational environment that seeks to enhance the well-being of all members of its community.  This commitment reflects the institution’s adherence to its mission, to its various policies supporting its mission, and to relevant state and federal laws.   Consistent with that commitment, the College has implemented the following policy on hazing.

Scope:

This policy applies to all Coastal Alabama Community College students and employees during any activity involving the College, including the workday. In addition, visitors, vendors, contractors, and all other non-employees are expected to recognize and comply with College policies.

Definitions:

Hazing: any act that threatens or inflicts physical, emotional, or psychological pressure or injury on an individual or that purposely demeans, degrades, or disgraces an individual

Details:

The College does not condone hazing, regardless of its form.   Indeed, hazing is prohibited by the College’s Code of Student Conduct and considered a crime in the State of Alabama under Alabama Code § 16-1-23.   No individual shall directly engage in hazing or indirectly encourage, aid, or assist any other person in hazing.   All students and other College representatives, including employees, should immediately report known or suspected hazing violations as directed herein. 

An individual commits hazing by intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causing, coercing, or forcing another individual to engage in or endure any of the following for the purpose of pre-initiation or pre-pledging activities, pledging, initiating, holding office, admitting or affiliating into or with an organization, or for the purpose of continuing, reinstating, or enhancing an individual’s membership or status in an organization:

  1. Conduct or conditions that violate College policy or local, state, or federal law.
  2. Physical brutality or any other conduct or conditions that pose a substantial risk of physical injury or death, including, but not limited to, whipping, striking, punching, beating, paddling, electric shock, placing harmful substances on the body, excessive exercise or calisthenics, branding, or exposure to the elements.
  3. The consumption of any food, alcohol, drug, non-alcoholic liquid, or other substance that could adversely affect the physical health or safety of the individual.
  4. Sexual misconduct, harassment, assault, humiliation, or brutality, such as forced nudity or an act of sexual penetration, or both.
  5. An unreasonable act of forced servitude, restraint, including confinement, or sleep deprivation.
  6. Any activity that would subject the individual to extreme mental stress, such as forced conduct that could result in extreme embarrassment, or other forced activity that could adversely affect the mental health or dignity of the individual.

For the purposes of this Policy, “organization” means any formal or informal fraternity, sorority, association, corporation, order, society, corps, student organization (registered or not), cooperative, club, service group, social group, band, spirit group, athletic team, or similar group whose members are primarily students at, or former students of, the College.

This Policy does not apply to reasonable and customary athletic, law enforcement, or military training, testing, competitions, or events, or to other similar events sanctioned by the College.

Penalties/Sanctions

Individuals who are victims of hazing and who truthfully report violations of this Policy will not be subject to penalties or sanctions for violations of this Policy.

The penalties and sanctions for individuals who are found to violate this Policy may include the following:

  1. In addition to any significant criminal charges or civil liability that may occur, an individual will be subject to immediate termination from employment or suspension/expulsion if:
    1. They are found to have engaged in or contributed to hazing that results in serious physical injury, which is defined as physical injury that creates a substantial risk of death, or that causes serious or protracted disfigurement, protracted impairment of health, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ or extremity;
    2. They are found to have engaged in or contributed to hazing that results in someone’s death; or
    3. They are found to have engaged in or contributed to hazing that involves forced alcohol and/or drug consumption.
  2. An individual who engages in any other form of hazing will be subject to penalties and sanctions up to and including termination from employment or suspension/expulsion.
  3. An individual who has a duty to report potential hazing incidents as outlined herein but fails to make reasonable efforts to immediately report that knowledge may be subject to penalties and sanctions up to and including termination from employment or suspension/expulsion.
  4. An individual who attempts to or does dissuade or prevent an individual from reporting potential or actual hazing or takes an adverse action against an individual in retaliation for a good faith report of hazing will be subject to penalties and sanctions up to and including termination from employment or suspension/expulsion. 

This is not an exhaustive list of potential sanctions/penalties for violating this Policy.   Each situation will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

An organization that is found to have violated this Policy may also be subject to sanctions/penalties, including, but not limited to, removal from campus, suspension of operations, social event restrictions, or block seating revocation. 

A third-party who is found responsible for hazing may be removed from campus and barred from returning. 

An individual may not avoid hazing charges or sanctions by arguing that the hazing victim consented, whether express or implied, to the conduct.   In short, a person cannot consent to being hazed. 

If an individual or organization is found responsible for violating this Policy and a criminal or civil proceeding relating to the conduct arrives at an alternative conclusion, the College finding will not be subject to change. 

Making an intentionally false accusation of hazing is prohibited.   Any member of the campus community who is found to have engaged in this conduct will be subject to penalties and sanctions up to and including termination from employment or suspension/expulsion.

Prohibition on Retaliation

It is a violation of this Policy for a member of the campus community to retaliate against another individual who has made a good faith report of hazing. 

Procedure(s):

Reporting Hazing

All members of the campus community have a duty to promptly report good faith concerns about potential hazing impacting another member of the campus community.  Specifically, if any such individual holds firsthand knowledge about hazing, whether that hazing has already occurred or is set to occur in the future, they have a duty to make a reasonable effort to immediately report the hazing-related information as noted herein. 

If the situation is an emergency and you or someone else needs immediate assistance, please contact The Coastal Alabama Community College Police Department (CAPD) at 251-580-2222.

An individual with a duty to report a specific hazing incident or concern may be immune from College sanctions that might otherwise be imposed as a result of the reported hazing incident if the individual:

  1. Immediately provides a full report of all known information upon learning that hazing will occur or has occurred;
  2. Makes a reasonable effort to stop the hazing if it is planned or in progress, which, among other things, may include immediately reporting the situation;
  3. Participates in good faith with:
    1. Any College or law enforcement agency investigation regarding the incident, and
    2. Any judicial proceeding resulting from a report of hazing; and
  4. If the reporting individual is present at the scene of the hazing and the individual who is a victim requires medical attention:
    1. The reporting individual immediately takes steps to get the victim assistance from appropriate medical personnel; and
    2. The reporting individual remained with and assisted in good faith the individual requiring assistance until such medical personnel arrived.

To report hazing that does not involve an emergency situation, please provide specific information about the hazing incident to any of the following:

  • The Coastal Alabama Police Department (CAPD)—please call 251-580-2222.
  • The College’s Office of Student Student Services —please complete the Student Complaint form. 

Additional information pertaining to filing a complaint:

  1. Refer to the Student - Formal Complaints Policy.
  2. Refer to the Employee Complaints and Grievances Policy.

Additional Provisions/Information

For more information on hazing prevention and reporting, including a partial listing of specific examples of hazing, please visit the Coastal Alabama Community College Safety & Security website.

Section 02: Compliance with Federal And State Law