Hazing Defined
› The Stop Campus Hazing Act amends section 485(f) of the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety
Act (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)) and is designed to improve safety, hazing reporting, and prevention
on college campuses.
› In addition to federal law, T.C.A. § 49-7-123, prohibits hazing at all Tennessee
institutions of higher education.
› There are no local or Tribal anti-hazing laws applicable to the university.
Statement of Policy
Tennessee Tech prohibits hazing by student organizations as defined in Tennessee Tech
Policy 302, Student Conduct and Policy 419, Clery Act Compliance.
Definitions:
-
- Complainant: an individual who is alleged to be the victim of conduct that may constitute hazing.
- Respondent: an individual who has been reported to be the perpetrator of conduct that may constitute
hazing.
- Hazing: 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
- Student organization: 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.
How to Report Hazing Incidents
Any person who believes they are a victim of hazing, has witnessed hazing, or has
information regarding past, current, or future hazing as defined by Tennessee Tech
policy should report the incident as soon as possible. Reports may be made in person,
by telephone, by mail, or by electronic mail to one or more of the following:
University Police
931-372-3234
police@tntech.edu
242 E. 10th Street/Foundation Hall Room 100
Cookeville, TN 38501
Office of Compliance
931-372-6062
Compliance@tntech.edu
1 Wm. L. Jones, Derryberry Hall Room 258
Cookeville, TN 39505
Complaints may also be reported anonymously through this form. Please note that anonymous complaints will be investigated to the full extent possible;
however, anonymous complaints may not always provide sufficient information for resolution
or action.
Process Used to Investigate Hazing Incidents
The Dean of Students, in consultation with the Compliance Officer and other university
personnel deemed necessary, will determine whether the complaint meets the definition
of hazing as defined in Tennessee Tech policy. If the alleged misconduct does not
meet the definition of hazing, the Dean of Students will forward the complaint to
the appropriate administrative personnel for action, if any.
If the complaint meets the definition of hazing, Tennessee Tech will conduct a prompt,
thorough, and impartial investigation of the complaint and provide notification of
the outcome to the Complainant and Respondent. The timeframe for the inquiry will
depend on the complexity of the investigation, the severity, and the extent of the
allegations.
- Complaints in which the Respondent is a student will be handled in accordance with
the investigation procedures outlined in Tennessee Tech Policy 302, Student Conduct.
- Complaints in which the Respondent is an employee will be handled in accordance with
the investigation procedures outlined in Tennessee Tech Policy 141, Prohibited Discrimination
and Harassment
In situations that require immediate action due to safety or other concerns, Tennessee
Tech may take reasonable and appropriate administrative action.
Tennessee Tech will maintain the confidentiality of the complaint and the privacy
of the individuals involved to the greatest extent possible, consistent with its goal
of conducting a thorough and complete investigation, and to the extent permitted by law.
Appeals
Appeals of a determination in which the Respondent is a student will be handled in
accordance with the appeal procedures outlined in Tennessee Tech Policy 302, Student
Conduct.
Appeals of a determination involving a Respondent who is an employee will be handled
in accordance with the appeal procedures outlined in Tennessee Tech Policy 141, Prohibited
Discrimination and Harassment.
StandUp to Hazing Training
Members of the Tennessee Tech community, including students and employees, are invited
to take the StandUp to Hazing course provided in partnership with StopHazing. StopHazing
is the leader in hazing prevention research and is dedicated to building research-based
educational tools, such as this course, to prevent hazing and help students build
healthy groups that foster belonging and amplify well-being.
The course will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. There are knowledge check
questions throughout the course and a 10-question quiz at the end, followed by an
evaluation survey.
Accessing the Course
- Start the course here »
- To log in and complete the course, enter your first name, last name, and your Tennessee
Tech email address.
- If you need to step away from the course midway through, you can re-enter the course
where you left off using the same link above.
Tips for Successfully Completing the Course
- You must pass the quiz with 80% correct answers or better.
- You must click/scroll all the way through to the 'I commit' button at the end to access
the final evaluation.
- Click "exit course" and check your completion status to ensure it has been recorded.
If it says "incomplete" or "unknown", re-enter the course and make sure you click
through completely.
The course link landing page will record your completion and satisfaction (passed/failed/unknown)
status for the course. If you want to double-check your status, you can relaunch the
course, exit, and view the landing page when it reloads – it will tell you your results.
If you have any questions about the StandUp to Hazing course, please contact the Dean
of Students office at deanofstudents@tntech.edu or 931-372-6758.
University Hazing Prevention and Awareness Programs
Tennessee Tech’s hazing prevention and awareness programs include the following research-informed,
campus-wide initiatives designed to reach students and employees. These programs incorporate
primary prevention strategies aimed at preventing hazing before it occurs.
- Each September, a coalition with members representing Fraternity/Sorority Life, Athletics,
Marching Bands, and registered student organizations collaborates to observe National Hazing Prevention Week. Activities throughout the week typically include students signing the Hazing Prevention Pledge, social media awareness campaign, events, and workshops.
- Members of social fraternities and sororities are required to sign an acknowledgement
of Tech’s anti-hazing policies.
University Resources
Immediate Assistance
- University Police at 931-372-3234, if you have immediate concerns for your safety
- Eagle Eye Crisis Hotline at (855) 206-8997, a free and confidential service for Tech
students, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Anti-Hazing Hotline at 1-888-NOT-HAZE (1-888-668-4293), for support specific to hazing,
the Hazing Prevention Network operates an Anti-Hazing Hotline, available to anyone
reporting a suspected or recent hazing incident anonymously by calling, which is accessible
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Prevention Resources
