Hazing
Hazing Awareness and Prevention
Glen Oaks Community College is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and respectful learning environment. Every student has the right to participate in student organizations, athletics, and campus life without being subjected to hazing.
Hazing is strictly prohibited at Glen Oaks Community College. Hazing behaviors can cause serious physical, emotional, and psychological harm to individuals and negatively impact families, organizations, and the broader College community.
No student organization or individual student may conduct, participate in, encourage, or condone hazing in any form. Individuals found responsible for hazing may face disciplinary action by the College, as well as criminal and civil penalties under state law.
What Is Hazing?
Hazing includes behaviors that are often framed as “tradition,” “initiation,” or “bonding,” but that place individuals at risk of harm, humiliation, or coercion. Consent or willingness to participate does not make hazing acceptable or lawful.
Hazing may occur in connection with student organizations, athletic teams, clubs, or any group affiliated with the College.
Definition of Hazing
Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a person, whether individually or in concert with other people, against another person, and in which both of the following apply:
- The act was committed in connection with an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in any organization that is affiliated with the College; and
- The act contributes to a reasonable risk of potential physical injury, mental harm, or degradation; or causes physical injury, mental harm, or personal degradation.
Such actions and situations may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, placing harmful substances 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, 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, or Federal law
State of Michigan Law on Hazing
The State of Michigan has criminalized certain types of hazing at educational institutions under “Garret’s Law”. See MCL 750.411t.
Under Garret’s Law, hazing means “an intentional, knowing, or reckless act by a person acting alone or acting with others that is directed against an individual and that the person knew or should have known endangers the physical health or safety of the individual, and that is done for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, participating in, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization.”
Whether the individual against whom the hazing was directed consented or acquiesced in the hazing is not a defense to a crime under Garret’s Law.
How to Report Hazing
Anyone who experiences or witnesses hazing is encouraged to report it promptly. Reports can be made by students, employees, or community members.
Reports may lead to College disciplinary action and, when appropriate, referral to law enforcement.
Hazing Awareness and Prevention
Glen Oaks Community College is committed to preventing hazing through education and awareness.
Students are required to complete “Hazing Awareness and Prevention for Students” training through Vector Solutions. Students receive login information by email at the beginning of each semester in which they are enrolled.