Hazing
We don't haze.
What is hazing?
As members of the University of Cincinnati (UC) community, we all share the responsibility to stop campus hazing and build and maintain an environment that recognizes the worth and potential of every individual and communicates respect among all members. Our success depends on our ability to work together in an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.
At UC, it is critical that all students, faculty, staff, and volunteers understand that hazing is not only unacceptable and a violation of UC rules and policies but is also against the law.
UC's Anti-Hazing Policy reiterates the strict prohibition against hazing while aligning with Collin’s Law: The Ohio Anti-Hazing Policy. This policy applies to all student organizations and student groups, including but not limited to athletic teams, spirit groups, military organizations, honor societies, fraternities and sororities, musical or theater ensembles, bands, and clubs.
The Anti-Hazing Policy policy states "'Hazing’ means doing any act or coercing another, including the victim, to do any act of initiation into any student or other organization or any act to continue or reinstate membership in or affiliation with any student or other organization that causes or creates a substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm to any person, including coercing another to consume alcohol or a drug of abuse, as defined in section 3719.011 of the Revised Code."
What can I do to take care of myself and other Bearcats?
In addition to not participating in hazing behaviors, it is important to support your friends as they are joining organizations on campus. Talk to your friends about what they are doing in their organizations, encourage them to find organizations that support their individual strengths, and report any concerns.
Joining a new organization is a great time to build community on campus. Team building activities should focus on getting to know individuals and celebrating our unique contributions. Activities that humiliate, degrade, or harm prevent us from creating a supportive Bearcat community.
Individuals joining organizations may feel obligated to participate in behaviors which they typically wouldn't out of a desire to belong. Regardless of someone's willingness to participate, mentally or physically harmful behaviors are still hazing.
It is important for all Bearcats to stop and prevent mentally and physically harmful behaviors, no matter how long the behavior has been happening. Our Bearcat tradition is one of respect and support, not hazing.
If you notice changes in a friend's behavior or habits or are concerned about activities within an organization, it is important to seek help. Even if you don't know specific details, reporting concerns can help support individual students and prevent harmful behaviors.