Central Penn College Antihazing Policy

Central Penn College Policy: Antihazing Policy
Policy Category: Institutional
Subject: Antihazing policy per the Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Law, 18 Pa. C.S. § 2801, et seq.
Policy Initiator: Institutional Effectiveness Officer
Responsible Party for Policy Maintenance: Office of Student Services
Office Responsible for Review and Approval of this Policy: Office of Student Services

Purpose

Central Penn College (CPC) does not tolerate hazing. Any student, student group, student organization, team, or other persons associated with a student organization found responsible of Hazing, Aggravated Hazing, or Organizational Hazing under this Policy, whether occurring on or off campus, may face disciplinary action from CPC, and may also face criminal charges under state law, including The Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Law, 18 Pa. C.S. § 2801, et seq.

Pennsylvania law, 18 Pa. C.S. § 2808(a)(1), requires institutions to adopt a written policy against hazing and “adopt rules prohibiting students or other persons associated with an organization operating under the sanction of, or recognized as an organization by, a College from engaging in hazing or other identifiable offenses under this chapter.

The purpose of this policy is to state CPC’s Anti-Hazing Policy; identify how CPC will enforce this Policy; and identify resources for reporting violations of this Policy. This policy will be posted on CPC’s publicly accessible Internet website, be attached as an appendix to its Student Code of Conduct, and circulated to all CPC organizations as required by statute.

Definitions

Aggravated Hazing: A person commits the offense of aggravated hazing if the person commits a violation of Hazing that results in serious bodily injury or death to the minor or student; and

(1) The person acts with reckless indifference to the health and safety of the minor or student; or

(2) The person causes, coerces, or forces the consumption of an alcoholic liquid or drug by the minor or student.

Hazing: An intentional, knowing, or reckless act, 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 items listed below:

(1) Violate Federal or State criminal law;

(2) Consume any food, liquid, alcoholic liquid, drug, or other substance which subjects the minor or student to a risk of emotional or physical harm;

(3)Endure brutality of a physical nature, including whipping, beating, branding, calisthenics, or exposure to the elements;

1. (4)  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;
2. (5)  Endure brutality of a sexual nature; or
3. (6)  Endure any other activity that creates a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury to the minor or student.

Hazing does not include reasonable and customary athletic, law enforcement, or military training, contests, competitions or events.

Organization:

(1) A recognized or unrecognized fraternity, sorority, association, corporation, order, society, corps, club or service, social or similar group, whose members are primarily minors, CPC students, CPC alumni, or alumni of an organization.

(2) A national or international organization with which a fraternity or sorority or other organization as enumerated under paragraph (1) is affiliated.

Organizational Hazing: An organization commits the offence of Organizational Hazing if the organization intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly promotes or facilitates a violation of Hazing or Aggravated Hazing

Other persons associated with an organization: Any individual who assists students and organizations including but not limited to advisors, alumni, coaches, representatives of national or parent organizations, including but not limited to, its directors, trustees, or officers.

Student: An individual who attends, has applied to attend, or has been admitted to CPC.

Application

This Policy applies to any acts of Hazing, Aggravated Hazing, or Organizational Hazing occurring for each act conducted on or off campus.

Prohibited Acts

Hazing, Aggravated Hazing, and Organizational Hazing are each prohibited by this Policy. It shall not be a defense to these acts that the consent of the minor or student was sought or obtained or that the conduct was sanctioned or approved by an organization.

Reporting Violations

CPC encourages all members of its community who believe that they have witnessed, experienced, or are aware of conduct that constitutes Hazing, Aggravated Hazing, or Organizational Hazing in violation of this Policy to report the violation to the Office of Student Services at 717-728-2398 or compliancedirector@centralpenn.edu.

Enforcement

Any substantiated violation of this Policy shall be deemed a violation of CPC’s Student Code of Conduct and Pennsylvania law. All allegations of Hazing, Aggravated Hazing, or Organizational Hazing will be investigated as outlined in CPC’s Student Code of Conduct.

Sanctions

Anyone found responsible for violating this Policy may face disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from CPC. In addition to all sanctions provided under CPC’s Student Code of Conduct, those found responsible for violating this policy may also face additional sanctions, including but not limited to, the following:

(l) The imposition of fines;

1. (2)  The withholding of diplomas or transcripts pending compliance with the rules or payment of fines;
2. (3)  The rescission of permission for the organization to operate on campus or CPC property or to otherwise operate under the sanction or recognition of CPC;
3. (4)  The imposition of probation, suspension, dismissal or expulsion;
4. (5)  The issuance of no trespassing notices to any third parties not under the control of CPC;
5. (6)  Employee discipline up to and including termination;
6. (7)  Reporting of incident to law enforcement.

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CPC Biannual Report

CPC will maintain a report of all violations of this Policy or of Federal or State laws related to hazing that are reported to CPC. CPC interprets violations to mean substantiated violations. CPC will update the report biannually on January 1 and August 1 and will post all updated reports on its publicly accessible Internet website.

CPC will maintain each report for a period of five years.