Discipline Related Policies and Procedures Prohibition of Student Hazing

New Mexico State University promotes a safe environment where students may reside on campus, participate in University sponsored activities, and other organizations without compromising their health, safety, or wellness. It is therefore the University’s policy that any form of hazing is prohibited.

1. “Hazing” is an act committed by an individual or group of individual(s) on or off campus where the following apply:
   1. The act was committed in connection with student status or in connection with an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, any organization. For the purpose of this policy, “Organization” means an intercollegiate or intramural athletic team; chartered student organization; or other association, order, society, corps, cooperative, club, or similar group that is officially affiliated with the University and whose membership consists primarily of students enrolled at the University; and
   2. The act creates unreasonable risk of emotional or physical harm, or causes actual physical harm, mental duress or degradation, or interferes with a student’s academic endeavors or progress.
2. It is a violation of this policy even if the hazing victim consented to or acquiesced in the hazing activity.
3. Examples of hazing may include, and are not limited to:
   1. Forced consumption of food, liquor, drug or other substances;
   2. Physical abuse, such as whipping, beating, branding, pushing, shoving, or tackling, use of physical restraints, etc;
   3. Forced physical activity;
   4. Sleep deprivation;
   5. Theft of property under any circumstance;
   6. Conducting activities that interfere with a member’s (prospective or actual) academic responsibilities;
   7. Yelling, screaming, or calling members (prospective or actual) demeaning names, or restricting normal routine social interaction;
   8. Engaging in behavior that is generally humiliating and or degrading to others;
   9. Forcing, requiring or endorsing new members to violate University policies, organization/association bylaws, team rules and/or any local, state, or federal law.
4. This policy is not intended to prohibit the following conduct:
   1. Customary public athletic events, contests or competitions as sponsored by the University;
   2. Activity or conduct that furthers the goals of an official educational curriculum, a legitimate extracurricular program (ie intercollegiate athletic teams) or a legitimate military training program, or legitimate University function.
5. Prevention of hazing is the responsibility of every member of the University Community. Each organization, association, and athletic team, as well as each individual has the obligation to report incidents that are believed to be associated with hazing to the Office of Student Judicial Services.
6. All alleged violations of this policy prohibiting hazing will be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated. All substantiated violations are subject to various administrative, civil and/or criminal sanctions through one or more of the following: the Office of Student Judicial Services, the Administrative Review Process through the Department of Campus Activities, the Athletic Social Misconduct Review Board, Housing and Residential Life, or other appropriate university procedure; as well as through the appropriate local, state, federal law enforcement agencies, if the misconduct also constitutes a crime.