Hazing Prevention & Response Policy

I. Purpose

Goucher College is committed to providing a healthy, safe, and productive educational environment for all members of the college community. Consistent with this commitment, the college strictly prohibits hazing.

II. Scope

This policy applies to all students enrolled at Goucher College and is effective on July 1, 2025.

III. Policy statement

Hazing is expressly prohibited by Goucher College. Individual students, groups of students, or student organizations who commit an act of hazing are subject to disciplinary action by the College up to and including dismissal and may be referred to local criminal authorities.

IV. Definitions

Student Organization: An organization at Goucher, such as a club, society, association, varsity or junior varsity athletic team, club sports team, band, or student government, in which two or more members are students enrolled at Goucher, whether or not the organization is established or recognized by Goucher.

Hazing: Goucher College defines hazing in accordance with federal and state law, as follows:

Federal Law: The Stop Campus Hazing Act, a federal law enacted in December 2024, defines “hazing” as 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, of physical or psychological injury including:
    1. Whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone’s body, or similar activity.
    2. Causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, extreme calisthenics, or other similar activity.
    3. Causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to consume food, liquid, alcohol, drugs, or other substances.
    4. Causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts.
    5. Any activity that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words or conduct.
    6. Any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, or Federal law.
    7. 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.

Other conduct that may constitute hazing and is prohibited includes, but is not limited to:

  • Hindering a person from fulfilling their academic, athletic, or occupational obligations.
  • Deprivation of food.
  • Hindering a person from practicing personal hygiene.
  • Any action or activity taken, or situation created intentionally, whether on or off campus, that creates mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule.
  • Any action or activity that could cause pain, disgrace, or injury, or that is personally degrading, or that violates any federal, state, local law, or college policy.

Maryland Law: The State of Maryland has an anti-hazing law. Under that law, it is a criminal offense, punishable by imprisonment and/or a fine, for a person to recklessly or intentionally do an act or create a situation that subjects a student to the risk of serious bodily injury for the purpose of initiation into a student organization of a school, college, or university. Maryland Code Annotated, Criminal Law Article, § 3-607. A student's implied or expressed consent to hazing is not a defense under this law.

Maryland law makes it illegal to participate in or cause acts of hazing. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding $500 or both. In addition, under Maryland law, consent of those being hazed will not be accepted as a defense under Maryland Law.

V. How to report hazing

If a person becomes aware of conduct that possibly violates this policy, the individual must file a report online or file a report to the dean of students or Goucher College’s Office of Campus Safety as soon as possible.

Online Reporting forms:

Contact the Dean of Students:

Contact the Office of Campus Safety:

VI. Procedures

After receiving the report regarding hazing, the Associate Vice President & Dean of Students or designee will make a prompt initial evaluation of the information received and determine appropriate next steps, given the information received and specific circumstances of the situation.

All reports received by the college reasonably believed to claim hazing involving college students or student organizations will be investigated under the college’s Student Code of Conduct. Investigations may be additionally referred to the Office of Title IX if allegations include or reflect possible sexual misconduct or discrimination. The college may work with any national organizations, governing bodies, or offices that may have oversight of the students and/or organizations involved. If the determination is made that hazing has occurred, the college will take appropriate measures, including disciplinary action when warranted, to address the conduct and to prevent a recurrence of prohibited conduct in the future.

VII. Hazing prevention & awareness

To promote community standards of behavior, the college will implement programs to prevent hazing and raise awareness among students, staff, and faculty. These programs will be research based or evidence-informed, addressing strategies to break barriers related to reporting hazing, primary prevention strategies, the bystander effect, warning signs of hazing, how to report and take action, ethical leadership, and building group cohesion without hazing.

VIII. Campus hazing transparency report

If Goucher issues a finding of a hazing violation, it will subsequently create a Campus Hazing Transparency Report (CHTR) that will be posted on the Dean of Students webpage, summarizing the findings concerning any student organization established or recognized by Goucher that is found responsible for violating the standards of conduct relating to hazing. The CHTR will be updated every six months thereafter if there are additional hazing violations found during that period. The CHTR will disclose for each such incident: (a) the name of such student organization; (b) a general description of the violation that resulted in a finding of responsibility, including whether the violation involved the abuse or illegal use of alcohol or drugs, the findings of the institution, and any sanctions placed on the student organization; and (c) the dates on which the incident was alleged to have occurred, the investigation into the incident was initiated, the investigation ended with a finding that a hazing violation occurred, and notice was given to the student organization that the incident resulted in a hazing violation. The CHTR will include information about Goucher’s policies relating to hazing and applicable local, state, and tribal laws on hazing. The information contained in each CHTR and each update will be maintained for five (5) calendar years from the date of publication of each CHTR. The report will not include personally identifiable information about individual students.

IX. Related policies & resources

Related resources include:

X. Responsible office

Offices responsible for this policy include:

XI. History

Adopted: September 24, 2025

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