ROWAN UNIVERSITY POLICY 

Title: Hazing Policy
Subject: Student Life
Policy No: SL: 2016:05
Applies: University-Wide
Issuing Authority: President
Responsible Officer: Vice Chancellor of Student Life/Dean of Students
Adopted: 08/19/2016
Last Revision:  07/07/2025
Last Reviewed: 07/07/2025

I.    PURPOSE

Rowan University strictly prohibits hazing of any kind, and as described more fully below. This includes, but is not limited to, any actions, activities, events, or programs initiated or sponsored by an individual, group, student club/organization or team. Students and/or student groups may be held accountable for both violations of state law and University policy as it is related to hazing.

II.   ACCOUNTABILITY

Under the direction of the President, the Vice Chancellor of Student Life/Dean of Students shall implement and ensure compliance with this policy.

III.  APPLICABILITY

This policy is applicable to all students of Rowan University.

IV.  REFERENCES

1. New Jersey Code 2C:40-3 Hazing
   1. A person is guilty of hazing, if, in connection with initiation of applicants to or members of a student or fraternal organization, the person knowingly or recklessly:
      1. Causes, coerces, or otherwise induces another person to commit an act that violates federal or State criminal law;
      2. Causes, coerces, or otherwise induces another person to consume any food, liquid, alcoholic liquid, drug or other substance which subjects the person to a risk of emotional or physical harm or is otherwise deleterious to the person's health;
      3. Subjects another person to abuse, mistreatment, harassment, or degradation of a physical nature, including, but not limited to, whipping, beating, branding, excessive calisthenics, or exposure to the elements;
      4. Subjects another person to abuse, mistreatment, harassment, or degradation of a mental or emotional nature, including, but not limited to, activity adversely affecting the mental or emotional health or dignity of the individual, sleep deprivation, exclusion from social contact, or conduct that could result in extreme embarrassment;
      5. Subjects another person to abuse, mistreatment, harassment, or degradation of a sexual nature; or
      6. Subjects another person to any other activity that creates a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury to the person. Hazing does not include any reasonable and customary athletic, law enforcement, or military training contests, competitions or events.
   2. Hazing is a crime of the third degree if an actor commits an act prohibited in subsection a. of this section which results in death or serious bodily injury to another person and is a crime of the fourth degree if the actor commits an act prohibited in subsection a. of this section which results in bodily injury to another person. Otherwise, hazing is a disorderly persons offense.
   3. In addition to any other sanctions or penalties that may be imposed, a student or fraternal organization described in subsection a. of this section, or an institution of higher education, that knowingly or recklessly promotes or facilitates a person to commit an act of hazing prohibited in this section shall be subject to a fine of not less than $1,000 or more than $5,000 for an initial violation of subsection a. of this section, and a fine of not less than $5,000 or more than $15,000 for each subsequent violation.
   4. A person, student or fraternal organization, or institution of higher education, and another person acting in concert with the person, organization, or institution, shall be immune from prosecution under this section if the person, or an employee, officer, or other agent acting on behalf of the organization or institution, as the case may be:
      1. Called 9-1-1, or otherwise contacted campus security, police, or emergency services, and reported that a person was in need of medical assistance due to an act of hazing as described in this section; 
      2. The caller provided the caller’s name and, if applicable, the name of the person acting in concert with the caller to the 9-1-1 operator or other recipient of the emergency contact; 
      3. The caller was the first to make the 9-1-1 report or other emergency report; and
      4. The caller and, if applicable, the person acting in concert with the caller remained on the scene with the person in need of medical assistance until assistance arrived and cooperated with the emergency services on the scene.
         In addition to any other applicable immunity or limitation on civil liability, a law enforcement officer or other official empowered to act as an officer for the arrest of offenders against the laws of this State, or a prosecutor, who, acting in good faith, arrested or charged a person who is thereafter determined to be entitled to immunity from prosecution under this subsection shall not be subject to any civil liability for the wrongful arrest or charge.
2. New Jersey Code 2C:40-4 - Consent, sanction not available as defense
   1. Notwithstanding any other provision of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes to the contrary, consent shall not be available as a defense to a prosecution under this act.
   2. It shall not be an affirmative defense to a prosecution under section 1 of P.L.1980, c. 169 (C.2C:40-3) that the conduct in which the actor engaged was sanctioned or approved by a student or fraternal organization or an institution of higher education.
3. New Jersey Code 2C:40-5 - Conduct Constituting Offense May Be Prosecuted Under Other Provisions of Title 2C
   1. Conduct constituting an offense under this act may, at the discretion of the prosecuting attorney, be prosecuted under any other applicable provision of Title 2C of the New Jersey State Statutes.
4. New Jersey Statute 18A:3-24 to 27.4
5. Timothy J. Piazza Law NJ S84/2093
6. Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, 20 U.S.C. 1092(f)
   1. For purposes of reporting statistics on hazing incidents in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, “hazing” means 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 (i) is committed in the course of an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, a student organization; and (ii) causes or creates a risk, above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in the institution of higher education or the organization (such as the physical preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team), 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; and
      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.
   2. The term “student organization,” for purposes of reporting hazing incidents in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, means an organization at an institution of higher education (such as a club, society, association, varsity or junior varsity athletic team, club sports team, fraternity, sorority, band, or student government) in which two or more of the members are students enrolled at the institution of higher education, whether or not the organization is established or recognized by the institution.

V.  POLICY

1. Rowan defines hazing as any action taken, created, or situated, in connection with initiating, promoting, fostering, or confirming any form of affiliation with a recognized or unrecognized student group or organization which intentionally or recklessly subjects any person to the risk of bodily harm or mental or physical harassment, or causing or encouraging any person to commit an act that would be a violation of law or university regulations.  Examples of hazing are set forth in Sections IV.1.a and IV.5.a above.
2. Rowan defines a student group or organization as a fraternity, sorority, association, corporation, order, society, corps, club or service, social or similar group, whose members are primarily students or alumni of Rowan or a national or international organization with which such a group is affiliated.
3. The student group or any individual involved in hazing commits a violation of university policy by:
   1. Engaging in hazing
   2. Soliciting, encouraging, aiding, or directing another engaged in hazing
   3. Intentionally or knowingly permitting hazing to occur
   4. Having first-hand knowledge that a specific hazing incident has occurred and failing to report that information in writing to University officials.
4.  Rowan will maintain hazing prevention and awareness program(s) designed to reach students, staff, and faculty which includes prevention strategies intended to prevent hazing and which informs trainees how to report incidents of such hazing, and the process used to investigate such incidents of hazing, and information on applicable local, State, and Tribal laws on hazing.
5. Incidents of hazing may be reported here. The Vice Chancellor for Student Life/Dean of Students, or designee, will conduct a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation of incidents of alleged hazing, including but not limited to, interviews of reporting students, accused students, and witnesses, as well as review of other documentation or information submitted or reasonably available.  If there is sufficient information to support disciplinary charges, the matter will be referred to the Office of Community Standards in accord with applicable disciplinary procedure set forth in the Student Code of Conduct.  Particular matters may also be referred to the Director of Athletics, Director of Orientation and Student Leadership Programs, or other appropriate office as needed.  Supportive measures will be offered to students impacted by the alleged hazing.
6. Rowan’s Hazing Transparency Report is available on the Dean of Students website.