Division of Campus Life
Hazing Prevention
What is hazing?
Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—whether or not someone consents—that occurs as part of joining, affiliating with, or maintaining membership in a student organization and that causes, or risks causing, physical or psychological harm, involves illegal activity, or creates an environment of humiliation, intimidation, or degradation.
Hazing can be understood by its three key components:
- Behavior that holds the potential for physical, psychological and/or emotional harm;
- Behavior that is connected to group membership; and
- It can occur regardless of a person’s willingness to participate.
In Brown's Anti-Hazing Policy, hazing is defined 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 (whether on public or private property);
- 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—
- whipping, beating, striking, branding, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone’s body, or similar activity;
- causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, extended isolation, forced or extreme calisthenics, or other similar activity;
- causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to consume food, liquid, alcohol, drugs or other substances;
- causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts;
- any activity that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words or conduct;
- any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, or Federal law; and
- 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.
- creates an atmosphere for potential or actual humiliating, intimidating, degrading, or demeaning treatment;
- damages or removes public or private property; or
- compromises the academic mission and/or reputation of the University.
What are some examples of hazing?
The Spectrum of Hazing helps illustrate the range of hazing behaviors, how recognizable they are, and how frequently they occur. The behaviors listed on the left are often overlooked or explained away as harmless traditions, initiations, pranks and/or jokes. The behaviors toward the right happen less frequently, tend to be more violent, and are more recognizable as hazing. All of the hazing behaviors listed are prohibited by Brown University’s Anti-Hazing Policy.
Often, hazing prevention and response focus on explicit hazing (located on the right side of the spectrum), while behaviors on the left side are often disregarded, go unnoticed, or remain unaddressed. Once we recognize the variety of hazing behaviors that tend to be normalized, we are better equipped to intervene and prevent hazing – and, like dominoes, when we knock down one form of hazing, the rest will topple with it.
What is Brown's Anti-Hazing Policy?
Hazing is prohibited in Brown University’s Student Code of Conduct and Anti-Hazing Policy, and by the criminal laws of the State of Rhode Island. R.I.G.L. 11-21-1.
Brown's Anti-Hazing Policy states that no faculty or staff member, student, student organization, or volunteer shall engage in or participate as a witness in hazing. Individuals and student organizations engaging in hazing will be held accountable as individuals, teams, or groups for their involvement in hazing. Individual members, advisors, and coaches of such organizations, teams, and groups may also be held accountable for hazing.
What happens if there is an alleged violation?
Brown’s Office for Student Conduct and Community Standards oversees the process for filing a complaint about a violation of the University’s Anti-Hazing Policy. Complaints alleging violations of the Code of Conduct can be submitted through the Campus Incident Complaint Form. Individuals who are unable to access or use the online form should contact the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards at student-conduct@brown.edu or 401-863-2653.
What happens after a hazing report is made?
Once a report is made, Brown’s Office for Student Conduct and Community Standards will review the report for behaviors that violate University policies and follow the procedures outlined on their website. Individuals who fail to comply with the University’s Anti-Hazing Policy are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including:
- Suspension or expulsion for students
- Suspension without pay or termination of employment
- Suspension or de-recognition for student organizations, University-recognized groups, and athletic teams
- Suspension or revocation of the individual’s relationship with Brown University
- Banning from campus for volunteers
What does Brown do to prevent hazing?
In an ongoing effort to promote social well-being and prevent instances of hazing, in 2019, Brown formed the Hazing Prevention Coalition (HPC) in conjunction with Stop Hazing, an organization based at the University of Maine.
Brown continues to expand prevention efforts through online courses for students and staff and a variety of new initiatives designed to reduce hazing and associated high-risk behaviors while increasing social well-being and pro-health behaviors.
Efforts of the Hazing Prevention Coalition at Brown
Since its inception in 2019, Brown’s HPC has conducted rigorous assessments, including an evaluation of current University practices, focus groups with stakeholders, a risk and protective factor analysis and a survey of social behaviors for undergraduate students.
The findings from these efforts have led to the creation of the Hazing Prevention Education Scaffold, which supports our collective goal of developing sustainable plans to prevent hazing and encourage practices that foster healthy behaviors for connection and belonging.
Brown’s Hazing Prevention Education Scaffold is a set of specific goals, each aimed at improving a particular part of social well-being that can directly prevent hazing. Below is a graphic that illustrates these goals, along with a corresponding timeline that shows when and which steps have been implemented.
Hazing Prevention Coalition: Education Scaffolding
Education Scaffold Tier | Description of Intervention | Timeline for Development and Implementation |
Tier 1 | Hazing policy updated to provide a consistent definition and policy across the University. | Developed in 2021, published September 13, 2021. Updated in 2025 based on the Stop Campus Hazing Act. |
Tier 1 | Hazing Prevention website developed with definitions and reporting form, creating a centralized location for hazing information and reporting, which did not exist prior. | Developed in 2021, published May 11, 2021. Updated in 2025 based on the Stop Campus Hazing Act. |
Tier 1 | Education requirements for all incoming undergraduate students that include:
| Developed in 2023. Revised in 2025. Implemented annually. |
Tier 2 | Annual required education for student populations known to be at higher risk for witnessing, experiencing, and/or perpetuating hazing (education is unique for each population)
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Tier 3 | Expansion in depth and breadth of education efforts. Inclusion of pro-health behaviors and requiring participation from Campus Life staff while offering to the broader community. Learning objectives include:
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Tier 4 | Proactive and responsive education focusing on decision-making, expectations, and building positive relationships.
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Further Learning
Brown’s Hazing Prevention Micro-Course
Engage with Brown’s Hazing Prevention micro-course to identify behaviors/indicators of group dynamics that may compromise safety and well-being. You will also learn the definition of hazing, understand its impacts and have a chance to develop pro-health skills for preventing and interrupting harmful behaviors. The course is coming soon (anticipated July 2025)!
Article: University Hazing Prevention Coalition expands StopHazing partnership with mandatory online modules for student groups
Read about Brown’s hazing prevention efforts in this October 2023 Brown Daily Herald article highlighting Campus Life’s partnership with StopHazing. Read the article.