Skip to Content
Seton Hall University

Anti-Hazing Policy

Purpose

Hazing is contrary to the principles, values, and Catholic mission of Seton Hall University. Hazing endangers individuals and undermines the integrity of campus life. The purpose of this policy is to prohibit acts of hazing in connection with the admission, acceptance, or retention process of any group, organization, or athletic activity and to prohibit retaliation for bringing a claim alleging a violation of this policy or participating in a review of any such claim in accordance with New Jersey’s Anti-Hazing law (N.J.S.A. 2C:40-3 et seq.) and the Stop Campus Hazing Act, Pub. L. No.118-173 (2024), amending the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, 20 U.S.C. §1092(f), a subsection of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Scope

This policy applies to all University students, organizations, and groups and to all Trustees, Regents, officers, faculty, administrators, staff members, employees, alumni, vendors and guests, on and off campus. This policy does not abridge or supersede an individual’s rights and remedies under the law.

Definitions

“Hazing” is any intentional, knowing, or reckless action taken or situation created (on or off campus) against another person(s), regardless of their willingness to participate, that causes or creates a risk of physical or mental/psychological harm, discomfort, embarrassment, ridicule or mistreatment, for the purpose of or in the course of initiation, admission, acceptance, affiliation, maintenance, or retention of membership in a student organization, organization whose members are primarily minors, students, or alumni, or any national or international organization with which such a group is affiliated. This definition includes, but is not limited to, all acts of illegal hazing prohibited by New Jersey law, below:

(1) causes, coerces, or otherwise induces another person to commit an act that violates federal or New Jersey 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 also includes all injuries or risk of injury committed in the course of hazing as defined by Federal law, 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; ‘‘(ee) any activity that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words or conduct;

(5) any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, New Jersey, Tribal, or Federal law; and

(6) any activity that induces, causes, or requires another person to perform a duty or task that involves a criminal violation of local, New Jersey, Tribal, or Federal law.

“Student Organization,” for purposes of this Policy only, is defined as an organization at the University (such as a club, society, association, varsity athletic team, club sports team, fraternity, sorority, band, performing arts group, or student government) in which two or more of the members are students enrolled at the University, whether or not the organization is established or recognized by the University.

Policy

A. Hazing Prohibited. The University strictly prohibits individuals from engaging in or encouraging others to engage in activities that constitute hazing, as defined above. Hazing is often required or implied as a condition of inclusion or exclusion from a group, whether formal or informal. Hazing may be perpetuated by individual(s) against individual(s), individual(s) against group, group against individual(s), or group against group.

Hazing does not include any reasonable and customary athletic, law enforcement or military training; contests; competitions; or events or any reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in an organization or University.

Examples of hazing in violation of this policy may include, but are not limited to:

  1. Physical Training: requiring calisthenics (including sit-ups, running, or any form of physically abusive or excessive exercise); any physical action or restraint that may inflict harm or pain on an individual(s), or placing a person in a position or situation of possible harm or threat.

  2. Forcing, requiring, recommending and/or coercing consumption of any alcoholic beverage or drug;

  3. Requiring ingestion of an undesirable or unwanted substance (food, drink, concoction).

  4. Harassment (whether verbal, mental or physical) of individual(s) or group(s).

  5. Scavenger hunts that require or result in theft; forced or coerced road trips and/or kidnapping.

  6. Endorsing or conducting pranks such as borrowing or stealing items, destruction of property or objects, pulling false fire alarms, or any other activity in violation of the law.

  7. Personal servitude (doing chores or errands for the group(s) or individual members).

  8. Sleep interruption or deprivation; conducting activities that do not allow adequate time to study.

  9. Any required or recommended activity taking place between midnight and 7 a.m. during the weekday (1 a.m. on weekends), or series of activities that do not allow for 8 hours of sleep per night.

  10. Morally degrading, humiliating or embarrassing games or activities.

  11. Requiring or recommending the wearing of apparel or hairstyles that are conspicuous and/or normally in bad taste. This includes unusual clothing styles, repetitious wearing of uniforms or repetitious "dressing up" (coat and tie, dresses, etc.) Clothing that refers directly to the wearer as "pledge" or other terms is not acceptable.

  12. Line-ups or any interrogation for information about the history, purpose or direction of the organization that is not consistent with legitimate testing

  13. Requiring or recommending the carrying of unusual items (rocks, plants, pumpkins, pillows, etc.).

  14. Forced isolation from other members, friends or the rest of the campus. This includes any prohibition on speaking or social interaction, including public marching or walking in lines or "on line.

  15. Deception and/or threats contrived to convince the individual he/she will not be able to join the organization, or that purposely inflicts mental stress by not revealing the requirements or basic timetable for joining.

B. How to Report Given the potential seriousness of the risks presented by hazing, each member of the University community is obligated to report any incident of known or suspected hazing. This includes any incidents experienced and/or observed that violate this policy or any concerns about hazing.

Incidents or concerns may be reported to any of the following:

Dean of Students Office
[email protected]
973-761-9076

Public Safety and Security
973-761-9300

Athletics Administration – Deputy AD for Compliance
973-761-9494

Fraternity and Sorority Life
973-275-3362

Reports may also be made anonymously through EthicsPoint, an anonymous and confidential reporting tool.

C. False Reports Seton Hall University will not tolerate intentionally false reporting of incidents. It is a violation of University policy to make an intentionally false report of any policy violation, and it may also violate state criminal statues and civil defamation laws. A person will be referred to the appropriate campus process if found to have intentionally made a false report or knowingly submitted falsified materials.

D. Program of Enforcement The University’s program of enforcement as to anti-hazing efforts is outlined in its Conduct Process (for Student Organizations) and its Student Conduct Process outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.

Once a report is received, the Dean of Students will assign an investigator(s) to conduct the investigation. Investigations will be prompt and equitable. The purpose of the investigation is fact-finding. To this end, the investigator(s) will:

    • Interview all available witnesses with direct or contemporaneous knowledge of the incident(s).

    • Collect all available evidence relevant to the reported incident(s).

    • Collaborate with relevant University departments as appropriate.

Reasonable rules of evidence will guide the investigator(s).

The investigator(s) will document all interviews and evidence into an investigative report to the Dean of Students Office for next steps in the adjudication process.

A person(s) or organization(s) may be charged with hazing under the University’s Student Code of Conduct, which may result in sanctions. Sanctions to persons found to have engaged in hazing may include any one or combination of the following: fines, withholding diplomas or transcripts pending compliance with the rules or payment of the fines, or probation, suspension, dismissal, or expulsion. Sanctions for organizations found to have engaged in hazing include the loss of permission for the organization to operate on campus or otherwise operate under the University’s recognition. Sanctions imposed by the University are separate from and have no effect on any criminal charges that may be brought by local law enforcement.

Any other University community member against whom a hazing report is received will be referred to the appropriate University office for further review and potential discipline, up to and including termination.

Neither consent of the person(s) being hazed nor any approval or sanctioning of the hazing by an organization or group are defenses to any conduct prohibited by this policy.

E. Non-Retaliation Policy. Retaliation against an individual who has made a good faith complaint of hazing or participated in the investigation of a complaint under this policy, or the law, is prohibited. In addition, any effort to conceal information and/or hinder the investigation of a violation of this policy is strictly prohibited and may result in disciplinary action. Such conduct may also constitute criminal conduct in New Jersey and may result in additional criminal charges brought by law enforcement.

F. New Jersey Law. In New Jersey, hazing is a crime (N.J.S.A. 2C:40-3 et seq.). Under New Jersey law, hazing is a third-degree crime if the hazing results in death or serious bodily injury of another person. Hazing is a fourth-degree crime if the hazing results in bodily injury to another person. If there is no bodily injury resulting from the hazing, it is a disorderly persons offense. Individuals found guilty of hazing may be subject to criminal penalties, including fines and/or imprisonment. Criminal penalties may be assessed against organizations that knowingly or recklessly promote or facilitate an act of hazing including steep fines.

Individuals and organizations are immune from prosecution if they do all of the following: 1) call 9-1-1, or otherwise contacted campus public safety, police, or emergency services, and reported that a person was in need of medical assistance due to an act of hazing; 2) in the call, provide their name and the names of the persons/groups acting in concert to commit the hazing; 3) are the first to report the emergency; and 4) remain, with those acting in concert and the person needing medical assistance, at the scene until assistance arrives and cooperate with emergency responders. The individual who receives medical assistance as a result of the call placed is also immune from prosecution.

G. Reports on Hazing. Both the federal Stop Campus Hazing Act and the New Jersey Anti-Hazing law require that the University maintains and publishes reports reflecting information about reported student organization misconduct.

In accordance with the federal Stop Campus Hazing Act, the University reports all hazing violations in its Campus Hazing Transparency Report, which can be found on the University website, for the previous five years, including:

    • Each incident involving a student organization for which a finding of responsibility is issued relating to a hazing violation.
    • Name of the organization.
    • Date(s) of incident(s), investigation start and end, and violation notice, if any.
    • Description of the violation.

The Campus Hazing Transparency Report will begin July 1, 2025, and will be updated on January 1 and August 1 each year if there are additional findings of responsibility to document.

In compliance with the Stop Campus Hazing Act, the University also reports hazing incidents which occur within particular geographic locations (Clery geography) in its Annual Security Report, beginning with the 2026 Annual Security Report.

In accordance with the New Jersey law, the University reports all hazing violations in its University Recognized Clubs & Organizations Hazing Report, which can be found on the University website, for the previous five years, including:

    • Each reported incident of hazing for a recognized or established student organization,
    • Name of organization,
    • Date of report,
    • Date of charges if applicable,
    • Date of resolution,
    • General description of allegation(s) and violation(s),
    • General description of investigation, findings, and result, and
    • Penalties/sanctions issued, if any.

H. Prevention and Awareness Programs.

In alignment with the prevention and awareness program requirements of the Stop Campus Hazing Act, the University maintains a commitment to not only address incidents of hazing that occur, but also to educate our campus community about hazing and methods to prevent this type of harm.

Training and outreach programs are provided to all students, all employees, and with targeted emphasis for varsity athletic teams, fraternity and sorority organizations, student clubs and organizations, and any interested campus group. To learn more or schedule a training, please contact the Office of Student Engagement.

The University also provides ongoing education campaigns, including workshops, speakers, social media campaigns, and online modules. The learning goals of the trainings include:

    • Ability to identify behaviors that constitute hazing, including subtle, coercive, and overt forms.
    • Knowledge of how to report incidents and concerns about hazing.
    • Ability to distinguish between the harmful effects of hazing and the tradition of bonding.
    • Skills of bystander intervention, identifying safe, effective strategies to prevent or disrupt hazing behaviors.
    • Methods to foster inclusion, team-building, and group cohesion without hazing.

Additionally, the University provides multiple resources for ongoing support to individuals and groups including:

Related Policies

Student Code of Conduct
Student Athlete Handbook
Employee Handbook
Faculty Guide

Responsible Offices

    • Department of Athletics and Recreational Services
    • Division of Student Services
    • Department of Human Resources

Approved

Approved by Mary J. Meehan, Ph.D., Interim President, on the recommendation of the Executive Cabinet on August 30, 2018. Amended and approved by Joseph E. Nyre, Ph.D., President, on the recommendation of the Executive Cabinet, on March 22, 2022. Amended and approved by Msgr. Joseph Reilly, President, on the recommendation of the Executive Cabinet, on June 18, 2025.

Effective Date

August 30, 2018

First Amended: March 22, 2022

Second Amended: June 18, 2025