Hazing

Texas criminal law prohibits hazing at private universities, including Rice, and the University's Code of Student Conduct also prohibits any hazing or hazing type activity.

Hazing Prevention Policy

I. General Policy

Rice University values the safety of our campus community and strives to create a healthy community that allows Rice to pursue its mission of groundbreaking research and unsurpassed education for the betterment of our world. Rice also values being an inclusive learning community, and hazing violates Rice community standards.

Rice believes that student organizations and activities are a cornerstone of the Rice experience. All students shall have the right to be free of all actions that constitute hazing while attempting to become a member of, or maintaining membership in, any student group. All student organizations that include two or more members enrolled as Rice students are subject to this policy, regardless of the organization’s name or whether it is officially recognized by Rice. These organizations may include, but are not limited to, a residential college, club, society, association, NCAA athletic team, club sports team, band, student government, or other organization, group, or activity. Organizations, their members, their leaders, and their prospective members are prohibited from engaging in or encouraging others to engage in activities that constitute hazing, as defined by applicable law and the Code of Student Conduct, which are referenced in this policy.

Hazing is prohibited under university policy, the Code of Student Conduct, and Texas state law. Participation in hazing or hazing-type activities or failure to report these activities can lead to disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion.

II. Roles and Responsibilities

  • The Office of the Dean of Undergraduates is responsible for reporting, education, support, and investigations related to hazing incidents;
  • The Office of the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies is reporting, responsible for education, support, and investigations related to hazing incidents;
  • Student Judicial Programs (SJP) is responsible for reporting, education, support, and investigations related to hazing incidents;
  • The Rice University Police Department (RUPD) is responsible for reporting, support and investigations related to hazing incidents

III. Definitions

Hazing: As defined in the Code of Conduct “hazing and/or abusive affiliation” is:

Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, whether on or off campus, which endangers or adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or which encourages or leads to conduct that otherwise violates the Code or Rice policies or which a reasonable person would perceive is purposefully demeaning or humiliating to the students who are the object of the conduct, or which destroys or removes public or private property, for the purpose of membership in, affiliation with, and/or association with a group, including pressuring students to engage in hazing conduct. Consent of the participants or objects of the hazing conduct is not a defense to a charge of hazing. The individual student(s) conducting the hazing, the group(s) associated with the hazing, the group’s leadership, or others with knowledge of the planning of hazing activity and who do not notify SJP may all face sanctions under the Code. Students should also be aware that Texas state law also criminalizes the act of hazing and not reporting known hazing, as defined in the Texas Education Code § 37.151-37.152. Examples include but are not limited to:

  • whipping, beating, striking, 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, 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.

IV. Elaboration of Policy
A. Scope
All Rice student organizations and affiliates are prohibited from engaging in or encouraging hazing. This includes acts committed directly, assisted by others, or permitted through inaction.

B. Applicable Laws
Texas law requires Rice to provide students with regular notices about hazing and the prevention of hazing, which Rice provides by e-mail and through this policy. Under Texas law, a person commits a criminal violation of hazing if he or she engages in intentional or reckless acts directed at a student that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of the student for purposes of initiation into, affiliation with, holding office or membership in, an organization. Hazing can include a wide variety of physical brutality, other physical activities that subject the student to risk of harm, consumption of food or alcohol that subjects the student to risk of harm, intimidation, threats, or requiring the student to violate criminal law.

A person also violates the law if the person engages in, solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid another in hazing activity; if the person recklessly permits hazing to occur; or the person has firsthand knowledge of the planning of hazing or the past occurrence of a hazing incident and fails to report that knowledge in writing to an appropriate university official.

Texas state law criminalizes hazing. Offenses may result in:

  • Class B misdemeanor: failure to report, minor injury
  • Class A misdemeanor: serious bodily injury
  • State jail felony: death

Both individuals and organizations may be prosecuted. Consent of the participant is not a legal defense.

Additionally, the Stop Campus Hazing Act requires universities to act to prevent and report hazing.

C. Reporting Procedures
Students must report hazing to one of the following:
For Undergraduate Students:

  • Student Judicial Programs: sjp@rice.edu 713-348-4786
  • RUPD: rupd-cid@rice.edu 713-348-6000
  • College Magisters
  • Dean of Undergraduates: ugdean@rice.edu 713-348-4996

For Graduate Students:

  • Student Judicial Programs or RUPD (contacts above)
  • Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies: graduate@rice.edu 713-348-4002

Additionally, allegations of hazing can be reported via the:

  • Rice’s Anonymous Reporting Line, which allows anonymous and confidential reporting on matters of concern online at http://www.rice.edu/ethics or by phone (866-294-4633).

Failure to report can result in disciplinary and/or legal action.

D. Investigation Process
Hazing is a violation of Rice policy, the Student Code of Conduct, and, potentially, criminal law. As such, it is investigated in a manner consistent with both criminal law and the Code of Student Conduct with appropriate referral to and from Student Judicial Programs.

E. Prevention and Education
Rice University takes seriously the prevention and awareness of hazing. To prevent hazing, Rice maintains a website related to hazing at https://dou.rice.edu/student-resources/student-handbook/hazing. Additionally, each semester Rice distributes email notices with information about hazing and the prevention of hazing. Students with questions about hazing are encouraged to contact Student Judicial Programs.

F. Transparency Reporting
In accordance with federal law, hazing-related incidents are reported in Rice’s:

  • Campus Hazing Transparency Report
  • Annual Security and Fire Safety Report

Available at https://www.rice.edu/safety

V. Cross References to Related Policies