26 Hazing

Hazing Prevention Policy and Procedures

1. Introduction

The Stop Campus Hazing Act (the Act) was enacted on December 23, 2024. The Act amends the

Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, 20 U.S.C. §

1092(f), a subsection of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (the Clery Act), and officially renames

the Clery Act as the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act.

Murray State College is committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and healthy environment for

all students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Hazing undermines these values and will not be

tolerated under any circumstances.

Murray State College strictly prohibits any form of hazing by members of its campus

community. This includes participating in, encouraging, assisting with, or failing to report hazing

or hazing-related activities. Individuals found in violation of this policy may face disciplinary

action and may also be referred to local law enforcement.

This policy applies to all members of the Murray State College community, including but not

limited to students, full-time and part-time faculty, exempt and non-exempt staff, Registered

Student Organizations, official college groups, alumni, visitors, vendors, and invitees on

campus.

1. Murray State College Policy on Hazing (Approved June 17, 2025)

Policy Statement

Hazing in any form is prohibited. In Oklahoma, hazing is a crime punishable by a fine,

potential forfeiture of organizational rights, and can also result in imprisonment for

individuals. Any faculty member, staff member, alumnus, or student in the college

community with knowledge or suspicion of hazing is expected to report the activity to

college officials or campus police. If there is an immediate threat of danger, call 911.

Failure to report hazing activity could result in disciplinary action. All members of the

college community are expected to cooperate in a hazing investigation upon request.

Retaliation against any individual who reports hazing or participates in a hazing

investigation is strictly prohibited. Procedures for reporting, investigating, and resolving

hazing cases will be outlined in the Student Handbook. 

Murray State College’s Policy on Hazing

Murray State College strictly prohibits all forms of hazing and hazing-related conduct, consistent with

institutional policy, state law, and federal law.

Hazing includes, but is not limited to, the following actions:

• Committing any act that meets the definition of hazing as outlined by Murray State College,

Oklahoma State Law, or the Stop Campus Hazing Act of 2024.

• Expressing intent to engage in hazing, including verbal, written, or symbolic acts that

demonstrate a plan or desire to commit hazing.

• Encouraging, assisting, or facilitating hazing, directly or indirectly, including acts of coercion,

incitement, or peer pressure.

• Obstructing or interfering with a hazing investigation, including hiding or destroying evidence,

attempting to intimidate witnesses, or refusing to comply with investigative procedures.

• Failing to report hazing activity when there is knowledge or reasonable suspicion that hazing

has occurred or is likely to occur.

• Retaliating in any way against individuals who report suspected hazing or who participate in

investigations or disciplinary proceedings related to hazing.

Any faculty, staff, or student of the college community with knowledge or suspicion of hazing is

expected to report the activity to college officials or to campus police. If there is an immediate

threat of danger, call 911. Failure to report hazing activity could result in disciplinary action.

All members of the college community should cooperate in a hazing investigation upon request.

Retaliating in any manner against any individual who reports hazing or who participates in a hazing

investigation is prohibited.

These behaviors are prohibited regardless of the intent behind them or the willingness of the

participants. Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action for individuals or groups, referral

to law enforcement, and sanctions consistent with institutional and legal standards.

The following reasons are not valid defenses for hazing activities:

• The express or implied consent of the individual was obtained.
• The conduct or activity was not part of an official organizational or group event or was not

otherwise sanctioned or approved by the organization or group.

• The conduct or activity was not a condition of membership or affiliation with the

organization or group.

Allegations involving harassment (sexual misconduct) will also be forwarded to the Title IX Office

for investigation.

The college may notify affiliated regional or national offices of Registered Student Organizations

or official college groups of hazing allegations or investigations. Responsibility for any violations

of this policy may be attributed to the perpetrators, the Registered Student Organization, or the

official college group.

III. Definitions

Hazing

The Act defines hazing for purposes of reporting statistics on hazing incidents in an Annual Security

Report (ASR) 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 (such as the physical preparation

necessary for participation in an athletic team), of physical or psychological injury.

The Act sets forth non-exhaustive examples of conduct that cause or create such a risk, including:

• 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.

• 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.

Hazing may occur regardless of the individual’s willingness to participate in the activity or be found

present in a situation.

The Act’s definition of hazing includes the language “an affiliation with” a student organization, which

is broader than the definitions adopted by many states. Most states prohibit activities that are

sufficiently risky related to the initiation and maintenance of membership in a student organization.

The Act’s “an affiliation with” language is broader to the extent that it prohibits such activities

engaged in as part of an affiliation with a student organization, even where a person’s participation in

the activities is not conditioned on becoming a member or maintaining continued membership in the

student organization. The Act’s clarity regarding the scope of what constitutes a student organization

and the listing of examples of potential hazing activities further distinguishes this federal law from

most state anti-hazing laws.

Student Organization

Members of the college community include faculty, staff, students, registered student

organizations, official college groups, alumni, visitors, vendors, and invitees on campus.

The Act defines a “student organization” for purposes of reporting statistics as “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 at the institution of higher education, whether or not the organization is

established or recognized by the institution.”

As defined in the Stop Campus Hazing Act of 2024, a student organization is an organization at

an institution of higher education (such as a club, society, association, athletic team, club sports

team, fraternity, sorority, band, or student government) where two or more members of the

organization are students enrolled at the university, whether the organization is established or

recognized by the institution. https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/hr5646/BILLS-118hr5646enr.xml

This policy applies to behavior that occurs on the college property. It may also apply to off-campus

behavior if the activity is sponsored, conducted, authorized, or recognized by the college, a

Registered Student Organization, or an official college group. For additional information regarding

when a Registered Student Organization can generally be held responsible for violations of the

Student Code of Conduct, please see the Student Handbook

Prohibited Behavior

This policy will be reviewed and updated at least once every two years or in response to changes in

federal or state law. The Office of Student Affairs, in coordination with the Compliance Committee, is

responsible for maintaining and updating the policy to reflect current legal standards and campus

needs.

IV. Oklahoma Law 2024 Oklahoma Statutes

Title 21. Crimes and Punishments

• 21-1190. Hazing – Prohibition – Presumption as forced activity – Penalty – Definition.

1. No student organization or any person associated with any organization sanctioned or

authorized by the governing board of any public or private school or institution of higher

education in this state shall engage or participate in hazing.

1. Any hazing activity described in subsection F of this section upon which the initiation or

admission into or affiliation with an organization sanctioned or authorized by a public or

private school or by any institution of higher education in this state is directly or indirectly

conditioned shall be presumed to be a forced activity, even if the student willingly

participates in such activity.

1. A copy of the policy or the rules and regulations of the public or private school or institution

of higher education that prohibits hazing shall be given to each student enrolled in the

school or institution and shall be deemed to be part of the bylaws of all organizations

operating at the public school or the institution of higher education.

1. Any organization sanctioned or authorized by the governing board of a public or private

school or of an institution of higher education in this state which violates subsection A of

this section, upon conviction, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and may be punishable by

a fine of not more than One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) and the forfeit for

not less than one (1) year all of the rights and privileges of being an organization organized

or operating at the public or private school or at the institution of higher education.

1. Any individual convicted of violating the provisions of subsection A of this section shall be

guilty of a misdemeanor, and may be punishable by imprisonment for not to exceed ninety

(90) days in the county jail, or by the imposition of a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars

($500.00), or by both such imprisonment and fine.

1. For purposes of this section:
2. “Hazing” means an activity which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental health

or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into or

affiliation with any organization operating subject to the sanction of the public or private

school or of any institution of higher education in this state;

2. “Endanger the physical health” shall include but not be limited to any brutality of a

physical nature, such as whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to

the elements, forced consumption of any food, alcoholic beverage as defined in Section

506 of Title 37 of the Oklahoma Statutes, low-point beer as defined in Section 163.2 of

Title 37 of the Oklahoma Statutes, drug, controlled dangerous substance, or other

substance, or any other forced physical activity which could adversely affect the

physical health or safety of the individual; and

3. “Endanger the mental health” shall include any activity, except those activities

authorized by law, which would subject the individual to extreme mental stress, such as

prolonged sleep deprivation, forced prolonged exclusion from social contact, forced

conduct which could result in extreme embarrassment, or any other forced activity

which could adversely affect the mental health or dignity of the individual.

V. Reporting

1. If there is a threat of immediate danger, call 911.
2. Complaints or reports of hazing activities should be reported to a college official or the

local police.

3. You may report the event and other possible issues by filling out the following form on

the MSC website:

https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?MurrayStateOK&layout_id=0

4. Alternatively, you may contact:

Quinton Jones, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and TItle IX Officer; or

any Student Affairs team member

• Failure to report hazing activity could result in disciplinary action.
• Making an intentionally false accusation of hazing is prohibited.

IV. Response Protocol

When a hazing report is received, Murray State College will:

1. Acknowledge the Report Promptly

○ Confirm receipt and assess immediate safety risks.

○ Refer to Campus Police if there is imminent danger.

2. Initiate an Investigation

○ Assign the case to the appropriate office (Student Affairs, Title IX, or HR, depending on

parties involved).

○ Conduct a fair and timely investigation in accordance with the Student Handbook and

institutional procedures.

3. Protect the Reporter

○ Enforce protections against retaliation for anyone reporting or participating in the

investigation.

○ Provide access to support services and resources.

4. Determine Responsibility

○ Use a preponderance of the evidence standard to assess whether a violation occurred.

○ Apply the federal definition under the Stop Campus Hazing Act and Oklahoma

Statute 21 O.S. § 1190.

5. Issue Sanctions (if applicable)

○ Sanctions may include warnings, suspension, dismissal, or organizational penalties.

○ Cases involving criminal activity will be referred to local law enforcement.

6. Report Transparently

○ If an organization is found responsible, a summary will be included in the Campus

Hazing Transparency Report posted on the college website .

○ Statistical data will be included in the Annual Security Report (ASR) in compliance

with the Clery Act.

V. Possible Sanctions

Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action under the Student Code of Conduct,

Human Resources policies and procedures, or other applicable college regulations or policies.

Alumni and visitors refusing to comply may be reported to the Campus Police Department

• Possible sanctions for individuals found responsible for violating this policy range from a

warning to expulsion.

• Potential sanctions for Registered Student Organizations and official College groups range

from censure to indefinite dismissal. Faculty and staff found responsible for violating this

policy could be terminated from employment.

• Violations of this policy are subject to referral to appropriate law enforcement as well as to

regional and national affiliated offices for action and/or prosecution.

• Any questions concerning the interpretation or application of this policy should be referred to

the Office of Student Affairs.

Office of Student Affairs

Admin 204

studentaffairs@mscok.edu

(580) 371-7139

VI.Campus Hazing Transparency Report

In compliance with the Stop Campus Hazing Act, effective July 1, 2025, a Campus Hazing

Transparency Report will be created to summarize the incidents associated with any Registered

Student Organizations found to be in violation of the Hazing Prevention Policy. This report will not

include allegations only. In the event of a responsible finding for hazing, the information will be

posted publicly on the College website. The public report will be updated twice a year if needed.

The report will include the following:

1. The name of Registered Student Organization
2. General description of the hazing violation, including whether it involved the use of drugs or

alcohol

3. Findings of the College about the violation and if sanctions were placed on the Registered

Student Organization

4. Dates for when the incident occurred, when the investigation was initiated, when the finding

of responsibility of the hazing violation occurred, and when the College notified the

Registered Student Organization of the finding. [Oklahoma Statute Title 21 §1190 – Hazing]

(https://law.justia.com/codes/oklahoma/title-21/section-21-1190/)

VII. Integration with Clery Act Reporting

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, the College is required to include

statistics on hazing in its Annual Security Report (ASR). These statistics include substantiated

hazing incidents committed by or against members of student organizations recognized by the

institution. The ASR will be published each calendar year and made publicly available in

accordance with Department of Education guidance.

These reporting obligations align with Public Law 118-173, the Stop Campus Hazing Act of 2024,

and guidance outlined in the Federal Student Aid Handbook Appendix. [Jeanne Clery Campus

Safety Act]

(https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-B/chapter-VI/part-668/subpart-D/section-668.46)

VIII. Prevention Program on Hazing

As part of our commitment to an educational environment free from hazing, the College

coordinates campus-wide awareness and prevention programming throughout each academic year

designed to reach students, faculty, and staff. Collaborative efforts in Student Affairs enables the

College to offer training intended to stop hazing before it occurs, including bystander intervention,

information about ethical leadership, and promotion of strategies for building group cohesion

without hazing. Examples of educational outreach and training programs related to hazing

awareness and prevention include:

• Hazing prevention training during New Student Orientation and New Employee Orientation
• Registered Student Organizations complete mandatory annual online hazing prevention

training, a course designed to increase awareness of hazing, bystander intervention skills,

and help students know where to go for help

This program meets federal prevention requirements by:

• Outlining current college policies related to hazing, how to report incidents, and investigation

procedures

• Providing information about applicable local, state, and tribal hazing laws
• Implementing research-informed strategies, including:

○ Ethical leadership development

○ Bystander intervention skill-building

○ Alternatives for team and group bonding without hazing

• These elements reflect compliance with the Stop Campus Hazing Act of 2024 and support the

development of a hazing-free campus culture.

 IX.Policy Communication

Murray State College ensures the visibility and accessibility of this policy through the following

methods:

• The hazing policy is published on the Murray State College website and linked in the Student

Handbook.

• The policy is discussed during New Student Orientation, New Employee Orientation, and in

annual Registered Student Organization (RSO) training.

• A campus-wide reminder is emailed to all students, faculty, and staff at the start of each

academic year.

• The President and Student Affairs leadership endorse and promote the policy through campus

messaging during National Hazing Prevention Week.