Policy 6 – 12: HAZING POLICY

HAZING is prohibited at Quincy College.

Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 269, Section 17, makes it a crime to organize or participate in hazing!

Chapter 269: Section 17. “Whoever is a principal organizer in the crime of hazing, as defined herein, shall be punished by a fine of not more than three thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than one year, or both such fine and imprisonment. There term “hazing” as used in correction for not more than one year, or both suck fine and imprisonment. The term “hazing”, as used in this section and in sections 18 and 19, shall mean any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endanger the physical or mental health of any student or other person. Such conduct shall include whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the weather, forced consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug or other substance, or any other brutal treatment or forced physical activity which is likely to adversely affect the physical health or safety of any such student or other person, or which subjects such student or other person to extreme mental stress, including extended deprivation of sleep or rest or extended isolation … consent shall not be available as a defense to any prosecution under this section.”

Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 269, Section 18, makes it a crime to fail to report hazing!

Chapter 269: Section18. “Whoever knows that another person is the victim of hazing as defined in section 17 and is at the scene of such crime shall, to the extent that such person can do so without danger or peril to himself or others, report such crime to an appropriate law enforcement official as soon as reasonably practicable. Whoever fails to report such crime shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars. ”

Hazing as defined above and the failure to report hazing are also prohibited by Quincy College policy. Violations are subject to the Disciplinary Process and may result in penalties up to and including expulsion from Quincy College, in addition to criminal penalties.

Chapter 269: Section 19. “Each institution of secondary education and each public and private institution of post secondary education shall issue to every student group, student team or student organization which is part of such institution or is recognized by the institution or permitted by the institution to use its name or facilities or is known by the institution to exist as an unaffiliated student group, student team or student organization, a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen; provided, however that an institution’s compliance with this section’s requirements that an institution issue copies of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen to unaffiliated student groups, teams or organizations shall not constitute evidence of the institution’s recognition or endorsement of said unaffiliated student groups, teams or organizations."

Each such group, team or organization shall distribute a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen to each of its members, plebes, pledges or applicants for membership. It shall be the duty of each such group, team or organization, acting through its designated officer, to deliver annually, to the institution, an attested acknowledgement stating that such group, team or organization has received a copy of this section and said sections seventeen and eighteen, that each of its members, plebes, pledges, or applicants has received a copy of sections seventeen and eighteen, and that such group, team or organization understands and agrees to comply with the provisions of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen.

Each institution of secondary education and each public or private institution of post secondary education shall, at least annually, before or at the start of enrollment, deliver to each person who enrolls as a full-time student in such institution a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen.

Each institution of secondary education and each public or private institution of post secondary education and each public or private institution of post secondary education shall file, at least annually, a report with the board of higher education and in the case of secondary institutions, the board of education, certifying that such institution has complied with its responsibility to inform student groups, teams or organizations to notify each full-time student enrolled by it of the provisions of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen and also certifying that said institution has adopted a disciplinary policy with regard to the organizers and participants of hazing, and that such policy has been set forth with appropriate emphasis in the student handbook or similar means of communicating the institution’s policies to its students. The Board of Higher Education and, in the case of secondary institutions, the Board of Education, shall promulgate regulations governing the content and frequency of such reports, and shall forthwith report to the attorney general any such institution which fails to make such report."

As required by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 269, section 19, the College shall annually, before or at the start of enrollment, deliver to each person who enrolls as a full-time student a copy of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 269, sections 17 – 19.

As required by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 269, section 19, the College shall file, at least annually, a report with the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education certifying that the College has complied with its responsibility to inform student groups, teams or organizations and to notify each full-time student enrolled by it of the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws policy with regard to the organizers and participants of hazing, and that such policy has been set forth with appropriate emphasis in the student handbook or similar means of communicating the College’s policies to its students.

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