Purpose
Gadsden State Community College (“The College”) is committed to providing an environment for students, employees, and campus visitors that is free from all forms of hazing. Hazing violates College policy, federal and state law, and may lead to removal from school or termination of employment as well as personal liability—civil and criminal.
Definition
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; 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 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; 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.
The term ‘student organization’ for the purposes of Student Conduct Code violations is defined as an organized group of students registered by The College, for entertainment, recreation, networking, and/or community service, as well as for interaction and learning beyond the classroom experience who have a faculty/staff sponsor and are approved by the Director of Student Life.
All members of the campus community have a duty to promptly report good faith concerns about potential hazing impacting another member of the campus community. Specifically, if any such individual holds firsthand knowledge about hazing, whether that hazing has already occurred or is set to occur in the future, they have a duty to make a reasonable effort to immediately report the hazing-related information as noted herein.
If the situation is an emergency and you or someone else needs immediate assistance, please contact the College’s Police and Public Safety Department:
| Campus | Hours | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Gadsden | 24 hours | 256-312-2132 |
| Ayers | 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. | 256-835-5410 or 256-310-8365 |
| Cherokee | 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. | 256-613-7535 or 256-312-2144 |
- The College’s Safety & Security Department - 256-549-8611 or 256-549-8200
- The Dean of Student Services - 256-439-6852
Investigation Procedures
All reports of hazing incidents will be investigated and adjudicated in accordance with the College’s policies and procedures outlined in the Student Code of Conduct and/or Employee Handbook.
Disciplinary Action/Sanctions
If any person or persons is found to be responsible for hazing, disciplinary action shall be imposed. A list of possible disciplinary actions can be found in the College’s Student Code of Conduct and/or Employee Handbook.
Prohibition on Retaliation
It is a violation of College policies for a member of the campus community to retaliate against another individual who has made a good faith report of hazing, has been accused of a hazing incident, and/or participates in a hazing investigation.
Records Retention
All records relating to incidents of hazing will be retained in accordance with the College’s Student Code of Conduct and/or Employee Conduct polices and the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act.
Additional Information
All hazing incidents will be reported in accordance with the Stop Campus Hazing Act, amendment to the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act. The term “student organization” for the purposes of reporting hazing incidents in the Annual Security Report crime statistics and reporting in the Campus Hazing Transparency Report only, is defined 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 enrolled at the institution of higher education, whether or not the organization is established or recognized by the institution.
Policy statements relating to the College’s prevention and awareness programs relating to hazing and primary prevention strategies intended to stop hazing before it occurs can be found here.
Appendix A – Alabama Law on Hazing
Section 16-1-23
Hazing prohibited; penalty.
(a) Hazing is defined as follows:
(1) Any willful action taken or situation created, whether on or off any school, college, university, or other educational premises, which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health of any student, or
(2) Any willful act on or off any school, college, university, or other educational premises by any person alone or acting with others in striking, beating, bruising, or maiming; or seriously offering, threatening, or attempting to strike, beat, bruise, or maim, or to do or seriously offer, threaten, or attempt to do physical violence to any student of any such educational institution or any assault upon any such students made for the purpose of committing any of the acts, or producing any of the results to such student as defined in this section.
(3) The term hazing as defined in this section does not include customary athletic events or similar contests or competitions and is limited to those actions taken and situations created in connection with initiation into or affiliation with any organization. The term hazing does not include corporal punishment administered by officials or employees of public schools when in accordance with policies adopted by local boards of education.
(b) No person shall engage in what is commonly known and recognized as hazing, or encourage, aid, or assist any other person thus offending.
(c) No person shall knowingly permit, encourage, aid, or assist any person in committing the offense of hazing, or willfully acquiesce in the commission of such offense, or fail to report promptly his knowledge or any reasonable information within his knowledge of the presence and practice of hazing in this state to the chief executive officer of the appropriate school, college, university, or other educational institution in this state. Any act of omission or commission shall be deemed hazing under the provisions of this section.
(d) Any person who shall commit the offense of hazing shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor as defined by Title 13A.
(e) Any person who participates in the hazing of another, or any organization associated with a school, college, university, or other educational institution in this state which knowingly permits hazing to be conducted by its members or by others subject to its direction or control, shall forfeit any entitlement to public funds, scholarships, or awards which are enjoyed by him or by it and shall be deprived of any sanction or approval granted by the school, college, university, or other educational institution.
(f) Nothing in this section shall be construed as in any manner affecting or repealing any law of this state respecting homicide, or murder, manslaughter, assault with intent to murder, or aggravated assault.
(Acts 1981, No. 81-824, p. 1466, §§ 1-6.)