The University of Alabama’s Hazing Education and Prevention
The Stop Campus Hazing Act was signed into federal law on December 23, 2024, and officially went into effect on January 1. This important legislation mandates that institutions of higher education publicly report hazing incidents and include relevant policies and prevention strategies in their Annual Security Reports.
At The University of Alabama, we remain steadfast in our commitment to fostering a safe and respectful campus environment. Over the past several years, the University has taken significant steps to:
- Educate our community about the dangers and consequences of hazing,
- Investigate and address all reported hazing incidents, and
- Strengthen hazing prevention practices across campus.
Resources:
Additional Policy Statement Information:
- Hazing Statistics
- Hazing reports can be submitted and received in multiple ways to accommodate the reporter. In addition to making a report to the University Police, those wishing to disclose hazing information can utilize the methods listed here. The various collection methods will be forwarded to the Clery Compliance Officer for use in the annual crime statistics
- Hazing Investigations
- Hazing investigations may be initiated by either representatives with the Office of Student Conduct, and/or the University of Alabama Police Department, or other law enforcement agencies as necessary. Hazing is a criminal offense in the state of Alabama and will be investigated as such. The Office of Student Conduct’s investigative procedures follow Article V: Conduct Procedures, within the Code of Student Conduct.
- Hazing Examples
- Hazing is not limited to just Greek Letter Organizations, it can involve athletic teams, club sports, camps, other student organizations including academic organizations, honor societies, and even informal campus organizations.
- Examples of hazing can be found at UA End Hazing
- Hazing Prevention:
- The University of Alabama utilizes a Hazing Prevention Team of university-wide partners tasked together to address hazing on the University of Alabama campus, educate the campus community on hazing, and empower the community to take action against hazing. The Hazing Prevention Team seeks to shift campus culture on hazing through prevention, early intervention, and continuous education
- Members of the Department of Public Safety and Student Life completed training in partnership with The Clery Center and StopHazing.org, which offered the following resources:
- The Fraternity and Sorority Life Office offers ongoing hazing resources and support for the Greek Community
- Campus Security Authorities receive annual Clery Act Training online, which also includes a focus on identifying and reporting hazing violations
- The University of Alabama is a contributing member of the Piazza Center’s What Works Study and Community of Practice, utilizing a research-based approach to educate and combat hazing practices. There are numerous hazing prevention practices taking place campus-wide that include:
| Hazing Prevention Practice | Description | Participants | Initiating Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| UA Thrive Module | This online course is required for all new and active members and the UA Greek community annually. New Members must complete the assigned online hazing prevention education module within 48 hours of accepting a bid or attending an information meeting | Open to all UA students. Required for Fraternity and Sorority Life Members | Fraternity and Sorority Life |
| Bystander Intervention Training | The Camellia Center offers bystander intervention trainings to classes and student organizations upon request. Bystander intervention training helps individuals and groups understand how they can intervene to help prevent a situation from becoming more severe. | Open for all UA Community Members | Cameillia Center |
| Hazing Policy Acknowledgement Form | Acknowledgement by each member of the FSL community that that have read and understood the UA Hazing Policy | Fraternity and Sorority Life Members | Fraternity and Sorority Life |
| Hazing Prevention Week Programming | Prevention programs presented on campus in August as the fall semester begins | FSL Members and other UA students | Fraternity and Sorority Life |
| Hazing Education Workshops | Hazing education information seminars | Biannually for RA's, and approximately 1,000 students | Fraternity and Sorority Life |
| Hazing Education Presenters | IFC programs including hosting Lianne Kowiak in fall 2024 | Over 3,000 members of the FSL community | Fraternity and Sorority Life |
| OFSL Emergency Preparedness Training | Emergency Preparedness Training for all housed Fraternity Presidents, Risk Managers, and Social Chairs | Approximately 60 officer members of the FSL community | Fraternity and Sorority Life |
| IFC Taskforce Presentations | IFC exec and student community leaders speak to all rising sophomores in the IFC community (~1,200) to educate about what constitutes hazing and how to prevent it | Rising sophomores in the IFC community | Fraternity and Sorority Life |
| Acquired Real Response Platform (UACT) | An anonymous reporting platform for all stakeholders to utilize to report hazing and other forms of misconduct. | Reporting platform open to the UA community | University wide initiative |
| IFC New Member Educator curriculum | strong focus on hazing prevention, including bystander intervention training | New members of the UA IFC community | Fraternity and Sorority Life |
| Piazza Center Research Cohort Members | This collaborative effort focuses on the development and implementation of effective prevention strategies against hazing and related behaviors that pose challenges to student safety. | Current partner campuses in the What Works Study (2nd Cohort) include Auburn University, Bowling Green State University, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Mississippi State University, Virginia Tech, University of Alabama, University of Missouri, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. | Fraternity and Sorority Life |
| Anti-Hazing Agreements | Student Involvement Requirement for all (~600) student organization leaders, along with campus advisors, to sign an anti-hazing agreement | UA student organization leaders comply with the information presented on the University Anti-Hazing Agreements aimed to educate and prevent hazing practices | Fraternity and Sorority Life |
| Volunteer Hazing Investigation Program | Student Conduct is implementing a volunteer Hazing Investigation Program to help expand the capacity of Student Conduct staff to help expedite the hazing investigation process | Experimental platform led by the Office of Student conduct aimed to expand future hazing investigations with additional administrative support | Office of Student Conduct |
| LMS Online CSA Clery Training | Annual training required for CSA's that details responsibilities under the Clery Act, including identifying and reporting hazing incidents | UA Mandatory reporters and CSA's | Department of Public Safety |