Interfraternity Council Hazing Policy
The University of South Carolina Aiken prohibits any form of hazing. No organization, registered or otherwise, officially or in fact, may participate in the activity of hazing. Hazing is defined as any action or situation created by individuals, clubs and organizations, on or off campus, that could cause or has the potential to result in harassment, emotional or physical abuse of harm, embarrassment, anxiety, ridicule, or the violation of an University rule, no matter how good the end result or intent.
Examples of hazing, include but are not limited to:
- Tests of endurance
- Submission of members or prospective members to potentially dangerous or hazardous circumstances
- Paddling
- Forced indulgence of alcohol, food, and water
- Forced excessive exercise
- Indecent stunts or dress
- Deprivation of sleep, normal sleep patterns or adequate study time
- Physical harassment such as pushing, shoving, tickling, yelling, etc.
- Deprivation of normal amounts of food and water
- Individual or group interrogations such as line-ups
- Personal servitude
- Assigning pranks
- Forced or coerced trips such as kidnaps, displacement, and “pledge drops”
Registered organizations and groups shall be permitted certain initiation ceremonies and activities, which when examined by the ordinary University student, would seem reasonable under the circumstances and justified in view of the purpose for which they are conducted.
It shall not constitute a defense to the charge of hazing that the participants took part voluntarily, that they voluntarily assumed the risks or hardship of the activity, or that no injury in fact was suffered.
In accordance with the Tucker Hipps Transparency Act, the university publishes this report on actual findings of violations involving alcohol, drugs, sexual assault, physical assault and hazing by fraternity and sorority organizations formally affiliated with the institution. The report includes the name of the responsible organizations; the dates of the incident, report, charge, investigation and resolution; and a general description of the incident and the subsequent charges, findings and sanctions placed on the organization.
If you would like to report a complaint for alleged hazing, please contact the Office of Greek Life at 803-641-3611.