Lakeland University Athletics prohibits hazing which is also illegal in the state of Wisconsin. The NCAA defines hazing as “any act committed against someone joining or becoming a member or maintaining membership in any organization that is humiliating, intimidating or demeaning, or endangers the health and safety of the person.” Hazing includes active or passive participation in such acts and occurs regardless of the willingness to participate in the activities. Hazing creates an environment/climate in which dignity and respect are absent and can occur either on or off campus.
Furthermore, Hazing is defined in the Wisconsin State Statute 948.51 (
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/948/51) and by Lakeland University as, “any act whether physical, mental, emotional or psychological, which subjects another person, voluntarily or involuntarily, to anything that may abuse, mistreat, degrade, humiliate, harass, or intimidate him or her or which may in any way compromise his or her inherent dignity as a person.”
Examples of Hazing
Examples of prohibited behavior include, but are not limited to:
- forcing, requiring or pressuring the consumption of alcohol or other drugs;
- forcing, requiring or pressuring the ingestion of any substance;
- forcing, requiring or pressuring the shaving of any part of the body, including hair on the head;
- forcing, requiring or pressuring the participation in any activity which is illegal, perverse, publicly indecent, or contrary to the individual's genuine moral beliefs, e.g. public profanity, indecent or lewd conduct, or sexual gestures in public;
- forcing, requiring or pressuring an individual to tamper with or damage University property;
- sleep deprivation;
- paddling, whipping, beating or physical abuse of any kind;
- forced tattooing or branding;
- exposure to the elements;
- road trips, kidnapping, drop-offs, or any other such activities;
- morally degrading or humiliating games or activities;
- forcing, encouraging, or pressuring the wearing of apparel in public which is conspicuous, not normally in good taste, or designed to humiliate the individual(s) wearing it;
- deception or threat contrived to convince the new member that she/he will not be permitted to join;
- activities that promote or encourage the violation of state law or University policy;
Reporting
Any alleged incident of hazing should be reported to the Department of Campus Safety, the Director of Athletics, the Greek Coordinator, the Vice-President for Campus Life Office and/or LU personnel inside or outside of the athletics department.
Enforcement
Lakeland University Athletics has a zero-tolerance policy on hazing, and the consequences can be severe. Participation in hazing activities may lead to individual disciplinary action, team disciplinary action, athletics department disciplinary action, institutional disciplinary action, and/or termination of the team or student organization.
