Keuka College prohibits conduct by any individual, club, organization, or group affiliated with the College which is in violation of the New York state law on hazing or any hazing activity which threatens a person’s rights or self-respect, which disrupts community life, or which encourages the violation of civil, state, or federal law or the Keuka College Student Code of Community Standards.
Individuals and campus organizations, including classes and athletic teams, which plan to engage in welcome activities for new members or newly enrolled members of the student body must discuss their plans fully with and obtain approval from their designated faculty/staff adviser, coach, or other college employee no less than 72 hours in advance of such events. No initiation activities are allowed and such welcome activities must meet the guidelines listed below and must comply with New York Anti-Hazing Law (https://stophazing.org/policy/state-laws/new-york/). Deviation from approved activities, failure to comply with procedures, or violations of the following guidelines result in disciplinary actions against organization officers and/or individual members of said organization.
Anti-hazing regulations apply to all members of the College community and all persons on campus, whether visitors, licensees, or invitees. The regulations prohibit specific activities, including those conducted in the name of “tradition,” “rites,” or other annual events.
The State of New York considers any initiation rite illegal if it exposes a person to danger. Activities that result in injuries are considered first-degree hazing. A person is guilty of hazing in the first degree when, in the course of another person’s initiation into or affiliation with any organization, they intentionally or recklessly engage in conduct which creates a substantial risk of physical injury to such other person or a third person and thereby causes such injury. Hazing in the first degree is a class A misdemeanor. A person is guilty of hazing in the second degree when, in the course of another person’s initiation or affiliation with any organization, they intentionally or recklessly engage in conduct which creates a substantial risk of physical injury to such other person or a third person. Hazing in the second degree is a violation.
Persons organizing, condoning, or promoting such illegal hazing acts are held responsible for their actions under state law and face automatic separation from the College community.
Specific Regulations Regarding Initiation Activities
- All persons participating in approved welcome activities must do so voluntarily. Coercion, active recruitment, or herding of residential students or others to approved activities is not permitted. Those who choose not to participate may not be harassed or otherwise intimidated in any manner.
- The following activities which threaten a person’s physical, emotional, or academic well-being are prohibited:
- Forced physical contact
- Paddling
- Eating, drinking, spraying, throwing, or covering the body with distasteful or foreign substances
- Forced consumption of drugs, alcohol, or any other liquid or solid substance, either by command or by implied pressure
- Forced exercise and/or endurance activities that create unreasonable fatigue
- Late night and early morning activities at times before classes
- The following activities that disrupt community life and/or violate the rights of others are prohibited:
- Disruptive activities in the library and/or classroom buildings
- Loud, disturbing activities in close proximity to the residence halls, apartments, residential homes, or within residence halls and apartments
- Activities which encourage violation of law and/or Keuka College policies, as well as conduct, which recklessly or intentionally endangers or threatens the health, safety, or welfare of any individual is expressly prohibited.
Note: The above list is not intended to be complete or exhaustive. Community Standards makes the final decision as to whether a given act is a violation
Implementation of Anti-Hazing Policy
- Individuals, clubs, organizations, and groups affected by the anti-hazing policy are expected to take primary responsibility for implementing the policy and for periodically reviewing their activities with respect to compliance with it. Officers of the organization may be held individually responsible for violations.
- The Office of Student Life is responsible for periodically reviewing the implementation of this policy in order to ensure that it is being effectively implemented.
- Alleged violations are to be reported to Community Standards.
- All violations are handled in accordance with established disciplinary procedures.
- Violations by non-Keuka College community members will result in removal from the campus and/or prosecution by civil authorities.