Hazing Policy
Policy approved by Mercy College Board of Trustees, September 2021
Mercy College of Ohio (“the College”) is committed to providing an environment of well-being, learning, and accountability for its members. The College Hazing Policy is established in order to create and maintain: (1) compliance with governing law, including Collin’s Law, and College policies; (2) respect for the College community through the prevention/zero tolerance of hazing; and (3) accountability for reporting hazing.
This policy informs members of the College community of their individual and community responsibilities regarding hazing, and the College's response to Hazing Policy violations.
This policy applies to all individuals and groups at the College, including but not limited to: faculty, staff, administrators, students, volunteers, alumni(ae), consultants and student organizations.
This policy applies to on-campus activities as well as off-campus activities involving two or more people who are affiliated with the College.
“Hazing” means doing any act or coercing another, including the victim, to do any act of initiation to any student or other organization or any act to continue or reinstate membership in or affiliation with any student or other organization that causes or creates a substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm to any person, including coercing another to consume alcohol or a drug of abuse as defined by Ohio law.
Hazing is strictly prohibited by the College. Any student or other individual associated with the College who participates in hazing is subject to disciplinary action, including but not limited to the imposition of fines, withholding of diplomas or transcripts pending compliance with the rules or payment of fines, the revocation of permission for an organization to operate on campus or to otherwise operate under the recognition or sanction of the institution, and the imposition of probation, suspension, dismissal, or expulsion.
The Vice President of Student Affairs/Dean of Students (VPSA) has primary responsibility for enforcement of this policy. The VPSA/Dean of Students is responsible for distributing this policy to each organization within the institution and ensuring that the policy is posted on the College’s publicly accessible website.
It is also a violation of this Policy for an administrator, staff, or faculty member, consultant, alumnus(a), or volunteer to permit the hazing of any person. Any of these individuals who observe or otherwise become aware of hazing: (1) must make a reasonable attempt to prevent it; and (2) must immediately report the situation to the Vice President of Student Affairs/Dean of Students via the Concern and Complaint form; and (3) if acting in an official and professional capacity, must immediately report the knowledge of hazing to a law enforcement agency in the county in which the victim resides of in which the hazing occurred. When determining whether this Policy has been violated, the College will consider whether the employee knew or reasonably should have known of the hazing and failed to take appropriate action. The VPSA/Dean of Students will consult with Bon Secours Mercy Health Human Resources as appropriate in determining employee sanctions.
Any penalty imposed under College policy is in addition to potential criminal penalties imposed.
All College employees, volunteers that advise or coach an organization recognized by or operating under the sanction of the College (“recognized student organization”), and students receive anti-hazing training and resources as part of the New Hire/New Student orientation process. Anti-hazing resources and programming are also offered to students throughout the academic year through the Office of Compliance and Risk Management, the Division of Student Affairs, and other departments as appropriate.
Students who do not attend the anti-hazing training provided by the College shall not participate in a recognized student organization until they attend the program. A recognized student organization shall not accept or initiate any person who has not attended the training program.
In addition, all recognized student organizations must conduct mandatory hazing training for any volunteer who has contact with students.