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Anti-Hazing Policy

Policy Name:  ANTI-HAZING POLICY
Dated: June 15, 2025
Supersedes:  N/A
Last Date of Review:  June 15, 2025

I. PURPOSE

Hazing is strictly prohibited across the entire Touro University system (“Touro” or the “University”). Hazing, in any form, compromises a student’s safety and wellbeing and is against Touro’s mission and values. This Anti-Hazing Policy (“Policy”) is designed to help prevent, mitigate, adjudicate, and report Hazing, as well as educate members of the Touro community.

The Policy sets forth the framework and procedures for compliance with the Stop Campus Hazing Act (the “SCHA”), enacted on December 23, 2024, which amends the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (the “Clery Act”), to prioritize the prevention of and transparency about Hazing incidents at colleges and universities.

II. SCOPE

The Policy applies to all members of the University community, including students, faculty, staff, volunteers, alumni, and Student Organizations (“Community Members”). The Policy applies to all Touro campuses including, but not limited to, Touro University New York, Touro University California, Touro University Nevada, Touro University Illinois, New York Medical College, Touro College of Dental Medicine, and Touro University Montana.

III. DEFINITIONS

  1.  Hazing: Touro defines Hazing as any action or situation that does or is likely to endanger mental, emotional, or physical health or safety of a Community Member in connection with the Community Member’s admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for initial or continued membership in a group, organization, or team at the University. Any situation that creates substantial embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule, or involves the forced, coerced, or implicitly required consumption of food, alcohol, drugs, or other substances in that context, as well as coercive activities and mentally degrading games, also falls under the definition of Hazing. Such actions constitute Hazing regardless whether an individual took part voluntarily, gave consent to the conduct, voluntarily assumed the risks or hardship of the activity, and regardless whether any injury was suffered or sustained.
  2. Student Organization: An organization within the University (such as a club, society, association, athletic team, club sports team, band, or student government) in which two or more of the members are students enrolled at the institution, regardless whether such organization is officially recognized by the University.

IV. RELEVANT STATE AND FEDERAL LAW

State laws referenced herein shall correspond to each Touro campus, depending on location. Community Members are encouraged to familiarize themselves with both state and federal laws as applicable.

  1. New York State Penal Law § 120.16 and § 120.17:
    1. Hazing in the first degree. 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, he intentionally or recklessly engages in conduct, including, but not limited to, making physical contact with or requiring physical activity of such other person, 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.
    2. Hazing in the second degree. A person is guilty of hazing in the second degree when, in the course of another person's initiation or affiliation with any organization, he intentionally or recklessly engages in conduct, including, but not limited to, making physical contact with or requiring physical activity of such other person, which creates a substantial risk of physical injury to such other person or a third person. Hazing in the second degree is a violation.
  2. Illinois (720 ILCS § 5/12C-50):
    1. A person commits hazing when he or she knowingly requires the performance of any act by a student or other person in a school, college, university, or other educational institution of this State, for the purpose of induction or admission into any group, organization, or society associated or connected with that institution, if:
      1. the act is not sanctioned or authorized by that educational institution; and
      2. the act results in bodily harm to any person.
    2. Hazing is a Class A misdemeanor, except that hazing that results in death or great bodily harm is a Class 4 felony.
  3. California Penal Code § 245.6:
    1. It shall be unlawful to engage in hazing, as defined in this section.
    2. “Hazing” means any method of initiation or preinitiation into a student organization or student body, whether or not the organization or body is officially recognized by an educational institution, which is likely to cause serious bodily injury to any former, current, or prospective student of any school, community college, college, university, or other educational institution in this state. The term “hazing” does not include customary athletic events or school-sanctioned events.
    3. A violation of this section that does not result in serious bodily injury is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100), nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or both.
    4. Any person who personally engages in hazing that results in death or serious bodily injury as defined in paragraph (4) of subdivision (f) of Section 243 of the Penal Code, is guilty of either a misdemeanor or a felony, and shall be punished by imprisonment in county jail not exceeding one year, or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.
    5. The person against whom the hazing is directed may commence a civil action for injury or damages. The action may be brought against any participants in the hazing, or any organization to which the student is seeking membership whose agents, directors, trustees, managers, or officers authorized, requested, commanded, participated in, or ratified the hazing.
  4. Nevada (NRS § 200.605):
    1. A person who engages in hazing is guilty of:
      1. A misdemeanor, if no substantial bodily harm results.
      2. A gross misdemeanor, if substantial bodily harm results.
    2. Consent of a victim of hazing is not a valid defense to a prosecution conducted pursuant to this section.
    3. For the purposes of this section, an activity shall be deemed to be “forced” if initiation into or affiliation with a student organization, academic association or athletic team is directly or indirectly conditioned upon participation in the activity.
    4. As used in this section, “hazing” means an activity in which a person intentionally or recklessly endangers the physical health of another person for the purpose of initiation into or affiliation with a student organization, academic association or athletic team at a high school, college or university in this state. The term:
      1. Includes, without limitation, any physical brutality or brutal treatment, including, without limitation, whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the elements or forced consumption of food, liquor, drugs or other substances.
      2. Does not include any athletic, curricular, extracurricular or quasi-military practice, conditioning or competition that is sponsored or approved by the high school, college or university.
  5. Federal (20 U.S.C. § 1092(f)(6)(A)(vi)):

The term “hazing” means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a person (whether individually or in concert with other persons) against another person or persons regardless of the willingness of such other person or persons to participate, that

  1. is committed in the course of an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, a student organization; and
  2. causes or creates a risk, above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in the institution of higher education or the organization (such as the physical preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team), of physical or psychological injury including--
    1. whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone's body, or similar activity;
    2. causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, extreme calisthenics, or other similar activity;
    3. causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to consume food, liquid, alcohol, drugs, or other substances;
    4. causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts;
    5. any activity that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words or conduct;
    6. any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, or Federal law; and
    7. any activity that induces, causes, or requires another person to perform a duty or task that involves a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, or Federal law.

V. POLICY

It is the policy of the University that Hazing in any form is strictly prohibited, and the University is committed to preventing, mitigating, adjudicating, and reporting any such incidents.

  1. Disciplinary Actions
    1. Any individual(s) or Student Organization(s) found responsible for participating in, facilitating, coordinating, or soliciting to engage in or witness Hazing may be found in violation of this Policy, Touro’s Student Code of Conduct, employee and/or faculty handbooks, and/or other any other applicable Touro policies, including college or school-specific conduct policies.
    2. Violators may be subject to sanctions up to and including dismissal, as set forth in Section VI.B.2. Violators may also be reported to law enforcement.
    3. Community Members who report alleged Hazing violations who were involved in or witnessed the Hazing activities may be considered for amnesty as it relates to Hazing and other Touro policies on a case-by-case basis, weighing the risk to the health and safety of the involved parties.
  2. Criminal and/or Civil Liability
    Hazing behavior may also constitute other criminal offenses (e.g., assault, harassment, intimidation, or homicide) depending on the nature of the specific activities. (See Section IV above for state-specific criminal laws relating to Hazing.) Community Members and their parents, Student Organization leaders/advisors, as well as a Student Organization’s national affiliates (as applicable) may also be held civilly liable for mental or physical harm that results from Hazing. Sanctions imposed by Touro do not preclude criminal and/or civil penalties available under federal, state, and local laws.
  3. Retaliation
    Touro does not allow, nor tolerate, any conduct by any Community Member that may be regarded as retaliatory. Retaliation is any kind of reprisal, adverse action, or negative action taken against an individual because he or she has made a report about Hazing, opposed an incident of Hazing, or participated as a party or witness in an investigation or proceeding relating to Hazing allegations. An individual is protected from retaliation even when the complaint at issue is ultimately found to lack merit, as long as the complaint was made in good faith.
  4. Prevention and Awareness Resources
    The University will offer research-informed, University-wide prevention programming designed to reach all Community Members which addresses this Policy, how to report incidents of Hazing, the University’s Hazing response process, applicable laws, and primary prevention strategies.

PROCEDURE

  1. Reporting Incidents of Hazing
    1. If you or someone you know may have experienced Hazing and is in need of immediate or emergency assistance, please contact Campus Security or call 911.
      Campus Department Phone Number
      Touro University – All Campuses Campus Security 24-Hour Hotline (888) 687-6911
      New York Medical College Office of Public Safety (914) 594-4226
      Touro University Nevada Campus Security (702) 777-3920
      Touro University California Campus Security (707) 638-5804
      Hebrew Theological College Campus Security (847) 982-2500
      New York College of Podiatric Medicine Director of Safety & Security (917) 572-1896
      Touro University Illinois Campus Security 24-Hour Hotline (888) 687-6911
      Touro University Worldwide / Touro College Los Angeles Security Coordinator (646) 565-6220
    2. If it is a non-emergency, we encourage you to make a report via our Hazing Incident Report Form, which can be found as Attachment 1 to this Policy.
    3. Reports of Hazing may also be made directly to the Office of Institutional Compliance at compliance@touro.edu, to the Dean of Students or similar office within each college or school, or (where faculty or staff are involved) to Human Resources.
    4. Any individual that receives a report of Hazing is required to forward such report to the Office of Institutional Compliance (“OIC”).
  2. Investigations and Sanctions
    1. Following a report of allegations of Hazing, OIC will forward the allegations as follows:
      1. Allegations involving students will be forwarded to the Dean of Students or similar designee within the students’ school or college for investigation and adjudication pursuant to the Touro Code of Conduct and/or other relevant student conduct process.
      2. Allegations involving faculty will be forwarded to the Dean of the faculty member’s school or college for investigation and adjudication pursuant to the relevant faculty handbook.
      3. Allegations involving staff will be forwarded to Human Resources for investigation and adjudication pursuant to the relevant employee handbook.
      4. Allegations involving other Community Members, such as volunteers and alumni, will be reviewed by other appropriate offices at the discretion of OIC.
      5. Matters may also be referred to local law enforcement.
    2. If an individual or group is found to have engaged in Hazing, sanctions are determined based on the severity of the violation and any prior disciplinary history. Sanctions include, but are not limited to, formal warning, disciplinary probation, counseling and treatment, restitution, suspension, or expulsion/dismissal. Sanctions need not be progressive.
  3. Reporting Hazing Incidents
    1. Campus Hazing Transparency Report (“CHTR”): As required by the SCHA, the University, through each of its local Campus Security/Public Safety Offices, will publicly report, in summary form, a bi-annual report of any recognized Student Organization found to be in violation of this Policy. If no findings of Hazing have occurred in the Touro community, there will be no CHTR published.
    2. Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This Hazing Policy and statistics of Hazing violations shall also be published in the University’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

VI. EFFECTIVE DATE

This policy is effective immediately.

VII. POLICY MANAGEMENT

  1. Executive Stakeholder: Chief Compliance Officer
  2. Oversight Office: Office of Institutional Compliance

Attachment 1:

Hazing Incident Report Form