Hazing Prevention at Maryland
The University of Maryland takes pride in the history of its organizations and teams, but it takes the practice of hazing very seriously.
Hazing negatively affects many parts of the campus community, and needs to be addressed from multiple points of view.
Hazing originated centuries ago. It has pervaded society and has been seen in the military, in fraternities and sororities, college honor and secret societies, in athletics, and in many pre-professional organizations and marching bands. Recently, hazing has garnered media attention with much younger students as well.
Please use this website as a starting point to learn more about hazing as a practice and its detrimental impact on the lives of students. You can find information about the University's hazing policy, resources, and interesting statistics on this website, as well as information about how to report the practice of hazing if you become aware of it. Some of information found on this site is from other institutions and organizations around the country that share in this commitment to stop hazing.
You can find out more about hazing prevention at Maryland on Facebook (Stop Hazing @ UMD) and Twitter (@stophazingUMD).
With the dangers of hazing so evident, why would students subject themselves to such potential abuse?
CNN (8/27/2018)
They pledge. Get hazed. The cycle continues
Experts and former pledges contacted by CNN said the answer is more complicated than you might think.
Site guide
All about hazing, policies, resources & prevention
The University of Maryland defines hazing as "intentionally or recklessly subjecting any person to the risk of bodily harm, or severe emotional distress, or causing or encouraging any person to commit an act that would be a violation of law or university regulations, for the purposes of initiating, promoting, fostering, or confirming any form of affiliation with a student group or organization, as defined by the Code of Student Conduct.
Hazing is prohibited by both the state of Maryland and the University. Because of off-campus jurisdiction, it does not matter if the hazing occurred on campus or anywhere else. If a student is involved, the University will address the incident.
Reporting Hazing is everyone's responsibility. It should be treated as an emergency at all times. You can report it to many campus officials in various offices like The Office of Student Conduct, The Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life, and The Student Organization Resource Center, among other places.
Raising the awareness about the prevention of hazing is a task that is shared by many. Maryland wants all students to feel empowered to confront the behavior and to prevent the practice from continuing any further. To that end there are many resources on campus and online to help in this effort.
Hazing is more prevalent than you know and can be subtle or overt. Many assume that hazing is relegated to fraternities and sororities, but that assumption is grossly inaccurate. Hazing occurs in all groups, like pre-professional organizations, sports teams, music groups, and other clubs.
Hazing is a practice because it is repeated and many accept it as "tradition". There are better ways to instill a sense of tradition and pride in an organization without denegrating its members through harmful acts that are against the values of that organization.
The effects of hazing are both short term and long term. They are not just physical, but psychological and emotional, too. Hazing affects each person differently. Victims tend to perpetuate the practice either out of retaliation, or through ignorance of the true harm they are doing to others who they may truly care about.
Support Hazing Prevention
Everyone can show their support for hazing prevention by liking Stop Hazing @ UMD on Facebook and by following @stophazingumd on Twitter. #Terpsdonthaze
Because hazing continues to be a problem that cuts across the University and its various communities, the prevention of it must also be a communal effort. Students, faculty, and staff have already contributed to the information provided on this website and in other ways across campus. Special thanks goes to the Maryland Parents Association for their financial support by way of a grant toward programming that will raise awareness of hazing prevention at Maryland.
