The safety and well–being of students is everyone’s concern. Each member of the campus community should expect to be treated with respect and dignity. Hazing is inconsistent with the Wooster Ethic and will not be tolerated.
Eradicating hazing from our campus requires that everyone, parents, family, friends, advisors, faculty, staff, and coaches work together.
Be observant and identify behaviors associated with hazing. Then act:
Parents
There is nothing quite so difficult for parents as receiving a phone call from their student describing hazing activities that they are enduring. Often, students will ask their parents not to tell anyone in authority. Despite everything, students want to be a part of their organization or team and don’t want anyone to “get in trouble”. What should you do as a parent? The physical well-being of your student is by far the most important thing. If you think the student is in immediate danger, call Wooster Police. If you’re not sure, contact the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities at conduct@wooster.edu or complete a report. If you think your student is in immediate danger, call Campus Safety or the Wooster Police Department.
Roommate/Friend/Siblings
As a peer, you may observe or have a friend or sibling confide in you about hazing activities in his/her organization or team. Even activities that may seem more stupid than harmful can escalate into something major. Hopefully, you will do the right thing and take action. Initially, that may mean trying to empower your friend to stand up to the hazing and lead others in the same position to stick together. No organization or team will want to lose all of its new members or some of its players. Please complete a report.
Advisors/Coach
As a mentor to college students, you are in a position to influence and support those who may be enduring hazing. Reinforcing the values of the organization or team is imperative. You should volunteer to take the burden of this problem off of the student and reassure him/her that you can handle it in a manner that will not put him/her in jeopardy. Feel free to contact the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities by calling 330-263-2501 or via email at conduct@wooster.edu. You can also complete a report.
Faculty/Staff
Because even organizations or teams that haze do not want their members to miss class, you are in a unique position to observe students who exhibit signs of being hazed. Even if you don’t know which organizations or teams the student is affiliated with, that can be determined. As a College official, you have an obligation to act. Please contact the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities by calling 330-263-2501 or via email at conduct@wooster.edu. You can also complete a report.
You are being hazed
When you joined your organization or team you may have had some knowledge that you would be hazed. Maybe, its gotten to be more than you expected. In any case, it is never acceptable, and you should not put up with it. The problem is that you still want to be a member and do not want your friends or teammates to get into trouble. You can always try talking to an older student, advisor, or coach who you trust. What you can also consider is encouraging the others who are being hazed to stick together. There is no way that any organization or team wants to or can afford to lose all of its new members or some players. Please remember that you’re not doing anyone, including your organization or team, any favor by remaining silent. It’s not surprising that hazing activities will eventually come out. The result of that could very well mean serious injury to someone and/or the end of your organization or team. Please contact the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities by calling 330-263-2501 or via email at conduct@wooster.edu. You can also complete a report.