Hazing Prevention

Hazing is illegal and prohibited under the University Code of Student Conduct. Hazing comes in many forms, including physical, emotional, psychological, and financial.  Hazing is defined by the University as acts associated with the membership initiation process into a student or fraternal organization (including but not limited to membership at the undergraduate or graduate/alumni level, and sports), and the university also is aware of the federal and state law which include definitions of hazing. The university complies with all applicable laws.  For purposes of university reporting in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, the university will use the federal law definition of hazing.

The University Code of Student Conduct (the Code) expressly prohibits hazing. The Code defines hazing as:

• Engaging in any act that impacts the mental, emotional, or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation into, admission into, affiliation with, or continued membership in any organization or team whose
  members are Rutgers University students.
• Engaging in any activity that is inconsistent with regulations or policies of Rutgers University or laws in the State of New Jersey for the purpose of initiation into, admission into, affiliation with, or continued membership in any organization or team whose members are Rutgers University students.

Rutgers University investigates every allegation of hazing. Any student found responsible for committing, attempting to commit, or assisting others in committing an act of hazing shall be subject to sanctioning under the Code of Student Conduct. Disciplinary actions can include removal from the University or termination of university employment.

Student organizations that choose to be recognized by the University must comply with the rights and responsibilities outlined in the Rutgers University Standards of Conduct: Student Organization Policies and Procedures. This policy expressly prohibits hazing and details the investigation and disciplinary processes for alleged violations.

An investigation is triggered when a report of hazing is received. The organization receives an interim action letter outlining temporary limitations during the investigation. An investigation is undertaken.  Thereafter, an Organization Administrative Conference takes place and the organization receives an outcome letter.  Depending on the findings, the organization is advised of the outcome and, as applicable, any next steps.

Once a complaint has been received, a Conduct Officer conducts an Investigation. The Investigation may include meetings with the responding student, the complaint party, witnesses, and any other involved individuals. The accused student and complaint party will be given written notice of meeting time(s), their rights and responsibilities, a list of Campus Advisors, and any other necessary information as determined by the Conduct Officer. At the conclusion of an investigation, the Conduct Officer will notify the student of the complaint, charges, finding, and sanctions, if any.

In December 2024, the Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA) was signed into law, which requires all colleges and universities that receive federal funding to track and publicly disclose hazing incidents in their annual security reports beginning in 2025. Rutgers has begun collecting hazing information and will publish this information in the 2025 Safety Matters, our Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, which will be released in October 2026.

The SCHA also requires the publication of a new, dedicated Campus Hazing Transparency Report (CHTR). This report provides detailed, incident-specific information regarding hazing violations where a recognized/registered student organization (RSO) has been found responsible. The CHTR includes:

• The name of the RSO involved.
• A general description of the hazing violation, including whether alcohol or other drugs were involved.
• The institution's findings regarding the incident.
• Any sanctions imposed on the student organization as a result of the violation.
• Key dates associated with the incident, including the alleged incident date, the investigation initiation date, the date the investigation concluded with a finding of responsibility, and the date the organization was notified of the finding.

The first CHTR will be published by December 23, 2025, covering incidents from July 1, 2025, onward. The CHTR is published only when a finding of a hazing violation has occurred involving a student organization (twice annually when applicable) and will be published below to ensure ongoing transparency and accountability.

• There were no findings of responsibility for hazing violations at Rutgers–Newark between July 1 and September 1.

It is important for others to act and prevent hazing by:

• Learning to recognize hazing and reporting what you see. Does someone’s behavior seem different? Are they falling asleep in class? Are they bruised? Are they never around? Do they need money to buy things for their “big brother”?
• Resisting anyone who encourages you to join hazing activities. If something seems like hazing, it probably is. If there are conditions put on someone becoming part of your group, it is probably not something you want to be a part of.
• Notifying police and appropriate University staff if you are aware of a potential incident. Hazing is a potential crime. It is also potentially dangerous to everyone involved. Too often we have seen small incidents escalate into something larger and more lethal. If you see something that looks like an incident, report it.

Rutgers encourages anyone who believes they are being hazed, or who has knowledge of a hazing incident, to report the incident to the Office of Community Standards and Student Development using the Online Reporting Form. When submitting the report, please be as detailed as possible and include any supporting information where applicable (photos, screenshots, recordings, etc). Information will be kept confidential to the extent possible. Reports can also be emailed to communitystandards@newark.rutgers.edu. Reports or concerns of hazing can also be submitted anonymously 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-833-783-8442 or through the Rutgers Compliance Helpline. Incidents can also be reported to the hazing prevention. The Office for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance Rutgers University Police Department at 973-353-5111. If you believe that you, or someone else, are in immediate danger, please call 911.

Rutgers University encourages all community members to educate themselves on hazing prevention. The Office for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance offers bystander intervention training to help students step up and intervene when they are witnessing hazing or other harmful behaviors on campus.

Hazing Prevention Network is a national nonprofit dedicated to empowering people to prevent hazing. Their goal is to educate people about the dangers of hazing, advocate for change, and engage the community in strategies to prevent hazing.

On August 24, 2021, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed Timothy J. Piazza’s Law.  The new law requires public and non-public middle schools and high schools, as well as higher education institutions, to adopt anti-hazing policies and penalties for violations of the policies.  The law is named for Timothy Piazza, a 19-year-old Penn State University student who died because of hazing in 2017. More information about Piazza’s Law can be found here.

The mission of the Gordie Center is to end hazing and substance misuse among college and high school students nationwide.

A national leader in hazing prevention, HazingPreventionNetwork.Org teaches colleges, universities, schools, clubs, teams, and other groups to move beyond punishment to create a culture that stops hazing before it starts. We educate colleges and universities, cheerleading squads, sports teams, the performing arts, clubs, and any other organizations on the dangers of hazing and how to create cultures where hazing is not acceptable.

National Anti-Hazing Hotline 1-888-NOT-HAZE (668-4293)

The Piazza Center’s mission is to uplift fraternity and sorority life. The center produces actionable data to give practitioners, campuses, and headquarters the evidence needed to enact significant change on their campuses for the over 750,000 members across more than 770 campuses with fraternity and sorority life. Contact us to inform your professional practice, assess your fraternity and sorority community, or support new research.

StopHazing’s mission is to promote safe and inclusive school, campus, and organizational environments through research, resource sharing, and the development of data-driven strategies for hazing prevention and the promotion of positive group climates.