UNO Campus Policies

Scope

This policy applies to all employees, faculty, staff, students, and student organizations at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Policy Statement

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is committed to creating a safe environment for students, faculty, staff, and others to participate in the campus community. Hazing is not tolerated on our campus.

Reason for Policy

In accordance with the Stop Campus Hazing Act, the following policy and procedures have been developed to provide expectations for tracking and reporting of hazing incidents at UNO in the Annual Security Report and the Campus Hazing Transparency Report. This policy will also provides information regarding UNO’s hazing prevention programs.

Procedures

Tracking of Hazing Allegations & Reports

UNO’s Police & Public Safety Department will have responsibility for tracking all hazing allegations for the UNO campus to be included in the Annual Security Report. This will include all hazing incidents reported to campus security authorities or local police agencies whether they have occurred on-campus, off-campus, or within any Clery Act reportable location. In compliance with the Stop Campus Hazing Act, this will include all reported instances of hazing by student organizations (see definitions) regardless of recognition by the University as a Registered Student Organization (see definitions).

Tracking of Hazing Findings

Student Conduct & Case Management will have responsibility for tracking all findings in relation to hazing incidents. These will be reported in the Campus Hazing Transparency Report, which will be included as a section in the Annual Security Report and as a separate report to be available on the student conduct webpage. The Campus Hazing Transparency Report will summarize all hazing incidents by a Registered Student Organization (see definitions) where there is a finding of in violation. This summary will include the name of the Registered Student Organization, a general explanation of the violation for which the Registered Student Organization has been found responsible, whether the violation involved alcohol or substance use, any sanctions imposed on the Registered Student Organization as a result of the finding, and relevant dates (the alleged incident date, the date the investigation was initiated, the date the investigation was completed, and the date the University notified the Registered Student Organization of the finding and sanctions). 

Per the Stop Campus Hazing Act, the institution will create and update the Campus Hazing Transparency Report in a timely fashion once there is a finding of in violation regarding a hazing violation. The Campus Hazing Transparency Report will be maintained on the student conduct webpage and updated twice per year for a period of five (5) calendar years from the date of publication and will be available on the webpage for that duration. The Campus Hazing Transparency Report will also provide a link to the Annual Security Report.

Reporting Incidents of Hazing

All members of the UNO community have a responsibility to prevent and report instances of hazing. Any person having knowledge of any activity or conduct which may constitute hazing should report their concerns. The University has identified the following ways for a report to be submitted regarding an alleged hazing incident.

UNO Police and Public Safety

100 EAB
Phone: 402.554.2648
Email: unopublicsafety@unomaha.edu

Student Conduct & Case Management

209 Hayden House
Phone: 402.554.2210
Email: unoconduct@unomaha.edu

Other Reporting Options

MavsReport

Anonymous reports are accepted; however, it may restrict the investigation or the ability for the University to conduct a full investigation. Every attempt will be made to ensure anonymity when information is provided to address hazing behaviors.

Investigating Alleged Hazing Incidents

The University will follow the protocol outlined in the University of Nebraska Student Code of Conduct for investigating any allegations of hazing. The specific protocol is found in Section IV: Enforcement of the Standards of the Student Code of Conduct.

When a report is made directly to UNO Police & Public Safety, protocol for police investigations will be followed.

Hazing Awareness & Prevention Programs

Education will be provided to students, staff, and faculty related to hazing awareness and prevention education. These programs may be offered online or in person and will be targeted to reach all members of the University community and will be research-informed. For more information, please review the Hazing Awareness & Prevention Programs website. Programs will be provided to the campus community on a rolling basis to ensure new students, staff, and faculty have the opportunity to complete the education as they join the University community.

Definitions

Hazing

Per federal guidelines in the Stop Campus Hazing Act, 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:
   • whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone’s body, or similar activity;
   • causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, extreme calisthenics, or other similar activity;
   • causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to consume food, liquid, alcohol, drugs, or other substances;
   • causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts;
   • any activity that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words or conduct;
   • any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, or federal law; and
   • 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.”

The University of Nebraska’s Student Code of Conduct hazing definition also includes actions that would destroy public or private property and provides this statement of activities that would be considered hazing: “Examples of hazing activity include, but are not limited to, paddling, beating, or branding a student, depriving a student of sleep for a prolonged period, sexually penetrating a student or touching the student in a lewd manner, subjecting the student to prolonged exposure to the elements, depriving the student of food or water, activities that unreasonably interfere with academic pursuits, leaving the student in a remote location without a means of return, subjecting the student to conduct designed to shock the student or having the student engage in criminal conduct, engage in humiliating conduct, perform prolonged calisthenics, consume items that are not normally consumed by people, consume items in quantities that are not normally consumed by people, or consume alcohol.”

Registered Student Organization
The University recognizes organizations that have completed the student organization registration process and are considered, with the University, a Registered Student Organization.

Student Organization
Per the Anti-Hazing Act, a student organization is “an organization at an institution of higher education (such as a club, society, association, varsity or junior varsity athletic team, club sports team, fraternity, sorority, band, or student government) in which two or more of the members are students enrolled at the institution of higher education, whether or not the organization is established or recognized by the institution.” The University recognizes that there may be situations where a student organization that is not recognized by the institution may be reported for alleged hazing incidents. Although these instances will not be included in the Campus Hazing Transparency Report, they will be included in the Annual Security Report.

Additional Contacts

Forms

MavsReport

Related Information

Nebraska Revised Statute 28-311.06

Student Code of Conduct

Stop Campus Hazing Act

Annual Security Report