Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among individuals that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated or has the potential to be repeated over time. Students who are bullied and those who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.
Bullying Support
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among individuals that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated or has the potential to be repeated over time. Students who are bullied and those who bully others may have serious, lasting problems. Some tips include:
- Talk to someone you trust.
- Consult our Title IX Coordinator, Sarah Weil, to help determine if the behavior is sexual harassment.
- Talk with UNO's Director of Student Conduct & Community Standards, Chloe Smith. She can help direct you to the appropriate campus resources.
- Determine if the behavior violates campus policies or laws. Review UNO's code of conduct, NE state criminal laws, and civil rights laws.
- Report criminal acts to campus or community law enforcement
Bullying behaviors often include:
An Imbalance of Power
Individuals who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
Repetition
Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.
Action
Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.
Although media reports often call unwanted, aggressive behavior among young adults “bullying,” this is not exactly accurate. Many state and federal laws address bullying-like behaviors in this age group under very serious terms, such as hazing, harassment, and stalking.
Hazing
In accordance with UNO’s Student Code of Conduct, hazing is defined as any activity by which a person intentionally or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health or safety of an individual for the purpose of initiation into, admission into, affiliation with, or continued membership with any student organization.
UNO has a zero-tolerance hazing policy, and any individuals or organizations found in violation of this policy will face university disciplinary proceedings accordingly. If you believe you are a victim of Hazing, please report it. (Under the “detailed summary” section, you can select other and specify the incident as Hazing.)