Hazing Laws and Policies
Hazing is not permitted at the University of California Berkeley. Listed below are some of the federal, state, university, and system wide policies and procedures relevant to hazing.
Code of Student Conduct
The Code of Student Conduct describes expectations of student and student organization behavior and outlines the conduct process and student rights and responsibilities for alleged violations of the Code of Student Conduct.
The Code of Student Conduct defines hazing as:
Participation in hazing or any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, activity, or method committed by a person (whether individually or in concert with other persons) against another person or persons, including current, former, or prospective students, regardless of the willingness of such other person or persons to participate, that is committed in the course of a preinitiation, an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, an official or unofficial student organization or other student group that
(i) 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 personal degradation or disgrace, and/or
(ii) the person knew or should have known was likely to cause serious bodily injury.
Student Hazing Prevention and Campus Response – UC Berkeley Policy
UC Berkeley’s campus wide policy on Student Hazing Prevention and Campus Response defines hazing, highlights expectations of student and student organization behavior, describes UC Berkeley’s responsibility to provide prevention training and transparency reports to the campus, and outlines the response for violation of the policy.
Fraternity and Sorority Life Recognition Agreement
The FSL Recognition agreement at the University of California, Berkeley
California State Laws
Hazing is illegal in California under the law commonly known as “Matt’s Law,” which is codified under (Senate Bill 1454)
Additionally, California Assembly Bill 2193 enhances student safety with proactive anti-measures including providing timely and comprehensive prevention education training to incoming students, student athletes and students involved in Greek life, as well as requiring public institutions to report hazing statistics to the California State Legislature.
STOP Campus Hazing Act and Clery – Federal Law
Under the Federal STOP Campus Hazing Act, Hazing is now a Clery reportable crime. Additionally, this act defines hazing and requires institutions such as UC Berkeley to provide Annual Security Reports including information on reporting & investigation processes and comprehensive hazing prevention programming as well as Campus Hazing Transparency Reports to the campus.
Other Policies
Visit the Center for Student Conduct’s webpage to learn more about some additional campus and systemwide policies relevant to the student and student organization experience at UC Berkeley.
