Hazing encompasses a range of practices and can take many forms but often involves physical risks or mental distress through humiliating, intimidating, or demeaning treatment of individuals joining or continuing membership in a group, team, or organization. The impact of hazing on individuals can be severe, long-lasting, and even fatal. A violation of university policy and New York State law, hazing can occur in all types of groups and organizations.
If you have been hazed, have witnessed hazing, or suspect that someone you know has been hazed, you can report your observations anonymously using Cornell University’s Incident Reporting form or by contacting a university staff member.
Hazing is prohibited by New York State Law.
Cornell University Definition of Hazing
Hazing is any act that, as an explicit or implicit condition of recruitment, admission, or initiation into, affiliation with, or new or continued membership status within a group, team, organization, living group, or academic group or cohort, does one or more of the following:
1. Causes, encourages, or compels another person to engage in any activity that could reasonably be perceived as likely to create a risk of mental, physical, or emotional distress or harm; examples include but are not limited to:
a. Undertake acts of servitude or menial tasks;
b. Undergo undue financial expenditures;
c. Engage in acts relevant to those of the group (for example practice or training activities), but in a manner that a reasonable person would consider excessive or dangerous;
d. Abuse, humiliate, degrade, or taunt another person or persons.
2. Involves any of the following:
a. Consumption of alcohol or drugs;
b. Consumption of unpalatable substances, or palatable substances to excess;
c. Damage to or theft of property, or any other illegal act;
d. Violation of any University policy.
3. Subjects any other person (including an existing member or cohort of existing members of the group) to any of the above activities.
Hazing can occur on or off campus, and in person or in virtual settings. The individual subjected to hazing does not need to regard or identify the act as hazing. The fact that an individual does not object to and/or appears willing to participate in the activity, does not signify the conduct is not hazing.
Examples of Hazing
Joining a group should never involve:
- sleep deprivation
- eating gross stuff
- acts of exertion
- isolation from the group
- acts of servitude
- alcohol
Context Matters
Note: while some behaviors constitute hazing regardless of context (e.g., paddling, use of alcohol), others depend on the circumstances. For example, requiring athletes to perform normal calisthenics as part of conditioning would not be hazing, but requiring new members of a non-athletic student organization to do push-ups in the middle of the night would constitute hazing.
Hazing can result in a range of sanctions against organizations/teams and individuals that range from educational interventions to suspension or expulsion.
New York State Definitions & Penalties
According to NY State Penal Law, Chapter 716, Section 1:
120.16: Hazing in the first degree
A person is guilty of hazing in the first degree when, in the course of another person's initiation into or affiliation with any organization, he intentionally or recklessly engages in conduct which creates a substantial risk of physical injury to such other person or a third person and thereby causes such injury.
Hazing in the first degree is a class A misdemeanor.
120.17: Hazing in the second degree
A person is guilty of hazing in the second degree when, in the course of another person's initiation or affiliation with any organization, he intentionally or recklessly engages in conduct which creates a substantial risk of physical injury to such other person or a third person.
Hazing in the second degree is a violation.
Educational Resources
Want to learn more about hazing? Check out our educational resources for group leaders, parents and families, and anyone seeking to examine hazing within student groups and organizations. View hazing examples, real-life stories and learn how to prevent or interrupt hazing.