It is Recruitment Season!

The Office of Student Conduct would like to offer a warm welcome to all our new and returning students. We are so excited to have students back on campus. As the fall semester kicks off, so does recruitment season. This is a perfect time for students to get involved, meet new people, and dive into activities that align with their interests. Whether you are joining a club, fraternity or sorority, or athletics MSU wants to ensure that you have a positive and safe experience. Across the United States there is a push from universities to prevent hazing on college campuses. This August we want to encourage you to educate yourself on hazing prevention.

What is Hazing?

“Hazing is any act committed by a Student member, or Student members, of a Student Organization against another Student or Students that is (1) 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 an unreasonable risk of physical or psychological injury including, but not limited to – (i) whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone’s body, or similar activity; (ii) causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, extreme calisthenics, or other similar activities; (iii) causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to consume food, liquid, alcohol, drugs, or other substances; (iv) causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts; (v) any activity that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words or conduct; (vi) any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, or Federal law, and (vii) 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.
Failure by a group’s or organization’s executive officers to intervene to prevent, discourage, and/or report hazing of which they are aware or reasonably should be aware also will be deemed a violation of this policy.
Participation, cooperation, or willingness of the Students to participate in the act subject to this provision is not an excuse for the violation.
Activities that can be reasonably expected to be encountered in the course of participation in the Student Organization (such as the physical preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team) are not in and of themselves acts of hazing.”
Op 5.25 Hazing Prevention and Programming

Common Myths About Hazing

Myth: “It is okay if everyone is willing to do it. “
Truth: Hazing is unacceptable regardless of whether the students involved participated, cooperated, or were willing to engage in their behaviors.

Myth: “Hazing is not common.”
Truth: 55% of college students involved in fraternities, sororities, teams and other student organizations experienced hazing (Allan, E.J. & Madden, M., 2008).

Myth: “Students would know that they are experiencing hazing.”
Truth: More than 9 out of 10 students who experienced hazing do not consider themselves to have been hazed (Allan, E.J. & Madden, M., 2008).

Myth: “Students should not report hazing because they may get in trouble.”
Truth: Missouri State University provides limited immunity for students who help others in need. At a minimum, Missouri State University suggests that a student anonymously report any situation.

How to Report

Reporting incidents is essential because it allows us to help those who have been affected and prevent these events from reoccurring. The incident reporting form is located on the MSU Student Conduct website. If you are concerned about the wellbeing of your student, fill out a Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) referral form on the MSU Dean of Students Office website. Behavioral Intervention Team – Dean of Students Office. You can also make a report via phone, email, or in person.

Contact Information:
📍 Plaster Student Union, Room 405
📞 (417) 836-5527
📧 studentconduct@missouristate.edu
🌐 MSU Student Conduct Website
📫 901 S. National Ave., Springfield, MO 65897