Hazing

UMass Chan Medical School in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 269, Sections 17, 18 and 19 (Jan. 5, 1988) does not tolerate any form of hazing. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 269, Sections 17, 18 and 19 contain the following:

Section 17: Whoever is a principal organizer or participant in the crime of hazing, as defined herein, shall be punished by a fine of not more than three thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than one year or both such fine and imprisonment.

The term ‘hazing’ as used in this section and in Sections 18 and 19, shall mean any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person. Such conduct shall include whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to weather, forced consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug or other substance, or any other brutal treatment or forced physical activity which is likely to adversely affect the physical health or safety of any student or other person, or which subjects such student or other person to extreme mental stress, including extended deprivation of sleep or rest or extended isolation.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section to the contrary, consent shall not be available as a defense to any prosecution under this action.

Section 18: Whoever knows that another person is the victim of hazing as defined in Section 17 and is at the scene of such a crime shall, to the extent that such person can do so without danger or peril to himself or others, report such crime to an appropriate law enforcement official as soon as reasonably practicable. Whoever fails to report such a crime shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars.

Section 19: Each institution of secondary education and each public and private institution of postsecondary education shall issue to every student organization which is part of such institution or is recognized by the institution or permitted by the institution to use its name or facilities or is known by the institution to exist as an unaffiliated student organization, a copy or this section and Sections 17 and 18; provided, however, that an institution’s compliance with this section’s requirements that an institution issue copies of this section and Section 17 and 18 to unaffiliated student organizations shall not constitute evidence of the institution’s recognition or endorsement of said unaffiliated student organizations.

In addition, hazing is not compatible with the Medical School’s Technical Standards for Admission, Continuation and Graduation. Students accused of hazing will be reviewed by a Technical Standards Subcommittee and may be subject to sanctions by the Medical School up to and including dismissal. (See Honor Code.)