What is hazing?
University of Central Florida
‘Hazing is any action or situation that recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health and/or safety of a student for purposes including but not limited to: initiation or admission into, association or affiliation with, any registered student organization or other group whether or not officially recognized by the University. Hazing in violation of Florida Statutes may result in felony charges. A student may commit an act of hazing whether the student is a prospective, current, or former member of the organization or group. The actions of active, associate, new and/or prospective members, former members, or alumni of a student organization or group may be considered hazing under this rule.’
Individual: UCF-5.008 (a-g)
Source: https://goldenrule.sdes.ucf.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/64/2025/02/5.008-Code-of-Conduct-24-25.pdf
Organization: UCF-5.012 (a-h)
Chad Meredith Act FL Statute 1006.63
‘(1)As used in this section, the term “hazing” means any action or situation that recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for purposes including, but not limited to:
(a) Initiation into any organization operating under the sanction of a postsecondary institution;
(b) Admission into any organization operating under the sanction of a postsecondary institution; (c) Affiliation with any organization operating under the sanction of a postsecondary institution; or (d) The perpetuation or furtherance of a tradition or ritual of any organization operating under the sanction of a postsecondary institution.’
Also see Andrew’s Law addendum: Statute 1006.63 (Section 11 a-b & 12)
Source: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/1006.63
NOTE: In Florida, hazing is a criminal offense. A person commits hazing, a third degree felony, when he or she intentionally or recklessly commits any act of hazing upon another person who is a member of or an applicant to any type of student organization and the hazing results in serious bodily injury or death of such other person. A person commits hazing, a first degree misdemeanor, when he or she intentionally or recklessly commits any act of hazing upon another person who is a member of or an applicant to any type of student organization and the hazing creates a substantial risk of physical injury or death to such other person.
It is not a defense to a charge of hazing that:
- The consent of the victim had been obtained;
- The conduct or activity that resulted in the death or injury of a person was not part of an official organizational event or was not otherwise sanctioned or approved by the organization; or
- The conduct or activity that resulted in death or injury of the person was not done as a condition of membership to an organization.
Stop Campus Hazing Act 2024
The term ‘hazing’ means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a person (whether individually or in concert with other persons) against another person or persons regardless of the willingness of such other person or persons to participate, that
“(I) is committed in the course of an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, a student organization; and
“(II) 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
Source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5646/text
Spectrum of Hazing
Source: https://stophazing.org/resources/spectrum/
Examples of hazing
Please note, this is not an exhaustive or comprehensive list, and as it can be seen from the Spectrum of Hazing, there is a continuum of hazing behaviors that moves fluidly from subtle to violent. If you are not sure it is hazing, please refer to this guide from StopHazing.org for more information.
Subtle
Behaviors that emphasize a power imbalance between new members / rookies and other members of the group or team are termed “subtle hazing” because these types of hazing are often taken for granted or accepted as “harmless” or meaningless.
- Forced (social) isolation
- Forced calisthenics
- Use of demeaning language
- Expecting certain items to always be in one’s possession
Harassment
Behaviors that cause emotional anguish or physical discomfort in order to feel like part of the group. Harassment hazing confuses, frustrates, and causes undue stress for new members / rookies. (Some types of harassment hazing can also be considered violent hazing.)
- Being left at an unknown location
- Threats or implied threats,
- Verbal abuse
- Sleep deprivation
Violent
Behaviors that have the potential to cause physical and/or emotional, or psychological harm.
- Forced consumption of any food, liquor, drug, or other substance
- To include forced consumption of alcohol or water
- Violence and/or assault such as paddling, beating, burning, branding, etc.
- Abductions and/or kidnappings
- Forced or coerced sexual acts
- Coercion into violating state, federal or Tribal law
- Any dangerous activity including, but not limited to long swims, jumps from high places, binding, and blindfolding