A significant and fulfilling part of many Connecticut university students' lives is their membership in a student organization. Greek life, for example, surrounds students with like-minded individuals and gives them a feeling of belonging and purpose. In addition, being a member of one or more on-campus groups is typically a boon to a student's resume when entering the labor market down the line.
Despite the benefits they can offer, student organizations across American universities are also routinely at the center of hazing scandals that shake the local community to the core. In Connecticut, universities do not tolerate hazing, and your future is at risk if you get swept up in your school's reaction to a hazing scandal.
If your school is investigating instances of hazing, you should never represent yourself when one adverse ruling can follow you for the rest of your life. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can help defend against hazing accusations and keep you in the good graces of your college. Call us today at 888-535-3686 or provide details through our confidential online form to protect yourself from serious hazing accusations.
How Colleges Define Hazing Based on Connecticut Law
If you ask 100 different people what hazing is, you may receive 100 different answers. That's because hazing isn't one specific act, and actions that look and feel very different are under the same umbrella. In fact, over half of all college students in a student organization have experienced hazing, even though a much smaller percentage correctly label what happened to them as hazing. Despite what popular movies may have you believe, hazing isn't just forcing someone to streak across campus. Whatever form it takes, Connecticut colleges do not tolerate hazing by students or student-led groups.
Connecticut's hazing statutes define hazing as actions that recklessly or intentionally endanger the health or safety of a person as part of an initiation, admission, or continued membership in a student organization. The statute also makes it clear that these definitions apply to fraternities and sororities found on Connecticut college campuses. Notably, Connecticut law imposes fines rather than criminal penalties, distinguishing it from many other states.
However, looking at the civil or criminal penalties for hazing offenses often misses the big picture. In most cases, the most significant risk to a student whose sorority or fraternity engages in hazing will come from the university itself through a disciplinary process. Universities in Connecticut, such as UConn and Yale, have specific Code of Conduct policies based on a state law that gives them the power to discipline students for misconduct. Since higher education institutions usually adopt a zero-tolerance policy for hazing, they sometimes engage in overzealous discipline for anyone tangentially involved.
Even if you don't participate in hazing directly, simply being a part of a student organization dealing with a hazing scandal may require you to defend yourself before a disciplinary board. Unfortunately, you can't expect the truth alone to exonerate you fully. If your school accuses you and your student organization of hazing offenses, the Lento Law Firm should be your first call to secure representation and prevent accusations from escalating to serious punishment.
Examples of Hazing
Even though hazing can take many forms, there are certain actions and behaviors that colleges deal with more commonly than others. Your college likely provides a list of prohibited behaviors in its Code of Conduct, but those lists are non-exhaustive. Universities have broad discretion to discipline students and step in to protect victims, especially concerning actions as serious as hazing. Common examples of hazing include:
- Drinking games where students are forced or coerced to consume large amounts of alcohol
- Sleep deprivation
- Sexual coercion, such as forcing members to perform or simulate sex acts and strip naked
- Forceful isolation by segregating members or forcing them to remain silent and away from others
- Servitude, where younger members of a group are forced or coerced to perform tasks for the benefit of senior members
- Humiliation in any form, such as degrading acts, inappropriate or humiliating costumes and clothes, and insults about someone's race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation
- Coercion to commit an illegal activity like shoplifting to benefit the organization or a senior member of the group
Remember, this list is simply an overview of common types of hazing. Your college's officials only need to show that your actions match the definition of hazing in their policies. Any behaviors, however niche or minor, can fall under this definition and escalate to disciplinary sanctions.
Disciplinary Punishments for Hazing
Connecticut universities don't tolerate hazing, but what actions do they take to punish students? You may think that a simple drinking game isn't enough to warrant severe discipline, but punishments are often harsh in order to dissuade further bad behavior and eliminate ongoing risks to students. If your college is accusing you of hazing and starting disciplinary proceedings, possible disciplinary punishments include:
- Suspension: Temporary removal from classes and campus activities.
- Expulsion: Permanent removal from the university, preventing you from completing your education.
- Loss of privileges: Banning you from participating in sports teams, student organizations, or other extracurricular activities.
- Mandatory educational programs: Additional requirements to attend anti-hazing workshops or counseling sessions.
- Disciplinary probation: A probationary status with strict conditions for continued enrollment, with additional infractions leading to harsher punishment.
- Permanent record: A permanent blemish on your academic record that may be visible to future employers or educational institutions.
You may be thinking, "I didn't engage in hazing myself. Am I still at risk of these disciplinary sanctions?" In most cases, the answer is a resounding yes. UConn, for instance, explicitly states that "Apathy or acquiescence in the presence of hazing are not neutral acts; they are violations of this rule." Contact the Lento Law Firm today to prevent hazing accusations from ending your academic career before it can get off the ground.
The University Disciplinary Process in Connecticut
Hazing is a pressing concern for Connecticut colleges, but how they handle these cases isn't dissimilar from other infractions like academic dishonesty or drug use. After accusations, the disciplinary process follows a structured, methodical approach outlined by that individual institution. Each school's process may have slightly unique aspects, but generally, they follow a similar pattern.
More important than understanding every part of your school's disciplinary process is immediately contacting experienced Student Defense attorneys to guide you through the upcoming minefield. As soon as you are notified of an investigation into your conduct, reach out to the Lento Law Firm to give yourself the best chances of staying in the good graces of your educational institution.
Allegations
The disciplinary process begins with an allegation or report of hazing. Allegations of hazing can originate from other students, faculty members, university staff, or anyone else who witnessed the behavior. Most colleges allow for confidential reporting, especially in sensitive cases like hazing.
Not only can anyone file a report against you, but Connecticut colleges often dedicate resources and efforts specifically to make reporting hazing incidents easier. UConn, for example, provides a publicly available hazing reporting form for those who suffered or witnessed hazing. Reporters can include tons of information, including a list of involved organizations and parties. If your name ends up on this list, school investigators are sure to investigate you further.
Notification
When school officials believe a report is credible and worthy of further investigation, the university notifies the accused student of the allegations. The notification typically includes a summary of the charges, the specific university policies that have allegedly been violated, and an outline of the next steps in the disciplinary process. Even before they establish wrongdoing, schools often impose immediate restrictions, such as temporarily suspending the fraternity or sorority, to prevent further incidents during the investigation.
Remember, now is the time to reach out to Student Defense attorneys if you haven't yet done so. Attorneys assist through every stage of the disciplinary process, preventing investigators from abusing your rights and stopping you from incriminating yourself further.
Investigation
The university then initiates a thorough investigation to get to the bottom of the situation. If the person who made the report provides their contact information, investigators will contact that individual to learn more. Then, they will likely reach out to you and anyone else named in the report. They will also gather text messages, emails, and social media posts that possibly discuss the hazing incident, as well as review any physical evidence related to the allegations.
This investigatory period is extremely stressful and damaging to the accused's mental health. No one likes being accused of wrongdoing, and your attorneys will represent you throughout the investigation to paint the best picture for investigators. Ideally, investigators will fail to secure enough evidence tying you to the hazing incident to convince a review board to continue with the case.
Preliminary Conference
Before a formal hearing and conclusion to the case, universities may hold a preliminary conference where you and other accused students meet with a university official to discuss the case. Depending on your school's policies, this can occur at the beginning, middle, or end of an investigation. As a result of this conference and how well your attorneys present your side of the story, the university may decide to drop the charges, offer a plea deal, or proceed to a formal hearing.
Formal Hearing
If school officials do not close the case during the preliminary stages, it moves to a formal hearing. Typically, this occurs when investigators find substantial evidence backing up the allegations. Most schools close these hearings to the public to protect the privacy of all parties involved, but long-term academic and reputational risks still exist should the disciplinary board rule against you.
During the hearing, a disciplinary board reviews the evidence and hears testimony from both sides. You will have the opportunity to present a defense, call witnesses, and challenge the evidence presented. Attorneys play an important role from the outset, but their experience is even more vital during formal hearings that often look and sound a lot like court trials. If you are already under investigation and have not secured legal representation to fight back against accusations of hazing, time is of the essence.
Final Decision and Disciplinary Sanctions
If the disciplinary board finds you responsible for hazing, the university will impose sanctions that they deem fair. The severity of the sanctions often depends on your involvement with the hazing, your prior disciplinary record, and whether there was intent to cause harm. Even if you cannot convince the board of your innocence, your attorneys will work to prevent substantial damage to your academic record and help you rebound from this momentary roadblock.
Appealing a Decision
Unfavorable rulings might feel like the end of the world, but you still have options to clear your name. In most cases, you can seek an appeal of the disciplinary board's decision before your school finalizes it. However, the final decision following the appeal is usually binding, and the filing time frame can be as short as a week.
How the Lento Law Firm Can Help University Students Accused of Hazing
If your university is accusing you of hazing, you are at risk of forever being disadvantaged as you continue your educational career and enter the workforce. Whether these are false accusations, exaggerated claims, or an accurate reporting of a dumb mistake you made, you can't expect to escape the situation unscathed without experienced legal representation. The Lento Law Firm is uniquely positioned to provide the guidance and representation you need to present yourself in the best light and maintain college enrollment without punishment.
College disciplinary proceedings are similar to court trials in some respects but significantly different in many key areas. Our Student Defense Team can provide insights that a local criminal attorney cannot, and we know what school boards want to see and hear in order to reach an amicable resolution. In addition, we are intimately familiar with the policies of many of Connecticut's top schools, allowing us to successfully argue against unfair allegations that don't match your school's hazing definitions.
We have represented promising young students attending universities across the state, including:
- University of Connecticut (UConn) - Storrs, CT
- Yale University - New Haven, CT
- Quinnipiac University - Hamden, CT
- Central Connecticut State University - New Britain, CT
- Sacred Heart University - Fairfield, CT
- University of Hartford - West Hartford, CT
- Fairfield University - Fairfield, CT
- Southern Connecticut State University - New Haven, CT
- Western Connecticut State University - Danbury, CT
- Eastern Connecticut State University - Willimantic, CT
Hazing isn't limited to the most prominent universities and organizations in Connecticut. If your academic future is at risk due to hazing accusations and disciplinary proceedings, the Lento Law Firm can help, no matter which university you attend.
Call the Lento Law Firm Today To Defend Against Hazing Accusations
Facing hazing allegations at a Connecticut university is a serious matter, not one you can take lightly. Universities are under constant pressure by state governments and the public to handle hazing cases swiftly and decisively, often leading to sweeping sanctions for any students involved.
Not all attorneys are equal, as university disciplinary defense isn't something that the typical defense attorney has experience with. At the Lento Law Firm, we pride ourselves on our deep knowledge of Connecticut law and university policies. During your case, we will leverage our experience to protect your rights, ensure fair treatment, and mitigate the consequences of serious hazing allegations. Call our Student Defense Team today at 888-535-3686 or contact us through our online form to get started on your defense.
