Brigham Young University – Idaho (BYU-Idaho) isn't like other colleges and universities. It holds its students to higher religious and moral standards. Students are expected to excel not only academically but also spiritually and morally through extensive participation in spiritual, campus, and church activities and programs.
Accusations of hazing at BYU-Idaho can threaten to destroy your academic career and reputation in the BYU-Idaho and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints community. When you have so much to lose, you need the support of the Lento Law Firm. Our Student Defense Team will fight for your place and reputation at BYU-Idaho to ensure your life gets back on track as soon as possible. Contact us today at 888-535-3686 or through our online form.
Brigham Young University – Idaho Hazing Policies
When many people think of hazing, they associate it with an active Greek life on college campuses. Since BYU-Idaho doesn't participate in the Greek life system, students may assume hazing isn't an accusation they could be facing, but that isn't the case. Hazing can occur in plenty of non-Greek life settings. BYU-Idaho life revolves a lot around school organizations and activities where hazing can happen.
BYU-Idaho's Student Life Policies and Guidelines bans hazing and encourages students to report hazing incidents to the Student Honor Office immediately. If you're a BYU-Idaho student accused of hazing, it can be difficult to understand if or what crime you committed. This is because BYU-Idaho doesn't have a specific definition for hazing or any examples of what behaviors it considers to be hazing.
BYU-Idaho doesn't have a separate anti-hazing policy like many other schools; its prohibition on hazing is included in the harassment section of its guidelines. These guidelines state all forms of harassment constitute a violation of BYU-Idaho's Honor Code, “including but not limited to verbal, physical, mental, sexual, including sexual misconduct, hazing, intimidation, exploitation, or aggressive behavior that threaten or endanger the physical or emotional health and safety of others.”
While BYU-Idaho doesn't provide much guidance on what constitutes hazing, Idaho hazing law does. Under the law, hazing is subjecting another person to, or creating a likelihood for, bodily harm or physical danger. Hazing behaviors include:
- Forced nudity
- Forced ingestion of any substance
- Physical assault or offensive physical contact
- Transportation or abandonment of a person
- Participation in physical contests or calisthenics
- Sleep deprivation
- Confinement in small, unventilated, unsanitary, or unlighted areas
As you already know, BYU-Idaho, as a member of the Christian Education System (CES) under The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, has strict rules regarding sexual behavior, alcohol, vulgar language, immoral behavior, and more. If you're accused of hazing at BYU-Idaho, there is a good chance you will also have violated the CES Honor Code. This means that you can be facing disciplinary action for numerous violations simultaneously.
The more accusations against you, the more severe the potential sanctions. When your academic career and moral reputation are on the line, you need the best possible defense to try to clear your name and mitigate the sanctions against you. At the Lento Law Firm, our Student Defense Team has helped countless students at CES and Idaho colleges face hazing and other disciplinary misconduct allegations.
Brigham Young University – Idaho Disciplinary Action Process
As stated above, BYU-Idaho differs in many ways from the average university, extending to the disciplinary action process. At BYU-Idaho, the disciplinary action process is called the investigation process. Generally, colleges and universities have a set way of handling hazing and other misconduct cases, and the school must stick to the procedure. The investigation process is disclosed at BYU-Idaho, but BYU-Idaho has the discretion to stray from these procedures. Because of BYU-Idaho's broad discretion, it's important you have a Lento Law Firm student defense attorney. Your Student Defense Team attorney will ensure that BYU-Idaho doesn't violate your rights during its ambiguous investigation process.
While the process isn't guaranteed, if you are accused of hazing a BYU-Idaho, you can expect the disciplinary process to roughly follow this trajectory.
Investigation
Once the Student Honor Office receives hazing allegations, an investigation will begin. If you're accused of hazing, you will be encouraged to meet with a Student Honor Office administrator to provide information on the alleged incident. You will be given a chance at this meeting to respond to the allegations and clear up any misunderstanding or discrepancies between the information reported and your side of the story.
Interim Action
During your hazing investigation, the Student Honor Office may take interim action against you. Interim actions can include:
- Temporary suspension
- Restricting access to classes
- Restricting access to student employment
- Restricting access to student-approved housing
- Restricting access to campus facilities
- Restricting access to university activities or programs
If interim action is taken against you, you can fight back, and your Lento Law Firm attorney can help. You are entitled to require a review of the interim action by the Dean of Students.
Determination
With the information from the investigation, the Student Honor Office will decide if it is "more likely than not" that you are guilty of the hazing incident. If you are found guilty, the Student Honor Office will issue sanctions. Sanctions for hazing at BYU-Idaho include:
- Counsel and Education
- Warning
- Probation
- Participation in the Steady Upward Course
- Suspension
- Withheld suspension
- Expulsion
Appeals
If you disagree with the sanctions issued, you may have the right to appeal your case. You only have five business days after you receive your notice of sanctions, so you should call the Lento Law Firm immediately. Even if the Lento Law Firm hasn't represented you throughout the disciplinary process thus far, our Student Defense Team can still help. We frequently take on hazing disciplinary action cases at the appeals stage and get more favorable outcomes for our student clients.
Retain the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team Today
Don't gamble on your academic career and reputation in the BYU-Idaho and religious community. Let the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team fight for you. Contact us today at 888-535-3686 or through our online form.
