Here's the bottom line: if the New Jersey Institute of Technology has charged you with hazing, the situation is serious. Serious enough that you need a lawyer to protect you. These cases frequently involve dozens of students. You may be charged with secondary offenses as well. The minimum sanction is typically suspension. And these are the kinds of cases that wind up on the evening news.
NJIT gives you the right to consult an attorney. Make sure you choose the right one. Most attorneys aren't experienced with college judicial procedures. The Lento Law Firm is. In fact, our Student Defense Team was specifically founded to protect student rights. We're familiar with NJIT's rules and regulations, and we've helped hundreds of students deal with misconduct charges, including hazing allegations.
It's important you contact us quickly, though. You can be sure NJIT is already building its case against you. You should be building your defense. Call 888-535-3686 today to find out how we can help, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.
Defining Hazing at the New Jersey Institute of Technology
NJIT's anti-hazing policy is written in complicated legalese, and it's broad enough to cover almost any sort of initiation activity. No surprise, then, that many students who find themselves accused didn't even know they had done something wrong.
Here are just a few of the issues you need to keep in mind if you want to avoid a charge.
- As a starting point, you should know that NJIT's policy doesn't just prohibit activities that might cause physical harm. It also protects initiates from "psychological" and "mental" harm. Even simple verbal harassment can get you into trouble. In fact, in recent years, students have been charged for things like keeping pledges up too late at night.
- Hazing also isn't merely about the actual harm you might do to other students. Conduct that “endangers” initiates qualifies as well. Your initiation activities might go off without a hitch, and you could still find yourself under investigation.
- Hazing isn't often associated with Greek life. However, NJIT's policy applies to “any organization, group, team, club, or cohort.”
- You cannot avoid a charge by claiming participants were all “willing.” Because membership in the organization depends on participation, any participation is considered to be “coerced.” Even getting pledges to sign waivers won't protect you.
NJIT's policy actually includes the entire text of New Jersey's state's anti-hazing law. Keep in mind, though, that the institute's policy is actually stricter than state law. Even if prosecutors find you innocent of hazing charges, the university still has the right to investigate you, find you responsible, and punish you.
When your academic career is on the line, you cannot afford to try and handle a case on your own. You need someone on your side who understands university processes and procedures. You need someone from the Lento Law Firm.
Defending Yourself From Hazing Allegations
A hazing allegation is a serious matter, but you do have the right to defend yourself. NJIT must provide you with a presumption of innocence (not responsible). Concrete evidence is needed to prove you are responsible, and you're entitled to challenge any evidence it's using against you.
Here's a rough outline of what you can expect.
- Misconduct, including hazing, is under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS). Anyone can accuse you, but the ODOS must decide whether the accusations are credible and actionable before issuing formal charges.
- If the ODOS does decide to issue charges, it must provide you with notice of those charges. That notice should explain the allegations and apprise you of your due process rights.
- You are entitled to an advisor, someone to help you present your case, and you are further entitled to choose an attorney for this role. Your Lento Law Firm attorney can be at your side during initial investigative interviews to help you answer questions, and they'll be at your side during the hearing to offer advice as you make your case.
- Because hazing investigations are so complex, they often take weeks or even months to complete. Throughout the investigation, though, you have the right to give your side of the story and to review any evidence investigators uncover.
- Once the investigation is complete, investigators turn over their findings to the ODOS, who then sets a time and date for a hearing. Minor misconduct issues at NJIT are heard by single-conduct officers. Hazing allegations are almost always considered major offenses, though, and are usually heard by a Student Conduct Board.
- At the hearing, you're entitled to make any arguments in support of your innocence and to support those arguments with evidence, including witness testimony. Of course, NJIT will make its case as well, but you also have the right to raise questions about any evidence being presented against you.
- The standard of responsibility (guilt) at NJIT is “preponderance of the evidence” and not “beyond a reasonable doubt. “Preponderance” means you are responsible if it seems “ more likely than not” that you committed a hazing offense.
- Should you lose your hearing, NJIT does offer an appeals process. However, you must have grounds for such an appeal. Grounds might include a procedural error, new evidence, or a disproportionate sanction.
Your Lento Law Firm attorney will help you with all aspects of your case, from answering investigative questions to preparing your arguments and coaching you on how to deliver your hearing presentation. They cannot speak for you, but they can be on hand to offer advice at every stage of the investigation. In addition, you can be sure your attorney will keep a close watch on how you are treated. Their most important job is to make sure NJIT respects your rights and gives you a fair and just resolution.
Fighting for Your Future
Hazing is a serious offense, and a Responsible finding can mean serious sanctions. Just because you've been charged, though, doesn't mean you'll necessarily be found Responsible. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team can make sure you're fully prepared to defend yourself. They can insist the New Jersey Institute of Technology afford you every due process right to which you are entitled. In the end, they offer you your very best chance of success.
Let the Lento Law Firm help you fight for your academic future. To find out more, contact us today at 888-535-3686. Or, fill out our online questionnaire.
