Hazing is not the sort of university charge you can take lightly. It's not like underage drinking or damaging your dorm room. For starters, cases can be enormously complex, involving dozens of students. You may be facing additional charges, like sexual misconduct, disorderly conduct, or...underage drinking. And while your organization is likely charged as well, you cannot rely on it to protect you. The organization and your fellow members will shift the blame to you if they possibly can.
You need someone in your corner, someone looking out for your best interests. You need an attorney from the Lento Law Firm.
The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team has the background and experience to ensure you're treated fairly and that you get the best possible resolution to your case. We've helped hundreds of students, just like you, defend themselves from all types of disciplinary misconduct charges, including hazing. We know UMGC's judicial system, and we can show you how to use it to your best advantage.
It's important you contact us quickly, though. You can be sure UMGC 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 University of Maryland-Global Campus
Hazing is actually a difficult charge to avoid if you're a member of a UMGC organization, and let's face it, almost every student at the university belongs to one group or another. It looks good on a resume.
The trouble is, “hazing” is broadly defined, so broadly, in fact, that it's easy to make a mistake without even realizing you've made a mistake. Here are just a few of the elements of UMGC's anti-hazing policy you need to consider.
- First, you don't have to harm another person to be charged with hazing. Creating the “risk” of harm is enough to warrant a charge. What this means is that even if your organization's hazing activities go according to plan and no one is hurt, you've still likely violated university policy.
- Hazing isn't just about physical harm. "Emotional distress, humiliation, and degradation" qualify as offenses. So, too, does "interfering with a student's ability to function as a student." Simply keeping a pledge up too late at night could be enough to garner a charge.
- Hazing isn't just an activity that fraternities and sororities engage in. UMGC's policy doesn't refer to Greek life at all. Instead, it uses the more general terms “organization” and “group.” Even honor societies can be charged with hazing.
- You can be charged whether or not your organization's hazing activities took place on campus or off.
- You cannot avoid a hazing charge by claiming participants were “willing.” Membership in the organization is at stake. Once that's the case, participation is always “coerced.”
As it happens, the state of Maryland also prohibits hazing and sets criminal penalties for anyone involved in hazing activities. Remember, though, that UMGC's policy is separate from state law. You can be charged with a university offense at the same time you're facing criminal charges. Further, even if the criminal justice system should decide you are innocent, that will have no influence on how UMGC proceeds. Even if the state clears you, you can still face a university sanction, including probation, suspension, and even expulsion.
Defending Yourself From Hazing Allegations
You do have some important rights any time you're accused of a disciplinary misconduct offense at UMGC, even hazing. The university must provide you with “due process,” including the right to a presumption of innocence (“not responsible”).
Here's how things normally happen.
- Anyone at UMGC can accuse you of an offense—pledges, organization members, other organizations, advisors, faculty, staff, administrators, and security personnel.
- If the university decides to charge you formally, the Director of the Office of Student Conduct issues formal notice of the charges. That notice should explain the nature of the charges and include a list of your due process rights.
- The Office of Student Conduct then initiates an investigation. You should be invited to meet with investigators and give your side of the story. Throughout the investigation, you have the right to review any and all evidence investigations uncover.
- Investigations into hazing incidents can sometimes take weeks or even months to complete. Once they are complete, though, investigators submit their findings to the Office of Student Conduct Director, who sets a time and date for a hearing.
- At the hearing, you are entitled to present evidence in defense of your innocence, including witness testimony. The other side will, of course, present evidence of your guilt, but you also have the right to challenge this evidence.
- Ultimately, decision-makers apply the “preponderance of the evidence” standard to determine whether or not you committed an offense. In simple terms, you are guilty if they are more than fifty percent convinced you are guilty.
- If you are found responsible, you can appeal this outcome, but you must have sufficient “grounds” to do so. Grounds usually involve issues of fairness, such as an allegation of procedural error, the discovery of new evidence, or an argument about the severity of the sanction.
UMGC requires students to speak for themselves during disciplinary misconduct proceedings. Your Lento Law Firm attorney cannot "represent" you the way they would at a criminal trial. However, they can make sure you're fully prepared to represent yourself. You can be sure your attorney will work with you to find evidence of your innocence and outline your entire defensive strategy. They'll draft documents on your behalf, help you create your hearing presentation, and even give you practice in making that presentation. Through it all, they'll be at your side, offering advice and ensuring the university respects all of your due process rights.
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 University of Maryland-Global Campus 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.
