Universities and colleges have been dealing with hazing for hundreds of years, including those in Texas. Federal laws seek to discourage and penalize hazing, but state law is equally crucial in specifying and implementing sensible regulations. Texas strives to accomplish this as thoroughly as possible.
As a college or university student in Texas, you should know how the state handles hazing, particularly if you've been accused of enabling or participating in it. After all, a conviction could cause ripple effects on the rest of your academic and professional career. To schedule a consultation, call the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team at 888.535.3686 or fill out this contact form.
Why Does Texas Take Hazing So Seriously?
Public humiliation, sleep deprivation, verbal abuse, beatings, bondage, asphyxiation, toxic substances, spoiled food, bullying, harassment, and sexual coercion are just a few of the harmful, dangerous, or illegal activities often used in hazing. They could also be assigned as punishments to students who refuse to participate. Any of them could cause long-term physical, emotional, or mental injuries and disabilities, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Sometimes, hazing hurts uninvolved and innocent third parties, too.
Knowing that hazing can negatively impact so many lives for years to come, Texas colleges and universities take firm stances against it. This is reflected in their policies and methods for handling hazing reports.
Texas State Laws on Hazing
Texas state law defines hazing as any act that intimidates ostracizes, or harms a student as part of an approval process to become part of a school organization. It broadly includes any act that any “reasonable person” could predict would produce negative effects on a victim's physical, mental, or emotional well-being. You may be considered guilty even if the victim consents or if you know about the hazing but don't try to stop it.
Not only this, but Texas law requires colleges and universities to publicly and prominently post on their websites about any on- or off-campus organizations that engage in hazing and what the school is or has done to punish it. The posts must contain such details as the name of the organization, date of occurrence, and a description of the hazing incident.
The only way to become immune to prosecution or discipline from the school is to voluntarily report any hazing of which you are aware.
How Texas Colleges and Universities Deal with Hazing
To back up their adherence to state laws and individual policies, Texas colleges and universities have processes set in place to investigate and discipline hazing. While each school is unique, the general process goes something like this.
Reporting the Incident
Every post-secondary institution in Texas has a department that accepts and reviews reports of hazing. Usually, the department of student affairs, conduct, Greek organizations, or campus police is responsible. You can either call them—the most preferable option if the hazing is happening currently—or file reports online or in person. As an example, the University of Texas asks students to either call 911 or the school's Behavior Concerns Advice Line at 512-232-5050.
After receiving the report, some schools may also hold preliminary conferences to evaluate the details. If the report is considered false or lacking in evidence, the department might dismiss it.
Investigating the Case
Should the department decide that the hazing report warrants further action, they'll open an investigation. In addition to examining the places where the hazing allegedly occurred, it may include interviewing victims, offenders, witnesses, and other involved parties. If you're named as a perpetrator, you could be suspended pending the results of the investigation.
Organizing a Hearing
Once the department has completed the investigation, they may ask you to attend a hearing. It's an opportunity to explain and advocate for yourself, after which the school's administration will decide whether and how to discipline you.
How Texas Colleges and Universities Punish Hazing
After assigning you a punishment, the school may send you an official letter with the details, as well as instructions for filing an appeal if you want. Unless or until it's approved, you may have to deal with any of the following disciplinary measures.
Loss of Privileges
Students in good standing at colleges and universities in Texas can participate in clubs, organizations, and extracurricular activities. They also have a right to live in university housing. A loss of privileges means that you can't do or have any of those things.
This may not seem so bad since you can still go to school, but some privileges would have given you attractive items to put on your resume. Losing them might make you less competitive in the job market after graduation.
Disciplinary Probation
If you're placed under disciplinary probation, you may get to keep your privileges, but you'd be subjected to special rules and regulations for a specified time period. For example, you may have to keep a different curfew than other students or be held to higher standards of conduct. Violating this probation could lead to more severe punishments, like suspension, expulsion, or dismissal.
Depending on the probation and how well you respect it, you could have fewer job prospects than you may anticipate following graduation. For instance, if you miss out on important activities or organizations because of the rules you have to follow, you'll have fewer qualifications with which to pad your resume.
Suspension
With a suspension, your school will decide on a time period in which you would be barred from entering the campus or taking classes. This can delay your graduation or complicate transferal to a different school, if that's what you want to do. In return, you may have to put off starting your career or explain the gap in your resume. Also, you could lose your financial aid.
Dismissal
As with a suspension or expulsion, a dismissal means that you can't go to your school's campus anymore. However, it differs in that the school may give you behavioral or remedial conditions that could requalify you for admission if you fulfill them. Unfortunately, you may become ineligible for financial aid until then.
Expulsion
Since it disenrolls you from your college or university permanently, you may consider expulsion the most severe punishment. You could end up losing your unfinished credits and eligibility for financial aid. An appeal is your best hope, but if it's not approved, you could have difficulty gaining admission to a different school.
Why Texas Punish Hazing So Severely?
Hazing is sometimes meant to be fun or benignly challenging. If the intentions aren't always malicious, why do Texas colleges and universities take such a strong stand against it? What makes it so serious that an accusation could overshadow the rest of your life?
No matter the motivation and purpose behind hazing, it's well-documented for causing egregious harm to many parties. Consider the following.
The Victim
Most state laws and post-secondary policies regarding hazing in Texas are designed to protect victims. That's because hazing rituals frequently lead to physical, emotional, and mental harm, as previously described. Texas students go to university or college to learn and prepare for their careers, not to develop debilitating and long-lasting disabilities and mental illnesses that may hazing may produce. Consequences must be harsh to support victims.
The Offender
Both the act of hazing and an accusation of perpetrating it can impact offenders as well.
For example, most students initiate hazing rituals because they're motivated by a desire for power, acceptance, social prestige, and other issues rooted in low self-esteem. By clarifying that hazing is an unacceptable way to deal with such personal problems, Texas colleges and universities hope to steer would-be offenders toward other solutions and coping mechanisms.
Consider the pragmatic angle, too. Regardless of your opinions on hazing, the fact that it's against Texas law and post-secondary educational policy means that doing it anyway could have huge consequences on your academic and professional careers for years to come. The risk simply isn't worth taking, and for your own good, Texas schools want to discourage you from trying.
The Other Students
Even students who are not directly involved in hazing could find their lives interrupted by it. Some hazing rituals are messy, noisy, or destructive, disrupting the school environment and routines of other students. Plus, knowing what can happen, hazing can make the rest of the student body question their safety. Since this isn't fair to them and opposes the purpose of higher education, Texas colleges and universities work to minimize or eradicate hazing.
The University or College
Texas colleges and universities remain in operation because they get funding from the state, donations, and tuition. Due to its reputation for danger and harm, hazing can affect their standing and viability, as the state, students, and third parties could withdraw their financial support. This is especially true when the hazing is publicized.
Take the lawsuit filed against Texas A&M in December 2023. A cadet in the Army Corps alleges that he was forced into sexually humiliating actions as part of a hazing ritual. The other cadets even took and shared photographs of him in a hogtied position. Although the school claims to have taken action against the perpetrators, the victim is suing them for $1 million due to the mental anguish he has suffered. With such a terrible blow to their reputation, the school may find attendance and donations lower than usual.
This example also shows that universities and colleges stand to lose a substantial amount of their own profits cleaning up after hazing. Between the need to attract funding with safe campuses and retain the revenue they earn, Texas post-secondary institutions are naturally heavy-handed with disciplining offenders.
Why Hire the Lento Law Firm and Not a Local Criminal Law Attorney?
Since hazing is a crime in Texas, your first instinct may be to contact a local criminal law attorney to defend you. However, we assure you that the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team is a superior option. Here are the reasons why.
They Enjoy Widespread Respect and Renown
The Lento Law Firm isn't just any law firm; they're valued nationwide for their prowess in multiple areas of the law. Their cases have won attention and admiration throughout the United States. If you trust them with your hazing case, they'll easily earn your confidence and prove why they're held in such high regard everywhere they go.
They'll Stand Between You and the School
Given how badly hazing reports can impact Texas colleges and universities financially, politically, and socially, the administrations may rush through the investigation and hearing processes to issue swift and harsh punishments. After all, there's no law or regulation stopping them from denying due process in favor of disciplining you disproportionately so that they can save face.
As your school investigates the hazing accusations against you, the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team can offer their support and guidance by attending meetings with the school and arguing on your behalf. They'll act as a shield between you and the school to ensure that you get the fair treatment you deserve.
They Help Your Image
Some cases of hazing end up featured in local or national news media. Plus, as mentioned previously, Texas state law mandates colleges and universities to publicize incidents of hazing and any related disciplinary measures on their websites. Nowadays, there is also an emphasis on singling out perpetrators of hazing to deter anyone else who would consider doing it.
In other words, even if you avoid conviction, your reputation and image could become tarnished. This could possibly compromise or ruin your relationships, academic standing, and career prospects.
The Lento Law Firm's experience includes dealing with the public eye. They know how to present you in a sympathetic and forgivable light, ensuring that your entire character isn't defined by this one accusation.
Defend Yourself from Hazing Accusations at University
Although hazing is not to be taken lightly, an accusation shouldn't alter the course of your life. You can learn from it and move on with your future as bright as always. To guarantee your success, call the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team at 888.535.3686 or fill out a contact form and schedule an appointment.
