Hazing is a common means of initiating new members into student organizations at colleges and universities throughout all US states. Kansas is no exception.
The following statistics on hazing will help you better understand the prevalence of the issue:
- Hazing can start before college, with approximately 1.5 million high school students in the US experiencing some form of hazing every year.
- Approximately 47% of new college students will have already experienced some form of hazing by the time they start college.
- About 74% of student athletes in the US will experience hazing at some point in college.
- More than half of college students involved in fraternities, sororities, or similar student organizations will experience hazing at some point.
Hazing can put student safety at risk. Kansas universities, which are responsible for ensuring student safety, take these cases very seriously.
Harshly punishing students accused of hazing doesn't just ensure the safety of others. It's also a shrewd PR move, indicating to prospective students and their parents that this is a university that doesn't tolerate hazing.
Protecting students is important. However, so is protecting the rights of students accused of hazing.
Are you a student (or the parent of one) who's facing hazing accusations at a university or college in Kansas? If so, our Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm can help you mount an effective defense. Get started today by submitting your information through our online contact form or calling us at 888-535-3686.
What Qualifies as Hazing in Kansas?
Under Kansas's anti-hazing law, hazing involves coercing or otherwise requiring someone to perform an act “that could be reasonably expected to result in great bodily harm, disfigurement, or death” as a condition of attaining membership in a “social or fraternal organization.
Kansas colleges and universities may refer to the law when establishing their own anti-hazing policies. Additionally, because the law is somewhat vague compared to those of other states, there can be a gray area in regard to determining whether certain acts qualify as hazing.
Common Forms of Hazing at Kansas Colleges and Universities
Hazing can take many forms. According to surveys of college students, the most common forms of hazing on and around US campuses are:
- Drinking games
- Being required or compelled to sing or chant in social or public settings where such behavior isn't typically expected
- Drinking large quantities of alcohol to the point of becoming ill, passing out, or both
- Drinking large quantities of non-alcoholic beverages
- Being woken up in the middle of the night
- Being subject to verbal abuse or mistreatment by other members of an organization
That's by no means a complete list of all the behaviors and actions that may qualify as hazing. However, those examples highlight a critical point: Despite the wording of the law in Kansas, depending on a college's policies, hazing doesn't need to involve the risk of physical harm.
For example, verbally mistreating potential new members of a student organization or requiring them to sing or chant in a public setting won't put anyone at risk of serious injury. However, such forms of hazing can cause emotional or mental harm.
Examples like these serve as a reminder that it's not always clear when an act qualifies as hazing. If there's reason to argue an alleged behavior doesn't meet the criteria for hazing, this is a factor we at the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team will account for when working on your defense strategy.
Potential Consequences for Accusations of Hazing
The consequences a student accused of hazing at a Kansas university may face can be quite significant. Examples of potential penalties if a university finds a student responsible for hazing include:
- Probation
- Suspension
- Expulsion
- Loss of scholarships or other forms of support
- Loss of the privilege to live on campus
It's also not uncommon for the student organizations associated with hazing incidents to face penalties. Examples include:
- Fines
- Loss of the privilege to operate on campus or use campus resources/facilities
- Loss of official affiliation with the university
The penalties a student faces for hazing can follow them throughout life. For example, maybe your school expels you after an investigation determines you participated in a hazing incident.
That might mean no longer being able to complete your degree at your dream university. It could also mean you'll find it very difficult to get accepted into another school in the future.
Potential employers could also learn of the incident. This might happen if an employer spots a gap in your education when reviewing your resume.
You'll have to explain the gap accordingly. An employer who discovers you were suspended or kicked out of school for hazing might not be inclined to hire you.
Your future is on the line when you're accused of hazing. Make sure you're taking steps to protect it. At the Lento Law Firm, our Student Defense Team is prepared to offer the qualified assistance you need right now.
How a Kansas University Might Not Follow Due Process Rules in a Hazing Case
One of the reasons for hiring our Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm is that we understand how schools and universities operate in these circumstances. A case involving the administration of a Kansas university investigating alleged hazing will differ from a criminal case in certain key ways. Understanding those differences can play an essential role in navigating a case.
For example, in a criminal case, prosecutors, police, and judges must abide by the rules of due process. Those rules might not apply in a college setting. Or, investigators and administrators might simply ignore them.
There are several ways a Kansas university might neglect to follow due process rules when handling a hazing investigation. Consider the following examples:
- Waiting too long to notify you of hazing accusations, preventing you from working on a defense strategy
- Not informing you of your rights
- Not satisfying the burden of proof that would be required in a criminal case
The extent to which a university can get away with ignoring due process rules depends on many factors. What's most important now is ensuring you have someone on your side to speak up on your behalf when it appears investigators are violating your rights.
That's exactly what you'll find at the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team. We'll make sure your rights are protected through a hazing investigation.
What Not to Do When Someone Accuses You of Hazing in Kansas
Finding out that you've been accused of hazing can be a very stressful experience. In these circumstances, you might make rash decisions that could negatively influence your case's outcome.
The following are common examples of mistakes to avoid during a campus hazing investigation. Steps you should NOT take now include:
- Answering questions about the case without the presence of lawyers
- Discussing the case socially or posting about the case on social media
- Attempting to confront your accuser
- Attempting to defend yourself
You don't have to worry about making these types of errors if you have a proper defense. Our attorneys at the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team will counsel you throughout the investigation. Our assistance will ensure you don't make the types of mistakes that could otherwise threaten to derail your case.
We Defend Students Accused of Hazing Throughout Kansas
Our experienced lawyers at the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team are on hand to represent students accused of hazing throughout Kansas. The following are just some of the major Kansas universities and colleges whose students we defend:
- University of Kansas (Lawrence)
- Kansas State University (Manhattan)
- Baker University (Baldwin City)
- Emporia State University (Emporia)
- Benedictine College (Atchison)
- Pittsburg State University (Pittsburg)
- Wichita State University (Wichita)
- Fort Hays State University (Hays)
Those are only a few examples. No matter where you attend school in Kansas, if you're facing hazing accusations, the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can help.
Potential Defenses in Kansas Hazing Cases
The right defense strategy for one student accused of hazing may not be the ideal strategy for another. At the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team, we believe strongly in tailoring our defense strategies to the unique needs of individual clients.
It's impossible to say how we'll approach your case without first learning the details. When you hire us, we'll review all the pertinent information, crafting a strategy that accounts for the specifics of your case.
That said, it can be beneficial to review some sample defense strategies. They may give you a general sense of the ways attorneys handle cases like yours.
Potential defense strategies when a student has been accused of hazing at a Kansas university include:
- Pointing to weaknesses in the story: Again, a Kansas university's investigators and administrators might not strictly follow the rules of due process throughout a hazing case. That doesn't mean they can break the law or violate a student's rights. If investigators claim a student is responsible for hazing but do not provide sufficient evidence to present a strong case, lawyers can point out weaknesses.
- Gathering evidence of an alibi: The fact that a student was accused of hazing doesn't necessarily mean the accusations are true. Another student with a grudge against them might have made false accusations. Or, a student who accused them of hazing might have mistaken them for someone else. In any case, if a student has an alibi, placing them elsewhere at the time of a hazing incident, they can present evidence during an investigation showing this. Their lawyer can help them gather and organize such evidence.
- Arguing a student wasn't a participant: Being present for and witnessing a hazing incident isn't necessarily the same thing as participating in one. These incidents may occur in crowded social settings. Lawyers might argue that a student accused of hazing was, at most, a witness to the incident. Perhaps they were accused of participating due to confusion about who was and wasn't involved.
- Arguing an incident was staged: Understanding your school's anti-hazing policies is vital. Some schools prohibit even staging acts of hazing. That said, in the social media age, recording staged acts of hazing and posting them online isn't unheard of. Sometimes, school officials discover videos or pictures of staged hazing incidents and misinterpret them, assuming the incidents were real. If you're facing disciplinary issues because you were involved in a staged hazing incident, lawyers can show how you didn't genuinely participate in hazing.
- Arguing an act doesn't qualify as hazing: It's critical to always keep in mind that there may be a question about whether an alleged act or behavior even qualifies as hazing under either Kansas law or a university's policies. One common defense strategy in these cases involves arguing that the alleged behavior doesn't meet the criteria for hazing.
Lawyers can also help with negotiating a deal with university officials. In a criminal case, a lawyer could negotiate a plea bargain or deal for their client. The client would enter a guilty plea, receiving lighter sentencing than they might otherwise receive.
Some Kansas university officials are open to such arrangements. If you've never been in trouble before as a student, your lawyers could argue why any penalties you may face in a hazing case should be relatively lenient.
Once more, we can't say for certain what the best defense strategy is for you. We'll discuss your case and review the specifics carefully to ensure we come up with a defense strategy that serves your needs.
Kansas Student Defense Attorneys Can Help When You Face Hazing Accusations
Never ignore the matter upon discovering you've been accused of hazing at a Kansas university or college. You've worked hard to reach this point in your academic career. Hazing accusations can undo your hard work.
That doesn't need to happen. Our experienced attorneys at the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team understand how to properly approach a case involving a Kansas university investigating hazing accusations. For more information about what our team can do for you, call us at 888-535-3686 or contact us through our online form.
