Hazing is a common part of the college experience in Minnesota and throughout the US. Researchers who've studied trends offer the following hazing statistics to help people better understand exactly how common hazing is:
- About 47% of students entering college will have already experienced some form of hazing in high school or another such setting.
- Approximately 74% of student-athletes at colleges in the US report experiencing at least one incident of hazing during their college years.
- Among students who participate in fraternities, sororities, and similar student organizations, about 55% will experience some form of hazing in college.
Hazing rituals can endanger students and harm a university's reputation. These are two key reasons colleges often take these matters very seriously. If you've been accused of hazing at a university in Minnesota, the penalties you may face could be harsh.
That's not meant to scare you. It's meant to highlight the importance of a proper defense when you're facing accusations.
A proper defense is exactly what the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team offers. We're prepared to represent you if you've been accused of hazing at a college in Minnesota. Learn more about what we can do by submitting your information through our online contact form or calling our offices at 888-535-3686.
What Qualifies as Hazing in Minnesota?
Under Minnesota law, hazing involves either committing an act against a student or coercing a student to commit an act that puts the student at “substantial risk of harm” for the purposes of initiation into a student organization, like a fraternity or sports team.
Many other states have laws defining hazing. Minnesota's anti-hazing statutes go a step further. They specify that schools (ranging from public elementary schools to private colleges) must establish clear anti-hazing policies that allow for appropriate discipline of students who commit such acts.
Minnesota law also states the commissioner of education should offer a model anti-hazing policy to which schools and universities can refer when establishing their own policies. However, it's important to understand that a university's anti-hazing policy may be stricter than what the law typically recommends.
That's one of many reasons your lawyer should have experience handling university-level hazing investigations. At the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team, you'll find attorneys who understand the way these types of cases can differ from criminal investigations.
Common Forms of Hazing at Minnesota Colleges
Surveys and studies indicate the most common forms of hazing at colleges in the US are:
- Drinking games (which students may feel pressured or coerced to participate in)
- Being required to sing or chant in a public setting that isn't a sports game, match, or other setting where singing or chanting might be expected
- Drinking significant quantities of alcohol to the point of illness or loss of consciousness (which, again, students may feel pressured to do)
- Being pressured to drink excessively large quantities of non-alcoholic beverages
- Being verbally harassed or abused by other members of a student organization
- Being woken up in the middle of the night by other members of a student organization
That's by no means a complete list of all the acts that may qualify as hazing. Be aware there are instances in which it's unclear whether an act qualifies as hazing under either the law or a school's policy.
We may consider this factor when handling your case. At the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team, part of our strategy sometimes involves arguing that the act of which a student is accused doesn't meet the criteria for hazing.
Potential Consequences of Hazing Accusations in Minnesota
Taking hazing accusations seriously is vital. If a university's investigators determine you've engaged in hazing, the penalties you face could have serious implications for your academic career, professional future, and personal life.
Many factors can influence how universities penalize students accused of hazing. Common penalties in these circumstances include:
- Loss of the privilege to live on campus
- Loss of a student organization's privilege to operate on campus or receive other forms of support from a university
- Loss of scholarships
- Formal reprimand
- Probation
- Suspension
- Expulsion
Consider a few potential scenarios to understand better how these penalties may influence the course of your life. Perhaps your university, after finding you responsible for a hazing incident, decides to “make an example” of you by expelling you and any other participants.
You might be able to appeal the matter successfully. However, if you can't, you'll have to finish your degree elsewhere. Unfortunately, you'll likely struggle to find another college eager to accept a student who was already kicked out of one school for hazing.
Even a temporary suspension could negatively affect your career. Maybe a potential employer notices a gap in your education when reviewing your application materials. They may ask you to explain the gap.
You might have to tell them about the suspension and the reason for it. Although doing so is necessary, providing such an explanation could also limit your chances of getting the job. Just as a college may not be inclined to admit a student who was expelled for hazing, an employer may not want to hire someone who was in trouble for such acts in the past.
Just remember that these are merely theoretical scenarios. They don't necessarily represent what will happen to you.
One of the best ways to protect yourself right now is to enlist the help of legal professionals qualified to handle a case like yours. At the Lento Law Firm, our Student Defense Team will work hard to protect your rights throughout an investigation.
How Universities in Minnesota May Not Follow Due Process Rules in Hazing Cases
Student defense attorneys with experience handling university-level hazing investigations may also be familiar with the ways colleges may not follow due process rules when handling these matters.
The rules of due process that apply to criminal investigations don't always apply to university-level hazing investigations. Ways a university might not follow due process rules include:
- Failing to inform you of the accusations properly
- Informing you of the accusations but doing so in a way that provides you with little time to defend yourself
- not explaining your rights, such as the right to have an attorney present during all hearings, interviews, etc.
- Determining your “guilt” without the involvement of a jury of your peers
This is yet another reason you need effective representation if you've been accused of hazing at a university in Minnesota. If it appears a university's investigators are violating your rights in any capacity, our Student Defense Team with the Lento Law Firm is prepared to speak out on your behalf.
What Not to Do When Someone Accuses You of Hazing in Minnesota
Any student facing disciplinary action due to hazing accusations may understandably feel overwhelmed and intimidated by the investigation process. In these circumstances, which you likely didn't expect to find yourself in, you might be prone to making mistakes that could negatively influence your case's outcome.
Common examples of what NOT to do upon learning you've been accused of hazing at a Minnesota university include:
- Agreeing to interviews or hearings without a lawyer present
- Lying to investigators
- Posting about the case on social media
- Discussing the case with other students
- Trying to contact your accuser
- Trying to build a defense yourself
- Ignoring the matter and hoping it will go away
You may not know how to navigate this new experience properly. Luckily, you don't have to worry about making these types of errors if you hire qualified attorneys. Members of our Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm will gladly answer your questions throughout an investigation, helping you better understand what you should and should not do right now.
We Defend Students Accused of Hazing Throughout Minnesota
The following are just some of the Minnesota colleges and universities whose students we're prepared to defend when they're accused of hazing:
- University of Minnesota (Minneapolis)
- Carleton College (Northfield)
- St. Olaf College (Northfield)
- Saint John's University (Collegeville)
- Macalester College (Saint Paul)
- University of St. Thomas (Saint Paul)
- Gustavus Adolphus College (Saint Peter)
- University of Minnesota, Morris
- Minnesota State University, Mankato
Again, the above are merely examples. Regardless of where you attend college, if you're facing hazing accusations at a Minnesota university, the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team can offer the assistance you need.
Potential Defense Strategies in Minnesota Hazing Cases
There's no “one size fits all” defense strategy that lawyers use in these cases. Our goal is to tailor our strategy to the specific details of your case.
Thus, no one can say precisely how we'll defend you. We need to review the accusations and other relevant factors to determine the ideal strategy.
That said, the following are common defense strategies attorneys may use when their clients face hazing accusations. They can help you understand the approaches we may consider when working on your case:
- Identifying weaknesses in the case against you: Although a university may not need to follow all the rules of due process when investigating hazing accusations, a school should not be able to penalize you based on limited evidence. If there are weaknesses in a university's case against you, our team can help identify them.
- Gathering evidence to support an alibi: Have you been falsely accused of hazing? Maybe you weren't even present for the incident you're accused of participating in. If you have a valid alibi placing you elsewhere at the time of an alleged hazing incident, we may help you gather evidence showing this.
- Arguing you weren't a participant: The fact that you were present when a hazing incident occurred doesn't necessarily mean you participated in the incident. Hazing rituals often occur at parties and other such settings where many people may be in attendance. A defense strategy we may consider could involve arguing that you were, at most, a witness to a hazing incident and certainly not a direct participant.
- Showing an incident was staged: Some students may post photos and videos of hazing incidents on social media in the digital age. In fact, this is one way in which universities gather evidence against students accused of hazing. However, some students also stage hazing incidents to create fake content for social media. We can help if you're accused of hazing when, in fact, the incident that prompted the accusations was staged.
- The act doesn't qualify as hazing: Again, there can be some “gray area” in regard to whether certain acts do or don't qualify as hazing. Our defense strategy could focus on demonstrating how the act you're accused of doesn't qualify as hazing according to either the law or a school's own policies.
These aren't all the ways lawyers can defend you when you face hazing accusations. Our Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm will review the details of your case and work on a strategy that's right for you.
Student Defense Attorneys Can Negotiate for Lighter Penalties
Although a university-level investigation of hazing allegations isn't a criminal case, you may still benefit from thinking about the matter as if it were. For example, in criminal cases, lawyers can often negotiate with prosecutors and judges to minimize the severity of the penalties their clients may face.
Student defense attorneys can often do the same when handling cases involving hazing accusations. The following are just some examples of mitigating factors attorneys might cite to show why any punishment you face should be relatively lenient:
- Your academic performance
- Your lack of prior infractions or violations
- Your limited participation in a hazing incident
You need an advocate when a college or university is considering taking disciplinary action against you. If avoiding penalties altogether is impossible, our team may at least be able to show why you don't deserve to face harsh penalties.
Minnesota Student Defense Attorneys Can Help When You're Accused of Hazing
Hiring qualified lawyers to handle your case when someone accuses you of hazing at a Minnesota college or university can help you protect your rights. Knowing experienced attorneys are on your side can also give you much-needed peace of mind during an investigation that could jeopardize your academic and professional careers.
Remember, your future is on the line now. Protect it by enlisting the help of qualified legal professionals. For more information about how the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team can help you, call us at 888-535-3686 or submit our online contact form.
