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Statement of Current Institutional Policy

51¸£ÀûÉç ("College") prohibits hazing under Administrative Rule 7030-01: the Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct Code ("the Code"). Specifically, section 5.1.7 prohibits the following behavior:

Hazing. Conduct which endangers or jeopardizes the mental or physical health or safety of a student or other College community member, or which damages, destroys, or removes public or private property, for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, advancement within, or general member participation in a group, organization, social or academic program, regardless as to whether or not the actions are sanctioned or approved by the organization, or continued membership or standing is contingent upon participation. This includes, but is not limited to, all violations of applicable hazing laws. The express or implied consent of the person subject to the hazing does not relieve an individual or group from responsibility for violating the Code. Apathy or acquiescence in the presence of hazing are not neutral acts but are violations of this rule.

How to Report Hazing Concerns

Any person may report concerning behavior by an individual student and/or a student organization to the college by using the .

This and other forms may be found at Get Help or Report a Concern. Additionally, reports may be made by contacting the Manager for Student Conduct and Retention at childrj@linnbenton.edu or the Office of Student Conduct and Retention at conduct@linnbenton.edu. For emergency situations where safety is in jeopardy, concerned parties are encouraged to first report to local law enforcement and/or LBCC Public Safety for immediate assistance.

Reports should include:

1. The name and contact information of the reporting party (while anonymous reports are accepted, they may limit the college’s availability to investigate)
2. The name of the person or group accused
3. All known details of the event, and the names of witnesses and others impacted included, if known

LBCC Investigation Process

LBCC takes campus safety and reports of hazing seriously. When reports are received, they are first reviewed to determine if there is a reasonable basis to believe that the Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct Code (AR 7030-01) has been violated.

Assessment

In any instance where the reported conduct, if substantiated, may constitute a violation of the Code, the Manager of Student Conduct and Retention will evaluate the level of possible wrongdoing and determine what level of investigation and action are next appropriate:

1. Whether the behavior may be handled informally by alternative resolution options; 
2. Whether the behavior warrants a formal charge or further investigation; and 
3. Consideration of prior reports, if any, to inform the decision about how to proceed.
   
   

Interim Action

In egregious cases of immediate safety concerns, the college may choose to institute Interim Action pending the outcome of an investigation and, if appropriate, disciplinary process, which may include (but are not limited to) actions such as administrative suspension, exclusion from campus properties or virtual environments, restricted participation in a College-sponsored program or activity, No Contact Directives, or immediate suspension of a student organization to meet and participate in organizational activities. See AR 7030-01, Section 6.3 Interim Action of the Code for additional information.

Notice of Conduct Meeting and Investigation

In all cases that proceed to a conduct meeting, a student or student organization will receive written notice describing the allegations against the student or student organization prior to a meeting to decide whether wrongdoing occurred and, if so, appropriate next steps. The meeting notice will include the list of the Code that were allegedly violated and are being investigated; a summary of the report filed that alleged misconduct (including the approximate date, time, and location of the alleged behavior); a date and time for the meeting or directions for how to schedule a meeting; the range of possible sanctions; and a reference to the Code and student rights and processes.

Evidence, Standard of Proof, and Participation

The Responding Party (accused student or student organization) may choose to participate in a conduct meeting by personally attending or by submitting a written statement. At a meeting (in person, via telephone, or via online) to evaluate behavior, the Manager will review the alleged violations and known information, and the Responding Party will have an opportunity to share their perspective of the matter.

The Responding Party will be permitted to submit evidence or bring witnesses to provide additional information related to the matter, if applicable. By request during a meeting or interactive process, the college will grant the Responding Party a seven-day extension to submit other evidence. The college may determine what evidence it will accept in writing, by video, or other formats and when a witness must appear in person. The college is under no obligation to consider evidence submitted past the seven-day extension. A Responding Party may choose to not participate in a conduct meeting. In instances where they choose not to participate in or fail to attend the meeting, the Manager or designee may render a decision in the Responding Party’s absence based on evidence available and best professional judgment. Students/student organizations are strongly encouraged to participate in all stages of the student conduct process. The college uses a preponderance of the evidence standard to make determinations about alleged policy violations.

Sanctions

If a student or student organization is found responsible for violating policies, sanctions are assigned that can range from a written warning or probation to educational activities to suspension, expulsion, or loss of recognition for student organizations. The sanctions applied will be proportionate with the violation committed and become progressively more severe if the student/student organization repeats violations, or otherwise demonstrates that learning has not taken place. Multiple or ongoing violations may, therefore, result in severe sanctions such as deferred suspension, suspension, or expulsion. Violations that negatively affect the health, safety and wellbeing of the College community are deemed the most severe and may result, upon the first violation, in suspension, expulsion, or loss of recognition.

More information about the investigative process and conduct outcomes may be found in AR 7030-01 the Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct Code.

Applicable State Law

ORS 163.197

Hazing is prohibited by Oregon Revised Statute. Specifically, ORS 163.197 Hazing states:

1. A student organization or a member of a student organization commits the offense of hazing if, as a condition or precondition of attaining membership in the organization or of attaining any office or status in the organization, the organization or member intentionally hazes any member, potential member or person pledged to be a member of the organization.
2. [Intentionally left blank]
   
   1. A student organization that violates subsection (1) of this section commits a Class A violation.
   2. A member of a student organization who personally violates subsection (1) of this section commits a Class B violation.
3. Consent of the person who is hazed is not a defense in a prosecution under this section.
4. As used in this section:
   1. "Haze" means:
      1. To subject an individual to whipping, beating, striking, branding or electronic shocking, to place a harmful substance on an individual’s body or to subject an individual to other similar forms of physical brutality;
      2. To subject an individual to sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space or other similar activity that subjects the individual to an unreasonable risk of harm or adversely affects the physical health or safety of the individual;
      3. To compel an individual to consume food, liquid, alcohol, cannabis, controlled substances or other substances that subject the individual to an unreasonable risk of harm or adversely affect the physical health or safety of the individual; or
      4. To induce, cause or require an individual to perform a duty or task that involves the commission of a crime or an act of hazing.
   2. "Member" includes volunteers, coaches and faculty advisers of a student organization.
   3. "Student organization" means a fraternity, sorority, athletic team or other organization that is organized or operating on a college, university or elementary or secondary school campus for the purpose of providing members an opportunity to participate in student activities of the college, university or elementary or secondary school.
      
      

ORS 350.259

Additionally, Oregon requires specific policies and reporting related to hazing in ORS 350.259 Written policy on hazing; report, which states the following:

1. As used in this section:
   1. "Haze" has the meaning given that term in ORS 163.197.
   2. "Institution of higher education" means:
      1. A community college operated under ORS chapter 341; or
      2. A college or university that:
         1. Operates in this state;
         2. Offers baccalaureate degree programs; and
         3. Enrolls students who receive state financial aid.
2. Each institution of higher education shall:
   1. Adopt a written policy on hazing; and
   2. Provide annual on-campus policy training for students that sets forth the harmful effects of hazing and the relevant laws and institution policies that prohibit hazing.
3. [intentionally left blank]
   
   1. No later than December 31 of each calendar year, each institution of higher education shall submit a report to the Legislative Assembly, in the manner prescribed by ORS 192.245, that sets forth:
      1. The number of hazing incidents reported to the institution during the previous academic year; and
      2. The number of hazing incidents investigated by the institution during the previous academic year.
   2. A single report may be submitted under this subsection for multiple institutions of higher education, provided that the information required under this subsection is disaggregated by institution. 

Prevention and Awareness Programs

Programs at LBCC

LBCC provides annual opportunities for prevention and awareness. Specifically:

• Students are notified annually via email about LBCC’s hazing policies. 
• All students and employees are expected to complete Healthy and Safe Campus training in Canvas, which covers a variety of topics, including hazing prevention, response, and reporting.
• The Student Conduct and Retention Office annually trains student athletes and the Student Leadership Council on hazing awareness and prevention.
• Any 51¸£ÀûÉç student or employee can request a hazing awareness and prevention workshop for their organization or class by contacting conduct@linnbenton.edu.
  
  

Primary Prevention Strategies

The college utilizes a number of primary prevention strategies intended to reduce the likelihood of hazing occurring before it begins.

Primary prevention strategies include:

• Educating early on about the definition and signs of hazing, with particular emphasis on the fact that the most common hazing behaviors are typically the least recognized, both at the group level and through required individual training.
• Focusing training on student leadership and athletics that fosters the healthy development of teams and the role of student leaders in helping create healthy environments and appropriate onboarding and traditions.
• Identifying bystander intervention strategies to educate about how to 1. Recognize potential hazing activity and 2. Interrupt it as a peer.
• Making clear and obvious how to report concerns of hazing activity and seek help if someone believes a situation may be escalating.

Resources

• Report hazing at LBCC at Get Help or Report a Concern
• (from Stop Hazing)
• (from Clery Center)