Statement of Position:

Hazing Builds Pledge Class Unity:
It really fragments the club. It does little good to bring the pledge class together if it drives them further away from all the other members. Club unity should be the goal, not pledge class unity.

Hazing Motivates Pledges:
If a club cannot motivate pledges without hazing, they probably have very weak educational programs and very little commitments from members. Hazing actually hinders scholastic achievement, damages self-esteem, and causes emotional strain.

Pledges Must Prove they are Worthy of Membership:
Pledges have already proven themselves worthy by being issued an invitation to join. It is the club's job to prove to their pledges that it is worthwhile to be a member. Pledges should be held to no different standards than members.

Hazing Does Not Hurt Anyone:
What about emotional harm, damage to club or university image, loss of integrity, and violation of the law. Since 1978, hundreds of college students have died or been injured in hazing incidents across the country. Activities that seem innocent or fun can often turn tragic. It is not worth taking the risk. It is also ethically and morally wrong.

Without Hazing, Pledges will Never be the Equals of Members:
That's probably true! Members who have never been hazed will always be a little superior to those who have.

Speak out against hazing whenever you see it. Have all the new members together against participation in any hazing activities. Find members in the club who do not condone hazing to take stand with you. Then:

1. Express your concern to the club president or pledge educator.
2. Talk with your club advisor.
3. Contact the Interclub Advisor, a faculty member, or an administrator on campus.

Develop Club and New Member Class Unity:
Have the club membership work together on a community service project; plan a social or athletic event with other men's or women's clubs; or attend a movie on club committees, hold sport events with mixed (new/active) teams, have a retreat, or attend a ROPES course.

Promote Scholarship:
Take advantage of academic assistance at the Academic Enrichment Center and/or invite University speakers to discuss test-taking skills, study methods, etc.

Develop Problem-Solving Abilities:
Have new members discuss club limitations such as poor rush, apathy, and scholarship and plan solution which the club might adopt.

Develop Social Skills:
Hold a seminar on table and business etiquette and other social graces; plan a seminar on communication skills, body language, eye contact, and other aspects of communicating.

Develop Leadership:
Assign new members to club committees. Deliberately involve club members in campus-wide committees and projects such as MSG, Residence Life, athletics, theater productions, band, etc.

Build Awareness of Club History: Invite older alumni to talk about the club's earlier years, its founding, special club traditions, and prominent alumna/us.

Develop Career Goals:
Host seminars on resume writing, job interviewing skills, and invite alumni to speak on various careers

Improve Relations with Other Clubs:
Have new member classes get together to plan joint club or service activities or hold an all club activity.

A hazing incident may be reported by anyone: a person who the activity directly affected, a person who assisted in the implementation of the activity, University personnel who witnessed the activity, or community members who witnessed the activity. To report a potential hazing violation, contact your interclub representative or the Student Affairs office.

Individuals or groups found in violation of the hazing policy are subject to a maximum sanction of expulsion from McMurry University and possible state legal action (depending on the severity).

Many successful lawsuits have been filed in the United States court system against organizations and individuals for activities and actions, which resulted in mental or physical harm to a member or members.

Charges can be filed not only against the organization but against the president of each organization, the advisor, other individuals associated with the incident, as well as the University.

The advisor and president of each organization must be aware that the burden of liability legally rests with them. Thus, the advisor and president run the risk of legal action if all organizational activities and actions are not carefully monitored, and if they do not halt activities which, in the eyes of the law, can be construed as hazing.

Depending upon the circumstances these activities have at one time or another been construed as hazing by universities and/or courts:

1. Forcing or requiring the drinking of alcohol or any other substance.
2. Forcing or requiring the eating of food or any thing an individual refuses to eat.
3. Calisthenics such as push-ups, sit-ups, jogging, abusive exercise and runs.
4. Paddle Swats.
5. Certain scavenger hunts, treasure hunts, road trips, and kidnaps or dropping someone off to find their own way back.
6. Preventing or restricting normal personal hygiene, including the extended wearing of certain apparel.
7. Causing indecent exposure or nudity at any time.
8. Physical harassment such as pushing, cursing, shouting, etc.
9. Requiring uncomfortable, ridiculous, or embarrassing dress.
10. Phone duty or answering the phone differently than members.
11. Conducting activities that do not allow adequate time for study or cause sleep deprivation.
12. Expecting participation in an activity in which the full membership would not participate.
13. Requiring members to yell when entering or leaving buildings or when greeting other members.
14. Requiring the carrying of any items such as rocks, helmets, shields, swords, brick, paddles, etc. Carrying triangles, shoeboxes, and torches as a pledge at McMurry is hazing.
15. Requiring personal service or acts of servitude.
16. Treating a person in a degrading or demeaning manor; morally degrading or humiliating games or activities; or verbal harassment including yelling and screaming at members.
17. Any action which could be as inflicting physical abuse or possible harm to an individual.
18. Assigning or endorsing pranks such as borrowing (stealing) items, harassing other groups, and clothing raids.
19. Blindfolding pledges at any time.
20. Requiring members to publicly wear apparel which is conspicuous or not normally considered in good taste, such as uniforms, underclothing worn over clothing, or 24-hour clothing.
21. Requiring members to walk or march in formation.
22. Requiring members to be branded.
23. Requiring pledges to practice any periods of silence.
24. Conducting interrogations, line-ups or any other types of questioning.
25. Keeping the day and time of initiation secret.
26. Conducting any type of "Hell Week" activities or calling any pre-initiation activity "Hell Week."

Sec.37.151.DEFINITIONS.
In this subchapter (1) "Educational Institution" includes a private high school, (2) "Pledge" means any person who has been accepted by, is considering an offer of membership from, or is in the process of qualifying for membership in an organization. (3) "Pledging" means any activity related to becoming a member of an organization. (4) "Student" means any person who:
(A) is registered in or in attendance at an educational institution:
(B) has been accepted for admission at the educational institute where the hazing incident occurs: or
(C) intends to attend an educational institution during any of its regular sessions after a period of scheduled vacations.
"Organization" means a fraternity, sorority, association, corporation, order, society, corps, club, or service, social, or similar group, whose members are primarily students. (6) "Hazing" means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, occurring on or off campus of an educational institution, by one person alone or acting with others, directed against a student, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in an organization. The term includes:
(A) any type of physical brutality, such as whipping, beating, striking, branding, electronic shocking, placing of harmful substance on the body, or similar activity;
(B) any type of physical activity, such as sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small place, calisthenics, or other activity that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the student;
(C) any activity involving consumption of food, liquid, alcoholic beverage, liquor, drug, or other substance that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the student;
(D) any activity that intimidates or threatens the student with ostracism, that subjects the student to extreme mental stress, shame, or humiliation, that adversely affects the mental health or dignity of the student or discourages the student from entering or remaining registered in an educational institution, or that may reasonably be expected to cause a student to leave the organization or the institution rather than submit to acts described in this subdivision; and
(E) any activity that induces, causes or requires the student to perform an activity or task that is in violation of the Penal Code.

Sec.37.152.PERSONAL HAZING OFFENSE.
(a) A person commits an offense if the person: (1) engages in hazing: (2) solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid another in engaging in hazing: (3) recklessly permits hazing to occur: or (4) has firsthand knowledge of the panning of a specific hazing incident involving a student in an educational institution, or has firsthand knowledge that a specific hazing incident has occurred, and knowingly fails to report that knowledge in writing to the dean of students or other appropriate official of the institution.
(b) The offense of failing to report is a Class B misdemeanor.
(c) Any other offense under this section that does not cause serious bodily injury to another is a Class B misdemeanor.
(d) Any other offense under this section that causes serious bodily injury to another is a Class A misdemeanor.
(e) Any other offense under this section that causes the death of another is a state jail felony.
(f) Except if an offense causes the death of a student, in sentencing a person convicted of an offense under this section, the court may require the person to perform community service, subject to the same conditions imposed on a person placed on community supervision under Section 11, Article 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, for an appropriate period of time in lieu of confinement in county jail or in lieu of a part of the time the person is sentenced to confinement in county jail.

Sec.37.153.ORGANIZATION HAZING OFFENSE.
In the prosecution of an offense under this chapter, the court may grant immunity from prosecution for the offense to each person who is subpoenaed to testify for the prosecution and who does testify for the prosecution. Any person reporting a specific hazing incident involving a student in an educational institution to the dean of students or other appropriate officials of the institution is immune from civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed as a result of the report. Immunity extends to participation in any judicial proceeding resulting from the report. A person reporting in bad faith or with malice is not protected by this section.

Sec. 37.156.OFFENSES IN ADDITION TO OTHER PENAL PROVISIONS.
This subchapter does not affect or repeal any penal law of this state. This subchapter does not limit or affect the right of an educational institution to enforce its own penalties against hazing.

Sec.18 AMENDMENTS RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Educational Code, is amended by adding Sections 51.932 through 51.936 to read as follows:
Sec. 51.936.HAZING
(a) Subchapter F, Chapter 37, applies to hazing at an education institution under this section.
(b) For purposes of this section, in Subchapter F, Chapter 37, "education institution" means an institution of higher education.
(c) Each postsecondary educational institution shall distribute to each student during the first three weeks of each semester: (1) a summary of the provisions of Subchapter F, Chapter 37; and (2) a list of organizations that have been disciplined for hazing or convicted for hazing on or off campus of the institution during the preceding three years.
(d) If the institution publishes a general catalog, student handbook, or similar publication, it shall publish a summary of the provisions of Subchapter F, Chapter 37, in each edition of the publication. Adopted: May 29, 1995