Hazing has no place at The College of New Jersey. This page is designed to help the campus community understand what hazing is, why it is harmful, and how to prevent it. Here you’ll find examples of hazing behaviors and positive alternatives for building community. In addition to our campus resources, you can also find support and guidance at the Hazing Prevention Network, StopHazing, and Inside Hazing.
Hazing Examples
Depending upon circumstances, the activities below have at one time or another been construed as hazing by the courts and/or colleges and universities. Such actions are often required or implied as conditions of inclusion or exclusion from a group, formal or informal. Thus, hazing may be perpetrated by individuals, groups, or parts of a group. This is not an exhaustive list of activities that may be considered hazing.
Consent does not change whether an activity is hazing. Even if a person agrees to it, it is hazing.
Physical Acts & Endurance
- Calisthenics (e.g., push-ups, jogging, runs, etc.)
- Sleep deprivation and/or excessive fatigue
- Deprivation of bodily cleanliness
- Physical assault/harassment — branding, blindfolding or hand-tying, beating, paddling
- Treeing’s — tying someone up and throwing food or other substances on them
- Line-ups — yelling at or harassing people in a formation
Psychological Control & Humiliation
- Requiring regimented public demeanor — marching, military-like demeanor, restricting patterns, single-file walking formations
- Crude, degrading, embarrassing, or humiliating acts — acting like an animal, simulating sexual acts
- Psychological games — isolating pledges, false imprisonment, intimidation
- Public stunts or buffoonery — hair cutting, morally degrading or nausea-provoking games
- Verbally harassing or subjugating individuals, causing loss of self-respect or injury to personal or religious values
- Producing mental or physical discomfort, psychological shocks
Substance and Consumption Coercion
- Forcing, requiring, or encouraging the drinking of alcohol or any other substance
- Requiring ingestion of substances — spoiled food, concoctions, water, hot sauce, dietary restrictions
Tasks, Servitude & Burdens
- Performing personal servitude — driving to class, cleaning rooms, laundry, etc.
- Expecting unnecessary burdens — carrying items (PNM book, rock, rubber duck, etc.)
- Apparel requirements — conspicuous, not-in-good-taste uniforms or head apparel
Restriction & Isolation
- Engaging in unauthorized activities forcing individuals to remain or be transported — road trips/drop-offs, kidnapping, sneaks
Not permitting individuals to speak for extended periods; forbidding contact with college officials, faculty, family, friends
Interrupting scholastic responsibilities — preventing attendance at class, interfering with academic obligations
Theft, Vandalism & Policy Violations
- Theft of property — pranks, painting property, harassing others
- Forcing or encouraging violation of college, local, state, or federal law
Alternatives to Hazing
Alternative activities can lead the organization into the right direction. It is imperative to have activities that are positive and valued based in the organization. Here are some examples, but not an exhaustive list:
Team Building & Personal Development
- Ropes or challenge courses through campus recreation or local facilities
- Leadership retreats or weekend teambuilding sessions
- Facilitated workshops on ethics, motivation, group dynamics, or decision-making
- Myers-Briggs or personality assessments to foster self-awareness and team understanding
Community Engagement & Service
- Participate in or plan local volunteer events, such as at festivals, shelters, or food bank
- Organize community clean-ups or beautification projects
- Develop and execute fundraising for meaningful causes or chapter projects
Civic & Educational Experiences
- Invite faculty, alumni, or leadership experts to speak on ethics, diversity, group history, or professional development
- Host resume‐writing, study skills, or career workshops with campus services
- Launch a “Book-of-the-Month” club focused on leadership or shared values
- Attend professional or governance events as a group
Social Bonding
- Organize chapter movie nights, dinners, or themed social gatherings
- Host surprise parties or member-only events to celebrate inclusion
- Perform arts-and-crafts or creative activities for a cause (e.g., making items to donate)
Reflection, Values, & Integration
- Engage in dialogues around fraternal values and how they align with members’ lives
- Organize membership circles or candlelight sessions for sharing personal meaning of belonging
- Attend educational speakers selected by new members and have a discussion after
Hazing Myths and Facts
| Myth | Fact |
| Hazing is a problem for fraternities and sororities primarily. | Hazing is a societal problem. Hazing incidents have ben frequently documented in the military, athletic teams, marching bands, religious cults, professional schools and other types of clubs and/or organizations. Reports of hazing activities in high schools are on the rise. |
| Hazing is no more than foolish pranks that sometimes go awry. | Hazing is an act of power and control over others – it is victimization. Hazing is pre- meditated and NOT accidental. Hazing is abusive, degrading and often life-threatening. |
| As long as there’s no malicious intent, hazing should be okay. | Even if there’s no malicious “intent,” safety may still be a factor in traditional hazing activities that are considered to be “all in good fun.” For example, serious accidents have occurred during scavenger hunts and kidnapping trips. Besides, what purpose do such activities serve in promoting the growth and development of group team members? |
| Hazing is an effective way to teach respect and develop discipline. | Respect must be GIVEN — not earned and taught. Victims of hazing rarely report having respect for those who have hazed them. Just like other forms of victimization, hazing breeds mistrust, apathy and alienation. |
| If someone agrees to participate in an activity, it can’t be considered hazing. | In states, including New Jersey, which have laws against hazing, consent of the victim can’t be used as a defense in a civil suit. That is because even if someone agrees to participate in a potentially hazardous action it may not be a true consent when considering the peer pressure and desire to belong to the group. |
| Everything is considered hazing, so what’s the point. | Everything is NOT hazing. More things are considered “not hazing” than hazing. Additionally, there are plenty of activities and experiences that have been developed by the National Headquarters of your organization to teach new members about the organization and establish bonds of brotherhood/sisterhood. When a chapter chooses not to follow their own program or policy is when everything may seem like hazing. |
| I’m just doing what everyone has done before me. | If left unchecked, organizations tend to exacerbate new member activities; making them more elaborate and difficult than they were in the previous year. This “snowball effect” is what often takes well intended and appropriate activities and transforms them into hazing. |