Wyoming Community College Commission

2300 Capitol Ave., 5th Floor, Suite B, Cheyenne WY 82002

Commissioners Ex-officio Mr. Gregg Blikre, Gillette Governor Mark Gordon Mr. Dennis Boal, Evanston State Superintendent Ms. Katherine Dooley, Powell Jillian Balow Dr. Craig Frederick, Guernsey Executive Director Dr. Sandra Caldwell Dr. Jackie Freeze, Rock Springs Ms. Julia Newman, Torrington Phone: 307-777-7763 Ms. Ember Oakley, Riverton Fax: 307-777-6567 www.communitycolleges.wy.edu Memo

To: Joint Education Interim Committee

From: Dr. Sandra Caldwell, Executive Director Rob Dennis, Policy Analyst

Date: May 19, 2020

RE: Hazing Policies and Practices at Wyoming Community Colleges

This memo provides current policy, practice and reporting on hazing at Wyoming’s seven community colleges. All of this information is available on each college website and is also published in course catalogs, resident life handbooks and policy manuals and intercollegiate sports handbooks and policies, among others.

College Hazing Policy Summary • Casper College o Hazing. An act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student or that destroys or removes public or private property for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a group or organization. Participation or cooperation by the person being hazed does not excuse the violation. Failing to intervene to prevent, discourage, or report those acts may also be a code violation. o Casper College can and may impose one of 17 sanctions for those who have completed hazing acts. • Central Wyoming College o The following is used in conjunction with any past behaviors, etc., to determine how to address any hazing. o Central Wyoming College addresses hazing using the student disciplinary code/code of conduct as outlined in the CWC Student Handbook.

Casper College  Central Wyoming College  Eastern Wyoming College  Laramie County Community College Northern Wyoming Community College District  Northwest College  Western Wyoming Community College

o Hazing, defined as an act which endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or which destroys or removes public or private property, for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a group or organization. o Sanctions: . The following sanctions may be imposed upon any student found to have violated the Student Disciplinary Code. Failure of a student to complete an imposed sanction will result in a hold being placed on the student’s grades, or the imposition of higher level sanctions i.e. fines, further loss of privileges, etc.; . Sanctions include: warning in writing, probation or written reprimand, loss of privileges, educational/counseling, fines, and permanent suspension. • Eastern Wyoming College o Hazing expressly defined in EWC’s student code – “An act which endangers or jeopardizes the mental or physical health or safety of a student or other College community member, or which destroys or removes public or private property, for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a group or organization. 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.” • Laramie County Community College o The definition in 3.15P: Hazing –Any activity that includes, but is not limited to, an act which endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student or which destroys or removes public or private property. o Students who violate the Student Code of Conduct are subject to the Student Adjudication Procedure (3.16P) and may face suspension/expulsion. • Northwest College o Hazing includes, but is not limited to, any conduct or method or initiation, admission or condition of continued membership in any student organization which: . Endangers the physical or mental health or safety of any student or other person including extended deprivations of sleep or rest; forced consumption of food, liquor, beverage, or drugs; beating or branding; involuntary confinement or imprisonment or; . Destroys, vandalizes or removes public or private property. (NWC Standards of Student Conduct) o Hazing includes, but is not limited to, any act that recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental health, physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or as a condition or precondition of attaining membership in, or affiliations with, and college- sponsored activity or attainment. It is not a defense against hazing that the student subjected to hazing consented to or appeared to consent to hazing (residence hall handbook). • Northern Wyoming Community College District

o Hazing is expressly defined as against NWCCD’s core values and in appropriate: “30. Hazing. Defined as an act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or that destroys or removes public or private property, for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a group or organization. Participation or cooperation by the person(s) being hazed does not excuse the violation. Failing to intervene, failing to report, or discouraging to report those acts may also violate this policy.” o The NWCCD Code of Student Conduct exists to foster a learning environment which embodies respect, integrity, excellence, and learning while allowing individuals to reflect on their choices and the effects on the community. NWCCD students are responsible for knowing the information, policies and procedures outlined in this document. NWCCD reserves the right to make changes to this code as necessary and once those changes are posted online, they are in effect. Students are encouraged to check online https://www.sheridan.edu/about/board/policy/ for the updated versions of all policies and procedures. o Under student’s rights the following applies: “13. Expect protection, through established procedures, against prejudiced or capricious evaluation. 14. Expect protection against any form of prohibited harassment. • Western Wyoming Community College o Students may not haze other students. Hazing is defined as an act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or that destroys or removes public or private property, for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or a condition for continued membership in a group or organization. Participation or cooperation by the person(s) being hazed does not excuse the violation. o No club or activity on campus is allowed to enter into hazing activities as a part of joining the group. Students who fail to report incidents of hazing may also be subject to disciplinary action (Code of student conduct policy 5420A)