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Category: Governance/Legal
Approved by: President’s Executive Cabinet
Date Approved: June 23, 2025
Related Policies: Student Conduct Process
Responsible Official: Vice President of Student Affairs
Policy Statement
The College is committed to the safety of the students, student-athletes, faculty, staff, and visitors. An important element to a safe campus is a strong, effective, anti-hazing program. This Policy informs the CMC and CMS community of the College’s comprehensive program to deliver hazing prevention education and training, provide a variety of options to report suspected hazing, and response framework for allegations, including possible sanctions for substantiated violations.
The College encourages all individuals who are the subject of potential hazing to pursue all legal remedies available to them, including reporting incidents of potential criminal conduct to law enforcement. If the conduct in question is alleged to be a violation of both College policy and the law, the College will proceed with its normal process, regardless of action or inaction by outside authorities. Decisions made or sanctions imposed through these or other College procedures are not subject to change because criminal charges arising from the same conduct are dismissed, reduced, or rejected.
Through the promulgation, implementation, and enforcement of this Policy, the College complies with California’s Stop Campus Hazing Act (Education Code Sections 66305-66309), California Penal Code 245.6, and the federal Stop Campus Hazing Act (Public Law 118-173).
Entities Covered
All units of the College, including the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) Athletic Department.
Contacts
Questions about this Policy may be addressed to the Vice President of Student Affairs at 909-621-8114.
Definitions
- CMC Community Member: any faculty, staff, or student who works at or is enrolled at Claremont McKenna College.
- Hazing: see next section
Prohibition Against Hazing
The College is committed to maintaining an environment of social responsibility that is free of harm, including hazing. Hazing is also against the law, and CMC recognizes the act of hazing as illegal, irresponsible, intolerable, and inconsistent with our community values.
For the purposes of this Policy, hazing is defined as:
- Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, activity, or method committed by a person (individually or in concert with other persons), whether through active or passive participation against another person or persons that
- is committed in the course of a pre-initiation, an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, without limitation, an official or unofficial student organization, club, body, center, or athletic team; and
- causes or creates a risk of physical or psychological injury, above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in the institution of higher education or the organization (e.g., the physical preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team).
- Hazing activities can be committed against current, former, or prospective students.
- Acts constitute hazing under this Policy regardless of the willingness of such other person(s) to participate in the activity or their actual or apparent consent to engage in the activity.
Hazing includes, but is not limited to, behaviors that:
- Emphasize a power imbalance between new members and veterans of the group or team that involve ridicule, embarrassment, and humiliation.
- Cause emotional anguish or physical discomfort that puts unnecessary stress upon the victims (e.g., verbal abuse, threats, sleep deprivation, confinement in spaces, exposure to elements, etc.).
- Have the potential to cause physical and/or emotional harm (e.g., beating, branding, excessive exercise, forced alcohol/food/drug consumption, extreme physical acts, sexual acts, etc.)
- Require someone to perform a task that violates any criminal law.
No policy can address all possible activities or situations that may constitute hazing or identify all groups that may be involved in hazing activities. Whether a particular activity constitutes hazing will depend on the circumstances and context in which that activity is occurring in light of the above framework.
In California, criminal prosecution for certain types of hazing incidents is possible. A person can be charged with a misdemeanor or felony, depending on the seriousness of any injuries. In addition to a conviction and possible incarceration, fines may be assessed. Please read Penal Code 245.6 for more information.
California also provides for civil liability for hazing activities under certain circumstances. Please read Education Code Section 66308 for more information.
Education and Training of CMC Community Members
A fundamental component of a comprehensive anti-hazing program is research-informed, effective training for the entire CMC Community. To ensure that every CMC community member has a foundational understanding of their role in promoting a safe environment that is free from hazing, minimum training outcomes include:
- Defining hazing and the range of hazing behaviors and scenarios;
- Identifying the types of harm and impact that can result from hazing activities;
- Differentiating healthy and unhealthy group behaviors and dynamics;
- Identifying activities that build group cohesion, sense of belonging, and support individual and leadership development without hazing;
- Developing skills to intervene in situations where hazing occurs or is likely to occur, including bystander intervention; and,
- Options for reporting allegations of hazing, including anonymous reporting options.
The College requires training on the above outcomes for all new students (incoming first-years and transfers) as well as annually for student-athletes, and student club/organization Executive Board members. Specifically:
- New Students: All incoming first-year and transfer students will be required to complete an interactive online training to gain a foundational understanding of recognizing, avoiding, and responding to hazing. This online training must be completed prior to students’ arrival on campus for Orientation. Completion of this module will be tracked, and individual follow up will be done to ensure all students complete the module. During Orientation, students will engage in in-person sessions and conversations to build on the knowledge they acquired in the online training.
- CMS Athletes: All CMS athletes are required to participate in an annual, pre-season team meeting with the athletic directors that reviews the definitions of hazing, provides key examples, and works with the student-athletes to consider alternative activities that support team building and competitive success. Attendance is mandatory and compliance is tracked by the Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator.
- CMC Student Club and Organization Leaders: In addition to requiring all club Executive Board members to complete an online training module, a minimum of two Executive Board members are required to participate in an annual in-person Club Leader training, which includes discussions that build on the skills and content learned in the online training.
Additionally, each year, faculty and staff, including coaches, will participate in training and will receive the policy to ensure they foster an environment that is free of hazing and promotes healthy group cohesion and development. Specifically:
- Employees: At the start of each academic year, the Vice President for Human Relations and Chief Diversity Officer will communicate the Hazing Policy to all employees (faculty and staff) via email. This email will include access to an interactive online training that provides a foundational understanding of recognizing, avoiding, and responding to hazing. Additionally, the Vice President for Human Relations and Chief Diversity Officer will present on the topic of Hazing during the fall semester to reinforce and relay critical information about this Policy.
- CMS Coaching Employees: CMS Coaches receive all communications with training opportunities listed above for CMC staff. Additionally, all CMS Coaches, including Assistant Coaches, are required to complete an online training administered by the U.S. Center for Safe Sport that includes a module on hazing education and prevention. This training is required annually.
Reporting Options
CMC Community Members are encouraged to report concerns about potential hazing activities as follows:
Within the Claremont Colleges:
Dean of Students Office
Dianna “DT” Graves
Vice President for Student Affairs
(909) 621-8114
Dianna.graves@cmc.edu
Reports may also be anonymously submitted through the CMC Report a Concern page by clicking on the “Student Conduct Violations, Including Hazing” tile.
Department of Campus Safety for The Claremont Colleges
101 South Mills Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711
(909) 607-2000 (emergency)
(909) 621-8170
External Reporting Options
The Claremont Police Department
570 West Bonita Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711
Lobby Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m., 7-days a week
Emergencies: Dial 9-1-1
(909) 399-5411 (non-emergency number)
Investigating and Responding to Hazing Allegations, including Possible Sanctions
Students
The College expects its students to conduct themselves in socially responsible and respectful ways. Participation in hazing, either as an individual or as part of any recognized or unrecognized student group of the Claremont Colleges, may result in serious individual and organizational consequences including, but not limited to: disciplinary action up to and including suspension or expulsion; permanent loss of organizational recognition; and loss of eligibility to remain a member of any club, team, or other College-affiliated student group.
Allegations of hazing against students, including student-athletes, will be investigated and responded to through the College’s Student Conduct Process , administered by the Dean of Students Office. If allegations include students from the other Claremont Colleges, the College will contact those campuses to request they review the information provided and respond appropriately under their disciplinary processes.
Employees
Staff who are alleged to have participated in hazing will be subject to discipline, with sanctions ranging from warnings to termination.
Faculty who are alleged to have participated in hazing will be subject to the grievance procedures for redress and remedy with regard to the violation of established College policies and procedures, as outlined in the Faculty Handbook, Section 4.4.
Submitting Governmental Reports and Crime Statistics
The Vice President of Student Affairs is responsible for: 1) drafting and filing any required reports to the State of California for hazing violations pursuant to California Education Code 66309; 2) drafting and publishing any federally-required “Campus Hazing Transparency Report” pursuant to Public Law 118-173; and 3) ensuring the College’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report includes any required hazing statistics as required by Public Law 118-173.
Statement Against Retaliation
Claremont McKenna College prohibits all forms of retaliation against individuals who report concerns or participate in any College disciplinary process.
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