Anti-Hazing Policy

Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 269, Sections 17, 18 and 19 define hazing as: 

"Any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person.”  

In summary, Massachusetts law (reproduced in its entirety below) requires three things: 

1. Defines hazing and establishes criminal penalties (up to a $3,000 fine and/or one year in jail) for anyone who organizes or participates in hazing (MGL, ch. 269, section 17).
2. Requires anyone with knowledge that a hazing incident has occurred to report it to law enforcement. Failure to report can result in a fine of up to $1,000. (MGL, ch. 269, section 18).
3. Requires educational institutions to issue copies of the anti-hazing law to students and student organizations, and to file annual reports with the state confirming their compliance. (MGL, ch. 269, section 19).  

In accordance with this Massachusetts law defined below, any student or student organization involved in an incident of hazing will be subject to disciplinary action through WPI’s Student Code of Conduct. 

Violations of this policy will be adjudicated according to the procedures written in the resolution and appeals process (RAP).   

Massachusetts General Law 269, Section 17, 18, and 19 

Section 17 

Whoever is a principal organizer or participant in the crime of hazing, as defined herein, shall be punished by a fine of not more than three thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than one year, or both such fine and imprisonment. 

The term “hazing” as used in this section and in sections eighteen and nineteen, shall mean any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person. Such conduct shall include whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the weather, forced consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug or other substance, or any other brutal treatment or forced physical activity which is likely to adversely affect the physical health or safety of any such student or other person, or which subjects such student or other person to extreme mental stress, including extended deprivation of sleep or rest or extended isolation. 

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section to the contrary, consent shall not be available as a defense to any prosecution under this action. 

Section 18 

Whoever knows that another person is the victim of hazing as defined in section seventeen and is at the scene of such crime shall, to the extent that such person can do so without danger or peril to himself or others, report such crime to an appropriate law enforcement official as soon as reasonably practicable. Whoever fails to report such crime shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars. 

Section 19 

Each institution of secondary education and each public and private institution of post secondary education shall issue to every student group, student team or student organization which is part of such institution or is recognized by the institution or permitted by the institution to use its name or facilities or is known by the institution to exist as an unaffiliated student group, student team or student organization, a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen; provided, however, that an institution’s compliance with this section’s requirements that an institution issue copies of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen to unaffiliated student groups, teams or organizations shall not constitute evidence of the institution’s recognition or endorsement of said unaffiliated student groups, teams or organizations. 

Each such group, team or organization shall distribute a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen to each of its members, plebes, pledges or applicants for membership. It shall be the duty of each such group, team or organization, acting through its designated officer, to deliver annually, to the institution an attested acknowledgement stating that such group, team or organization has received a copy of this section and said sections seventeen and eighteen, that each of its members, plebes, pledges, or applicants has received a copy of sections seventeen and eighteen, and that such group, team or organization understands and agrees to comply with the provisions of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen. 

Each institution of secondary education and each public or private institution of post secondary education shall, at least annually, before or at the start of enrollment, deliver to each person who enrolls as a full time student in such institution a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen. 

Each institution of secondary education and each public or private institution of post secondary education shall file, at least annually, a report with the board of higher education and in the case of secondary institutions, the board of education, certifying that such institution has complied with its responsibility to inform student groups, teams or organizations and to notify each full time student enrolled by it of the provisions of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen and also certifying that said institution has adopted a disciplinary policy with regard to the organizers and participants of hazing, and that such policy has been set forth with appropriate emphasis in the student handbook or similar means of communicating the institution’s policies to its students. The board of higher education and, in the case of secondary institutions, the board of education shall promulgate regulations governing the content and frequency of such reports, and shall forthwith report to the attorney general any such institution which fails to make such report. 

The Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA) is a federal law requiring colleges and universities to report hazing incidents publicly and in their Annual Security Report (ASR), alongside other campus crime data.  The SCHA also mandates hazing prevention education to students and staff. All WPI community members are expected to understand and report any possible hazing violations. 

A hazing incident may be reported to WPI by anyone: a person who was directly affected by the activity, a person who was involved in the incident; staff, parents, friends, or community members; or anyone who is generally concerned about a student group. If you have witnessed or have knowledge of a possible hazing incident, please report his incident immediately. You are encouraged to provide as much detail as possible so that appropriate action can be taken to address the behavior. 

When a report is received, measures are taken to prevent retaliation, and the identities of the reporter(s) are kept confidential during the investigation and resolution.  To report known or suspected hazing, contact any of the university officials below: 

Alternatively, any WPI community member may submit information anonymously through EthicsPoint, a confidential reporting system used by WPI.

Alternative Reporting Lines

Anyone concerned about hazing can report it by calling the Anti-Hazing Hotline (888) 668-4293 or (888) NOT-HAZE. 

Pursuant to the Stop Campus Hazing Act, WPI provides biannual information summarizing findings related to hazing.  These findings will appear on a Campus Hazing Transparency Report (CHTR).  The CHTR will serve as a publicly-available record of any incidents of hazing (occurring on or after July 1, 2025) involving established or recognized student organizations that have been found to have committed a hazing violation.  The CHTR will be updated twice per year. Information provided in the report will not include personally identifiable information about specific individuals. WPI will update the CHTR twice per year, and will maintain entries concerning findings of misconduct in the CHTR for 5 years.  Reports of hazing that did not result in a finding of responsibility will not be included.  If/when WPI reports such an incident, the CHTR will include the following information:

• The name of the student organization.
• A general description of the violation that resulted in a finding of responsibility, including whether the violation involved abuse or illegal use of alcohol or drugs, the findings, and any sanctions placed on the student organization, as applicable.
• The dates on which: (i) the incident was alleged to have occurred; (ii) the investigation into the incident was initiated; (iii) the investigation ended with a finding that a hazing violation occurred; and (iv) WPI provided notice to the student organization that the incident resulted in a hazing violation. 

To date, WPI has no such incidents to report.