Purpose
The Evergreen State College (the College) is committed to a safe and respectful learning environment for its students and does not tolerate hazing by any individual, organization, or group. The College acknowledges its responsibility under State Law to have procedures in place to receive complaints of hazing, investigate the complaint in a fact-finding investigation, resolve the complaint, and implement corrective measures. The College also acknowledges its responsibility to educate and train the Community on these issues.
This policy applies to all Evergreen employees, students, and certain volunteers as defined by this policy.
Authority
This policy outlines Evergreen’s expectations related to hazing awareness training and reporting requirements in accordance with Sam’s Law RCW 28B.10.900-908.
Sam’s Law is named in honor of Sam Martinez, a 19-year-old Washington State University student who died as a result of hazing while pledging a fraternity in 2019 and emphasizes accountability and hazing prevention education.
Definitions
Employee
Employee includes both ongoing, project and temporary classified and exempt staff, faculty, and student employees.
Volunteer
An Evergreen volunteer for this policy is defined as a person who has direct and specific work within the Evergreen community, and who has direct ongoing contact with students. Volunteers, as defined in this policy, are registered with Human Resource Services at the College, and provide work for a defined period of time that is more than once, or more than one single day or session.
Student
Any applicant who becomes enrolled, when an applicant commits violations of this policy as part of the application process or commits violations of this policy following their submittal of the application through official enrollment; any applicant accepted for admission or readmission to the college; any person currently enrolled at the college; any person enrolled at the college in a prior quarter or summer session, and eligible to continue enrollment in the quarter or summer session that immediately follows; or any person who was enrolled at the time of alleged violations of this policy; or any person not employed by the college on a permanent basis who resides in college housing.
Evergreen Strictly Prohibits Hazing
Consistent with State law, no student, or other person at Evergreen may conspire to engage in hazing or participate in hazing of another person or group of persons on or off campus.
Hazing, per state law, includes any act committed as part of a person's recruitment, initiation, pledging, admission into, or affiliation with a student organization, athletic team, or living group, or any pastime or amusement engaged in with respect to such an organization, athletic team, or living group that causes, or is likely to cause, bodily danger or physical harm, or serious psychological or emotional harm, to any student or other person attending a public or private institution of higher education or other postsecondary educational institution in Washington state, including causing, directing, coercing, or forcing a person to consume any food, liquid, alcohol, drug, or other substance which subjects the person to risk of such harm, regardless of the person's willingness or unwillingness to participate.
Hazing does not include customary athletic events or other similar contests or competitions. Examples could include, but are not limited to, scheduled athletic competitions or scrimmages, official team trainings or practices, official team meetings, or other College/team sponsored and controlled activities.
Procedures
Submitting a Complaint
Any person may submit a Complaint alleging a violation of this Hazing Policy. A Complaint may be submitted through the Online Complaint Form, through the Student Rights and Responsibilities Office, through Human Resource Services, or through Police Services. A group of people may make an initial complaint collectively.
Evaluation of Complaint and Process
In cases where the complaint is against students, Evergreen’s Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities will be followed to ensure due process rights and a fair process for the party.
In cases where the Complaint is against employees, Human Resource Services will follow their grievance procedures to ensure a fair process for the party.
Outcome and Notice of Determination
Appropriate parties will oversee the procedure to ensure a fair and impartial process for alleged parties. At the conclusion of the fact-finding process, the appropriate party will determine whether the responding party is responsible or not responsible for the alleged conduct. If found responsible for hazing or conspiring to haze, as defined in this policy, sanctions may include, but are not limited to:
- Termination of employment;
- Suspension or expulsion of the student or student organization;
- Organizational forfeiture of entitlement to funding through state-funded grants, scholarships, awards, or budget for a period of time, determined by Evergreen;
- Loss of recognition or control of an organization, association, or student housing situation received by Evergreen;
- Probationary status;
- Loss of privileges that may include housing, serving in leadership positions, attending college-sponsored events and programs, study abroad programs, limited access to areas on campus, or representing the college in any way;
- Restitution;
- Educational sanctions as applicable.
Any organization, association, individual, or student group that knowingly permits hazing is strictly liable for harm caused to persons or property resulting from hazing.
Appeals
The appeal process for complaints against students will adhere to the procedures laid out in WAC 174-123-260, the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. In complaints against employees, the appeal process will follow the procedures laid out in the grievance procedures.
Interim Measures
The appropriate party or designee may institute interim restrictions prior to, or at any stage during, an investigation of hazing when the physical or mental safety of any member of the college community is deemed at risk, as stated in WAC 174-123-200.
Social Fraternity and Sorority Organizations or National/State Organizations
In the event a social fraternity, sorority, or any other national or state organization plans on chartering, rechartering, opening, or reopening a chapter at The Evergreen State College, the organization must notify the College prior to starting the chapter.
Notification to Evergreen means registering with Student Activities and becoming a Registered Student Organization. Any RSO must adhere to the guidelines outlined by Student Activities, attend workshops, and have an advisor to assist and guide the organization along the way.
In the instance of an internal investigation or complaint against the organization for hazing or other activity that could include an element of hazing, it is the organization’s responsibility to notify their Advisor and Student Activities. The organization will comply with their national/state organization and provide all materials and the results of the investigation to their Evergreen Advisor and the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities. It will be the organization’s responsibility to comply with the findings, recommendations, and sanctions of the investigation. The Evergreen State College may initiate a fact-finding investigation separate from the National/State organization, and the organization must comply with that investigation and findings as well.
Any local social fraternity or sorority chapter that is seeking to maintain or obtain registration with The Evergreen State College must certify in writing and provide weblinks to the institution that shows that all webpage owned or controlled by that organization contain a full list of all findings of violations of any hazing policies including state and federal laws related to hazing, alcohol, drugs, sexual assault, physical assault, or the Student Code of Rights and Responsibilities violations for the last five year.
Failure to adhere to the above conditions by an organization will lead to an automatic loss of recognition and may be subject to additional sanctions and loss of privileges until an organization can prove their compliance with the above.
Hazing Education
Students
Evergreen will provide students with an educational program on hazing and the dangers of and prohibition on hazing, which will include information regarding hazing awareness, prevention, intervention, and the institution's policy on hazing.
The educational program will be part of new student orientation and be posted on the public website for parents, legal guardians, and volunteers to view. Educational materials on student rights and responsibilities in conjunction with the hazing prevention materials will be provided to student organizations, athletic teams, and residential students.
Employees and Volunteers
All employees, including student employees and applicable volunteers, are required to complete Evergreen’s Hazing Prevention Training on the signs and dangers of hazing and their duty to report incidents. The training is to be completed annually at the beginning of each academic year and for new employees at the beginning of each academic quarter, including summer term. Employees will be notified via email with information on how to access the training.
Duty to Report
If an employee, including a student employee or a registered volunteer, observes or receives information in the course of their employment or volunteer service and has reasonable cause to believe that hazing has or will occur, they are required to report the incident directly to or cause a report to be made to the Student Rights and Responsibilities Office at the first opportunity to do so. Reports must include all information known at the time of the report.
Reasonable cause means a person who witnesses hazing or receives a credible written or oral report alleging hazing or potential or planned hazing activity.
Nothing in this section shall preclude a person from independently reporting hazing or suspected hazing activity, and is encouraged to do so.
A person who witnesses hazing or has reasonable cause to believe hazing has occurred or will occur and makes a report in good faith may not be sanctioned or punished for the violation of hazing unless the person is directly engaged in the planning, directing, or act of hazing reported.
To ensure that volunteers who are covered under this policy are identified, supervisors must require volunteers to register with Human Resource Services before performing any duties. Human Resource Services will direct the volunteer to the Hazing Prevention training.
How to Report
Reports of hazing can be submitted online through the Student Rights and Responsibilities webpage, or by emailing Student Rights and Responsibilities at studentconduct@evergreen.edu
In cases of emergency or if immediate attention is needed, contact Police Services at:
- Emergency Phone: (360) 867-6140 or 911
- Non-Emergency Phone: (360) 867-6832
Certain employees exempt from Duty to Report
An employee or volunteer acting within the scope of their duties as a confidential employee is not required to report under this policy if doing so would violate their professional confidentiality obligations. These employees include health care providers, mental health clinicians, and similar confidential staff within the Evergreen Wellness Center, who are considered “confidential employees” under Sam’s Law.
Hazing Prevention Committee
Evergreen will maintain a Hazing Prevention Committee to promote and address hazing prevention. The committee membership will have representation as required by RCW 28B.10.905, including a designated chair appointed by the Evergreen President.
The committee shall have a minimum of six members, and fifty (50) percent of the committee positions will include students currently attending Evergreen with at least one position filled by a student from a student organization, athletic team, or Residential Life living group. The other fifty percent of the committee positions will include at least one faculty or staff member and one parent or legal guardian of a student currently enrolled at Evergreen. Student input shall be considered for committee membership.
An individual who is a member of a student organization, athletic team, or residential student that was affiliated with a finding of a hazing violation within the last twelve months may not participate in or be a member of the Hazing Prevention Committee.
Public Report on Hazing Violations
The Hazing Prevention Committee is responsible to publicly report actual findings of violations by any student organization, athletic team, or living group by the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, this Hazing Prevention Policy, and state or federal laws relating to hazing or offenses related to alcohol, drugs, sexual assault, or physical assault in accordance with RCW 28B.10.906.The report shall include the following:
- The name of the student organization, athletic team, or living group;
- The date the investigation was initiated;
- The date on which the investigation ended with a finding that a violation occurred;
- A description of the incident or incidents, including the date of the initial violation, and the violations, findings, and sanctions placed on the student organization, athletic team, or living group;
- The details of the sanction or sanctions imposed, including the beginning and end dates of the sanction or sanctions; and
- The date the student organization, athletic team, or living group was charged with a violation.
Investigations that do not result in a finding of formal violations of the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities or state or federal law shall not be included in the report. The report shall not include any personal or identifying information of individual student members and shall be subject to the requirements of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, U.S.C. Sec. 1232g.
The report will be available on the Evergreen website in a prominent location clearly labeled and easily accessible. The reports must be maintained on the website for at least five years. Reports must be posted at least 45 calendar days before the start of each fall academic term and at least 10 days before the start of all other academic terms.