Hazing is any activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, or risks emotional and/or physical harm, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate. For more information, please see the link to California State University's Anti-Hazing Policy.
If you suspect or have experienced hazing at Chico State, it's essential to report it. Here’s a list of departments and resources that can assist you in reporting hazing:
Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (OSRR)
Do You Recognize These Situations?
You do not have to call it anything to know something was wrong. If any of these sound familiar, you have options.
1. Myth: "I had to earn my place."
A new member of a campus organization is told that before he can fully join, he needs to complete a series of tasks over several weeks. He runs errands for older members at all hours of the night. He memorizes large amounts of information under threat of public humiliation if he gets anything wrong. One night, he and other new members are blindfolded and driven to an unknown location as part of a so-called bonding activity. Older members tell him this is tradition and that every member before him went through the same thing.
He feels uncomfortable. He stays quiet because he is afraid of losing his spot and his friendships.
If you were required to complete tasks, perform under threat, or participate in activities that caused fear or lost sleep as a condition of belonging, that is not tradition. That is a policy violation, and you can report it.
2. Myth: "It happened outside of practice. No one in charge knew."
During preseason, returning athletes require all first-year players to participate in a series of activities in the locker room. New players are ranked publicly by their appearance. They are forced to perform in front of the team. Personal information is shared without their permission for the entertainment of older players. One athlete who refuses to go along is left off team social invitations and given the worst practice assignments.
The coaches never find out because it all happens when they are not around.
Exclusion as punishment, public ranking, and forced performance are all recognized violations under California law and CSU policy, regardless of where they happen or who is watching.
3. Myth: "They said it builds discipline."
Prospective members of a competitive campus organization are required to attend mandatory meetings every evening for three weeks. During this time they are not allowed to speak unless spoken to, must use formal titles when addressing current members, and are prohibited from posting on social media or being seen socializing with anyone outside the group. They are also told not to discuss what is happening with anyone.
Current members say this builds discipline, unity, and commitment.
Restricting your personal freedom, isolating you from your community, and requiring you to keep the process secret are not signs of a healthy organization. These are warning signs. You are allowed to talk to someone.
4. Myth: "It was not even an official group."
A student who wants to join a well-known campus dance crew is told by two senior members that she needs to prove herself before she can perform with them. Over the next several weeks she cleans up after group events, buys food for senior members out of her own money, and attends practices standing on the side without being allowed to participate. When she asks when she can actually join, she is told she is not ready yet.
She eventually walks away. She never reports it because she does not think it counts since the group was never officially registered.
It counts. Any group — registered or not — can engage in this type of conduct. Requiring someone to perform tasks, spend their own money, or endure exclusion before they are allowed to participate is a violation. You can report it regardless of the group's official status.
5. Myth: "I signed something. I thought I had no choice."
Midway through a sorority's new member process, a student decides she no longer wants to continue. When she tells the membership chair, she is told she is not allowed to quit. She is informed that leaving early is not an option and that missing any remaining meetings will result in a financial penalty. Members point to paperwork she signed when she accepted her invitation and tell her she agreed to these terms.
Feeling financially trapped and socially isolated, she continues through the process even though she does not want to be there.
No organization has the authority to hold you in a membership process against your will. No contract, agreement, or paperwork can take away your right to withdraw at any time. Financial threats used to keep you participating are themselves a violation.
You have options.
Whether your situation looks exactly like one of these or something entirely different, you do not have to figure it out alone. You do not have to know what to call it. You do not have to have proof.
Reach out to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Reports can be made confidentially.
Student Rights & Responsibilities | SSC Suite 180 | SRR@csuchico.edu
You do not need a label to deserve support.
Chico State's Annual Security Report includes summaries of institutional policy relating to campus safety, drug and alcohol use, sexual assault, and other matters. The report is published in compliance with the Clery Act and includes three years of certain crime statistics that occurred in Clery Act-defined geography. A paper copy of the report may be requested in person at the University Police Department or by calling 530-898-5555. It is also available on the web at Annual Security & Fire Safety Report(opens in new window)(opens in new window).
At Chico State, we believe every Wildcat has the power to prevent harm. Bystander Intervention means recognizing a potentially dangerous situation—like hazing, alcohol poisoning, or harassment—and choosing to act in a way that could positively influence the outcome.
How You Can Intervene
You are never alone. Your actions can protect someone's life-and you will be supported for doing the right thing.
The AB524 Transparency Act Reports serves as a vital resource in our ongoing efforts to combat hazing and promote a culture of respect and accountability within our campus community. This report provides essential insights into the practices, policies, and statistics related to hazing incidents within recognized and unrecognized student organizations.
Student health, safety, and well-being are top priorities for Chico State. This "Good Samaritan Protocol (PDF) (PDF)" represents the University's commitment to addressing all students' well-being by reducing intimate partner violence, stalking, sexual assault, incidents of hazing, and the overconsumption and/or misuse of alcohol and/or controlled substances.
