What is Hazing?
Defined in Texas Education Code 37.151.6, “hazing” refers to any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, occurring on or off the campus of an educational institution, by one person alone or acting with others, directed against a student for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in an organization if the act:
- is any type of physical brutality, such as whipping, beating, striking, branding, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on the body, or similar activity;
- involves sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, calisthenics, or other similar activity that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the student;
- involves consumption of a food, liquid, alcoholic beverage, liquor, drug, or other substance, other than as described by Paragraph (E), that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the student;
- is any activity that induces, causes, or requires the student to perform a duty or task that involves a violation of the Penal Code; or
- involves coercing, as defined by Section 07, Penal Code, the student to consume:
- a drug; or
- an alcoholic beverage or liquor in an amount that would lead a reasonable person to believe that the student is intoxicated, as defined by Section 49.01, Penal Code.
How to Report Hazing
Anyone with knowledge of hazing should immediately report the matter to the Executive Director of Student Life.
Odessa College will investigate all reports of hazing, regardless of whether the alleged misconduct took place on or off-campus and regardless of the victim’s submission to the alleged misconduct.
To report an incident of hazing or to seek support, contact the following on-campus departments:
Executive Director of Student Life – 432-335-6338 OR kscott@odessa.edu
Odessa College Police Department – 432-335-6666 OR OCPD@odessa.edu
Director of Student Support Services – 432-335-6865 OR cares@odessa.edu
The National Anti-Hazing Hotline toll-free number is1-888-NOT-HAZE (1-888-668-4293).
Hazing Cases
2019 - No reported incidents of hazing on or off the Odessa College campus.
2020 - No reported incidents of hazing on or off the Odessa College campus.
2021- No reported incidents of hazing on or off the Odessa College campus.
2022 - No reported incidents of hazing on or off the Odessa College campus.
2023 - No reported incidents of hazing on or off the Odessa College campus.
2024 - No reported incidents of hazing on or off the Odessa College campus.
Hazing in the Student Code of Conduct
Hazing with or without the consent of a student; a violation of that prohibition renders both the person inflicting the hazing and the person submitting to the hazing subject to appropriate discipline.
“Hazing” means any intentional, knowing or reckless act occurring on or off school property directed against a student, by one person alone or acting with others, that endangers the mental or physical health or the safety of a student for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in or maintaining membership in any organization whose members are or include other students. The term includes, but is not limited to:
- Any type of physical brutality, such as whipping, beating, striking, branding, electrical shocking, placing of a harmful substance on the body or similar activity.
- Any type of physical activity, such as sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, calisthenics or other activity that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the student.
- Any activity involving consumption of a food, liquid, alcoholic beverage, liquor, drug or other substance that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the student.
- Any activity that intimidates or threatens the student with ostracism, that subjects the student to extreme mental stress, shame or humiliation, or that adversely affects the mental health or dignity of the student or discourages the student from entering or remaining registered in an educational institution, or that may reasonably be expected to cause a student to leave the organization or the institution rather than submit to acts described above.
- Any activity that induces causes or requires the student to perform a duty or task that involves a violation of the Penal Code.
The Odessa College Student Code of Conduct is available HERE.