HR News

In December 2024, the federal Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA) was signed into law. Among the new requirements of the law is to add hazing as a crime that must be tracked under the Clery Act and reported in Mason’s Annual Clery Report.

This means pursuant to University Policy 1412, “Reporting of Clery Crimes,” ALL EMPLOYEES (with the exception of those serving as pastoral or professional mental health counselors, e.g., CAPS employees) are now required to report any incident of hazing that you become aware of through one of the methods listed below. This is in addition to the already existing requirement that employees report any other Clery Crime of which they become aware.

For more information about what constitutes a Clery crime please see Clery Act Definitions.

For purposes of reporting hazing under the SCHA and Clery Act, hazing is defined as:

Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a person (whether individually or in concert with other persons) against another person or persons regardless of the willingness of such other person or persons to participate, that

• is committed in the course of an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, a student organization; and
• causes or creates a risk, above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in the institution of higher education or the organization (such as the physical preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team), of physical or psychological injury including—
  • whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone’s body, or similar activity;
  • causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, extreme calisthenics, or other similar activity;
  • causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to consume food, liquid, alcohol, drugs, or other substances;
  • causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts;
  • any activity that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words or conduct;
  • any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, or Federal law; and
  • any activity that induces, causes, or requires another person to perform a duty or task that involves a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, or Federal law.

The options for reporting a Clery Crime, including hazing are:

1. a) Calling Mason Police directly at 703‐993‐2810 (in an emergency, immediately call 9-1-1);
2. b) Completing the CSA Crime Statistics Reporting Form online; or
3. c) E-mailing Mason’s Clery Compliance Coordinator at cleryact@gmu.edu.

Thank you for your continued support and assistance in maintaining a safe campus, promoting transparency through Clery reporting, and addressing and responding to hazing and other criminal activity.

For more information about the Clery Act and reporting procedures, please refer to the Clery Act Reporting page or University Policy 1412.

For more information about the Clery Act, please contact the Clery Compliance Coordinator at (703) 993-5497 or cleryact@gmu.edu.