I. Purpose
This Interim Anti-Hazing Procedure (“Procedure”) is adopted to implement the College’s Interim Anti-Hazing Policy (“Policy”). The purpose of this Procedure is to define the process for resolving Reports, and Complaints of Hazing and Retaliation.
II. Scope and Applicability
A. This Procedure applies to all Employees, Students, and other individuals participating in or attempting to participate in the College’s Education Program or Activity.
B. This Procedure applies only to incidents alleged to have occurred after the effective date of the Policy.
C. This Procedure applies to all acts committed during initiation into, in affiliation with or for the maintenance of membership in a Student Organization.
D. This Procedure may apply to off-campus and off-duty conduct that constitutes Hazing or Retaliation, in instances where the college interests are implicated. Such conduct is subject to the discretion of the Vice President for Learner Support Services or Designee.
III. Definitions
A. All capitalized terms in this Procedure are defined in Section IV of the Interim Anti-Hazing Policy.
IV. Procedure Provisions
A. Reporting Hazing Violations. The College will implement this Interim Anti-Hazing Procedure upon receipt of any Report made to the Office of Community Standards and/or Department of Public Safety and Police of a potential violation of the Interim Anti-Hazing Policy.
1. Administrative Contact Information.
Employees and Students are required to report conduct that is known or suspected to be Hazing conduct by submitting an online Report and indicate Hazing as conduct or concerning behavior, or by reporting the incident to:
The Office of Community Standards:
Andrew G. Truxel Library, Suite 111
101 College Parkway
Arnold, MD 21012
Office: (410) 777-1339
Email: ocs@aacc.edu
Or
Department of Public Safety and Police
Central Services Building
101 College Parkway
Arnold, MD 21012
Office: 410-777-2440
aaccpolice@aacc.edu
2. The Office of Community Standards shall report all conduct that is known or suspected to be Hazing to the Department of Public Safety and Police using the Silent Witness Form or calling the Department at 410-777-2440.
3. Anonymous reports are accepted but may limit or eliminate the College’s ability to provide a meaningful investigation, response, and resolution, depending on how much information is shared in the Report.
B. Time Limits on Reporting
1. The College encourages individuals to report Hazing incidents within one year of the Hazing incident to maximize the efficacy this procedure. However, there is no time limitation on reporting Hazing incidents. A significant passage of time may limit or eliminate the College’s ability to investigate, respond, provide remedies or impose sanctions. The Director of Community Standards has discretion on whether to investigate reports that are significantly aged.
2. Regardless of when a Hazing incident is reported, the College must include all known Hazing Incidents in its Annual Security Report and/or Campus Hazing Transparency Report.
C. Standard of Proof
Individuals accused of participating in Hazing conduct have the right to have the allegations proven by preponderance of the evidence. Preponderance of the evidence means that an alleged fact is more probable than not.
D. Collateral Misconduct
1. Collateral Misconduct refers to any potential violation of other College policies that occur in conjunction with, or during the Interim Anti-Hazing Procedure. Allegations of Collateral Misconduct may be charged concurrently with potential violations of the Interim Anti-Hazing Policy.
2. If a person subjected to Hazing asserts that the conduct involved discrimination, or a sex-based infraction, the case may be brought under the College’s Nondiscrimination Policy and Sexual Misconduct Policy.
E. Notice to Student Organizations
1. Upon the initiation of an investigation, the Director of Community Standards will notify the Student Organization’s president, leadership, advisor or coach of an Anti-Hazing investigation against the individual(s) identified in the report. If additional individuals are identified during the investigation, then the Director of Community Standards will send additional notifications to the Student Organization.
2. If the investigation reveals that the Hazing conduct was potentially sanctioned by the Student Organization, then the Director of Community Standards may initiate a follow-up investigation into the organization’s role and notify the Student Organization’s president, leadership, advisor or coach.
3. If the Student Organization is affiliated with a national organization, then the Director of Community Standards will notify the national headquarters for the organization of any organizational involvement in the Hazing incident.
F. Investigation of Allegations
1. The Director of Community Standards, or designee, will investigate and adjudicate allegations of Hazing conduct according to the Disciplinary procedures established in the Code of Student Conduct. If the investigation uncovers employee involvement in Hazing conduct, then the Director of Community Standards will report the employee’s conduct to Human Resources for investigation and adjudication according to Human Resource’s policies and procedures.
2. The College will assess each case to determine whether the Hazing allegations are individual or organizational in nature. In determining whether or not a violation is organizational in nature the College will consider the following:
a. How many members were present when the alleged Hazing incident occurred or had specific knowledge of the alleged Hazing incident?
b. Whether the Student Organization’s president, leadership, advisor or coach had knowledge of the alleged Hazing incident?
c. Whether the Student Organization’s president, leadership, advisor or coach took action to address or prevent the alleged Hazing Incident?
d. Whether members of the Student Organization acted in concert or whether the person subjected to alleged Hazing conduct was the impetus for the alleged violation?
e. Whether the alleged Hazing conduct arise from an event that was sponsored, financed or endorsed by the Student Organization?
f. Whether there is a pattern of Hazing conduct that has occurred previous to the reported incident without reporting, intervention or prevention by the Student Organization?
G. Amnesty
Students who report Hazing incidents, in good faith, or are subjected to Hazing conduct and participate in an investigation, will not be charged for any Collateral Misconduct that is revealed during the course of the investigation that arose out of, or was committed as a direct result of, the Hazing incident(s) under investigation (i.e. students forced to consume alcohol as part of a Hazing incident will not be charged with violations of the College’s Drug and Alcohol Prohibition Policy). The College reserves the right to follow up with those students related to those issues as appropriate in a non-disciplinary setting.
H. Sanctions
1. Individual Students found responsible for violations of the Interim Anti-Hazing Policy shall be sanctioned in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct. If the investigation uncovers employee involvement in confirmed Hazing conduct, then the Director of Community Standards will report the employees’ conduct to Human Resources for investigation and adjudication according to Human Resource’s policies and procedures.
2. Sanctions for Student Organizations may include, but are not limited to, revocation of registration or denial of application for registration as a Student Organization, loss of College privileges such as the ability to host social events, to formally meet on campus and to use campus facilities, to represent the College, or to be recognized or operate at the College.
3. Sanctions imposed by the College for violations of this policy/procedure may be in addition to any penalty imposed for violation of the criminal laws of the State of and for violation of any other College policies.
I. Prevention and Awareness Programs
The College will offer research-informed, campus-wide prevention and awareness programming designed to reach all members of the College community which addresses:
1. The Policy;
2. How to report Hazing;
3. Information about the College’s Hazing response process;
4. Any applicable state, local, or tribal law; and
5. Primary prevention strategies intended to stop hazing before hazing occurs.
Requests for training and prevention programming can be made to Chief Compliance and Fair Practices Officer.
Procedure Title: Interim Anti-Hazing Procedure
Policy Category: Student Affairs
Policy Owner: Vice President for Learner Support Services
Policy Administrator: Dean, Student Development
Contact Information: deanstudents@aacc.edu; 410-777-2634
Approval Date: June 16, 2025
Effective Date: June 16, 2025
History: N/A
Applies to: Employees and Students
Related Policies: Interim Anti-Hazing Policy
Related Procedures: N/A
Forms/Guidelines:
Relevant Laws: