Ethical Leadership Statement on Hazing Prevention:
UW Community,
The University of Washington is committed to promoting an environment where students feel safe, included, and supported to thrive academically and socially. Hazing is a serious issue that can have long-lasting adverse effects on our students and student organizations. Therefore, it is vital that we continually work together to prevent hazing from happening in our UW campus community.
Hazing is defined as 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…is likely to cause, bodily danger or physical harm, or serious psychological or emotional harm, to any student or other person…regardless of a person’s willingness to participate…” (RCW 28B.10.900).
We pride ourselves on fostering a safe and inclusive community. Hazing dehumanizes the victim and the perpetrator. Needless to say, this type of behavior has no place in our campus community.
We have taken proactive steps to address these issues at the UW and continue to:
- Educate our campus stakeholders on the dangers and signs of hazing and how to make a report.
- Utilize our Hazing Prevention Advisory Committee, which consists of students, employees, and parents, to lay the foundation of our prevention program.
- Engage in open discussions with student leaders, organizations, and stakeholders about how the current hazing culture enables students to reflect on existing practices and make the necessary adjustments.
- Provide students with campus resources if they have experienced a hazing incident.
Please visit our tri-campus website to learn more about our hazing prevention efforts. For additional information or questions, you may also contact the Hazing Prevention and Response Specialist at nohazing@uw.edu.
We can help create a safer, more inclusive community that promotes positive and healthy behaviors. Thank you for your commitment to hazing prevention and building an anti-hazing environment at the UW.
Sincerely,
| Mentha Hynes-Wilson
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs – UW Tacoma |
Dr. Denzil J. Suite
Vice President for Student Life – UW Seattle |
Dr. Tim Wilson
Dean of Student Affairs – UW Bothell |