Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA)

I. PURPOSE | The Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA) amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require all colleges and universities to disclose hazing incidents in their Annual Security Reports (ASR). The SCHA mandates that colleges define hazing, compile statistics on reported cases, and establish transparent policies for reporting and prevention. The purpose of this policy is to establish OCC’s Anti-Hazing Policy, identify how OCC will implement this policy, and identify resources for reporting violations of this policy.

II. POLICY STATEMENT | Pursuant to the Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA) and Michigan’s Anti-Hazing Law, OCC does not tolerate hazing. Organizations or individuals found responsible for hazing under this policy, whether occurring on or off campus, may be subject to disciplinary action and or civil or criminal prosecution.

III. STATE OF MICHIGAN LAW ON HAZING | In addition to OCC’s Anti-Hazing Policy, the State of Michigan has criminalized certain types of hazing at educational institutions, including colleges and universities, under “Garrett’s Law,” MCL 750.411t - https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-750-411t.
Under Garrett’s Law, hazing includes an intentional, knowing, or reckless disregard act by a person acting alone or acting with others that is directed against an individual and that person knew or should have known endangers the physical health or safety of the individual, and that is done for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, participating in, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization.  It is not a defense to a prosecution under Garrett’s Law that the individual against whom the hazing was directed, consented or acquiesced in the hazing.

IV. DEFINITIONS | Hazing – any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a person, whether individually or in concert with other persons, regardless of the student’s willingness to participate, that:

• Is connected with the institution, in affiliation with, or pertains to the initiation and or maintenance of membership in, a student organization (e.g., a club, athletic team, fraternity, or sorority); and
• Causes or creates a risk, above the reasonable risk in the course of participation at the College of physical injury, psychological harm, or degradation.
• Hazing may include the following or similar acts: whipping, beating, striking, electric 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, liquids, alcohol, drugs, or other substances;
• Causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another 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 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.

Student Organization - An organization at Oakland Community College (OCC), such as a club, society, association, athletic team, club sports team, fraternity, sorority, band, or student government, in which two or more members are students, whether or not the organization is established or recognized by the college.

V. APPLICATION |This policy applies to:

• Students of the college;
• Minors participating in college-sponsored youth programs and educational programs;
• Any organization operating as a reorganized student organization by the college;
• A group of two or more student members, whether or not established or recognized by the college.

VI. REPORTING | Any person should report a hazing concern if they believe it has occurred or have reasonable cause to believe it will happen. Reasonable cause means a person who witnesses hazing or receives a credible written or oral report of hazing, or potential or planned hazing activity.

• To report a hazing concern, please file the report: submit here
• In the report, please provide a description of the hazing behavior, individuals and/or organizations involved, where the hazing occurred, and whether the hazing is ongoing.
• Include any photos or videos you would like to submit.
• You may receive a response from an OCC staff member during normal business hours to ask questions pertaining to the report and acknowledge receipt.
• A case will be created and will follow the appropriate process of hazing investigations.

A case involving a crime, emergency, or immediate threat to the health or safety of any person should be reported immediately to the OCC Department of Public Safety or local law enforcement by calling 911.

VII. OCC RESOURCES

• Student Organization Handbook 
• Title IX
  • Carmen White, Director of Employee and Labor Relations /Title IX Coordinator Human Resources ccwhite@oaklandcc.edu p: (248) 341-2036 c: (248) 296-2848
  • Lisa Wilson, Human Resources Coordinator/Deputy Title IX Coordinator, Human Resources ldwilson@oaklandcc.edu p: (248) 341-2025
  • Chief Richard Leonard, Chief of Public Safety rwleonard@oaklandcc.edu p: (248) 232-4662
• Counseling
• Student Services

EXTERNAL RESOURCES

• https://stophazing.org/about/
• Organization that provides hazing research and created “We Don’t Haze” documentary video
• National non-profit committed to preventing hazing and educating society about the harms of hazing: https://hazingpreventionnetwork.org/hazingprevention-org-is-now-the-hazing-prevention-network/

Change Log:

• 06/23/25 Effective Date