Hazing

Davidson College defines hazing as:

Any activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them, regardless of a person’s willingness to participate. 

The following are three types of hazing that the College recognizes: 

• Subtle Hazing: behaviors that emphasize a power imbalance between new members/rookies and other members of the group. Because these types of Hazing are often taken-for-granted or accepted as “harmless” or meaningless, subtle hazing typically involves activities or attitudes that breach reasonable standards of mutual respect and place new members/rookies on the receiving end of ridicule, embarrassment, and/or humiliation tactics. New members/rookies often feel the need to endure subtle hazing to feel like part of the group or team (some types of subtle hazing may also be considered harassment hazing).
• Harassment Hazing: behaviors that cause emotional anguish or physical discomfort in order to feel like part of the group. Harassment hazing confuses, frustrates, and causes undue stress for new members/rookies (some types of harassment hazing can also be considered violent hazing).
• Violent Hazing: behaviors that have the potential to cause physical, emotional and/or psychological harm.

Davidson College also acknowledges that hazing is prohibited by North Carolina state law.

Student Organizations

If alleged hazing involves a student organization, the President of the organization, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, and the Assistant Dean of Student Engagement and Director of the Alvarez College Union (or their designee) will be notified that an investigation or review will be conducted based on the allegations received. Members from all class years may be invited to participate in interviews to share their experiences.

Upon completion of the investigation or review, the Dean of Students Office will compile a report, which will be shared with the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, the Assistant Dean of Student Engagement and Director of the Alvarez College Union, the organization’s President, any affiliated national or international organization (if applicable), and other relevant College officials.

The organization will then have the opportunity to respond and either accept or deny responsibility for any policy violations. If the organization accepts responsibility, a Mutual Resolution Agreement may be considered. If the organization denies responsibility, a Code of Responsibility Council Hearing will be scheduled to determine responsibility and, if applicable, establish an accountability plan.

Athletic Teams

If alleged hazing involves an athletic team, the Vice President and Director of Athletics (or their designee) and the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students will be notified. Depending on the circumstances, additional parties such as coaches, team captains, or other relevant athletic staff may also be informed. The parties noted above will be advised that an investigation and/or review will be conducted based on the allegations received.

Team members may be invited to participate in interviews to share their experiences. Upon completion of the investigation and/or review, the Dean of Students Office will compile an investigative report. This report will be shared with the Vice President and Director of Athletics, the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, and the head coach and team captains.

The team captains will then have the opportunity to respond and either accept or deny responsibility for any policy violations. If the team accepts responsibility, a Mutual Resolution Agreement may be considered. If the team denies responsibility, a Code of Responsibility Council Hearing will be scheduled to determine responsibility and, if applicable, establish an accountability plan.

Once the Dean of Students Office becomes aware of alleged hazing, the President of the student organization involved—or, in the case of an athletic team, the Vice President and Director of Athletics—will receive formal notification via Maxient or Davidson College email indicating that an investigation and/or review will be conducted. Depending on the nature of the allegations, additional parties such as coaches, team captains, or other relevant College officials may also be notified.

Individual members of the organization or athletic team, across all class years, may be invited to participate in information-gathering interviews to share their experiences. Upon completion of the data collection phase, the Dean of Students Office will compile an investigative report.

This report will be shared with the President of the student organization and any affiliated national or international organization (if applicable), or with the Vice President and Director of Athletics, team captains, and head coach in cases involving an athletic team.

The President of the student organization or team captains will then have the opportunity to respond on behalf of the group and either accept or deny responsibility for any policy violations. If responsibility is accepted, a Mutual Resolution Agreement may be considered. If responsibility is denied, a Code of Responsibility Council Hearing will be scheduled to determine responsibility and, if applicable, establish an accountability plan.

More about the student accountability process can be found in the Davidson College Student Handbook.

Hazing Prevention & Awareness Online Module

Offered through Vector Solutions, every Davidson student completes the Hazing Prevention & Awareness online module on an annual basis. 

Module description: Hazing is a dangerous ritual taking place at institutions and organizations across the country. While certain activities that groups and clubs use to initiate members may seem innocuous, oftentimes these behaviors can escalate, creating harassing and sometimes violent and deadly criminal acts. This course gives students a better understanding about hazing so that they can identify when it’s happening and possibly prevent incidents in the future.

Risk Management Training

Risk Management Training is put on by the Student Activities Office multiple times a year for organizations who are hosting events with alcohol or hosting events in houses on Patterson Court. Organizations must have members who have gone through risk management training in order to hold their events. Part of the training is helping students think through scenarios of how they would intervene if they witness behavior they find problematic or is causing harm to others. 

PCC 101

All students wishing to join one of our fourteen Patterson Court Council organizations (fraternities, sororities, and eating houses), must attend a mandatory PCC 101 training. Hazing prevention and awareness is one aspect of this training. Students examples of what hazing could look like during a new member joining process and meet college administrators who talk about how to report any suspicious or instance of hazing behaviors, no matter how small. 

Green Dot: Bystander Intervention Training

All incoming first year students attend a one hour overview of the Green Dot Bystander Intervention Training, hosted by a trainer from Alteristic, so that each new Davidson student can have shared language and commitment to the Green Dot model. Additionally, a Faculty/Staff training overview is offered one to two times a year. Students can sign up to go through the three hour Green Dot bystander training, which is offered a few times a year. 

Learn more about Green Dot at Davidson College

Athletic Team Meetings and Expectations

All scholar-athletes attend a pre-season meeting annually in August in which hazing is discussed. The athletic department’s policy on hazing and initiations can be found in the scholar-athlete handbook.  

The coaches and administrators of the athletics department firmly believe that there is no place in athletics or team initiations for hazing. Activities which cause mental or physical suffering and/or humiliation tear down rather than build up team morale. If even one person is made to feel uncomfortable by such actions, they are destructive rather than constructive. 

This report will be posted on or by December 23, 2025. 

This transparency report will include information about college-recognized student organizations that have been found responsible for violating the Code of Responsibility related to hazing. The information collection will begin on July 1, 2025. Any documented violations prior to this date will not be published. 

Center for Student Health and Well-Being

• Confidential resource
• Individual and group therapy options available
• Walk-in hours available (see website for most accurate information)
• Referrals to licensed community providers and long-term services

CARE/Case Management

• Emotional support
• Help in understanding options for class absences or authorized withdrawals, if needed
• Referrals to campus and community resources

Athletic Mental Health Support

Additional resources are also available through StopHazing and the Clery Center.