By Alex Sorrells / Jambar Contributor
Youngstown State University updated its regulations surrounding hazing laws to require that all volunteers and campus employees report accusations. The changes are part of an ongoing policy review to comply with Collin’s Law, also known as Ohio’s Anti-Hazing Law.
Joy Polkabla Byers, interim vice president of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, said the changes came in time for National Hazing Prevention Week, which took place the last week of September.
“‘Who needs to do the reporting?’ We made it all university employees, so instead of it outlining coaches, volunteers and being very specific, [it is] if you work or you volunteer for the university, you are responsible for reporting,” Polkabla Byers said.
Polkabla Byers said students involved in any student organization are required to complete training offered through United Educators, which can be found on the Student Affairs page of the YSU website.
“We had a couple of different activities across campus, just making people more aware of what are some of the myths,” Polkabla Byers said. “We really looked at educating that.”
YSU Chief of Police Shawn Varso said all accusations of hazing are directed toward the police department, and he explained some of the warning signs to look out for.
“Is there an initiation? Is there a process? What does that look like? If it’s something that, in the mind of the individual, is going to be a harm to them or could potentially injure them,” Varso said. “If any of it entails taking any type of drugs [or] any type of alcohol, those are the major warning signs.”
Varso said allegations are investigated by the department and the Office of Community Standards & Student Conduct. If there are any criminal violations, the department will take it to the prosecutor’s office. Varso said there were two accusations last academic year.
“Hazing itself is a second-degree misdemeanor. However, if there is serious physical harm with alcohol or drugs … it goes up to a felony three,” Varso said. “There are penalties for administrators or staff who don’t report as well.”
Varso said an increase in education about hazing may naturally turn into an increase in reports as more people become aware of the signs.
“When stalking became prevalent as a reporting category for the [Jeanne Clery Campus Security Act], we saw an uptick in stalking reports as well,” Varso said. “As soon as everyone is educated and everyone is aware of it, we see that awareness translates into reports that come in.”
Polkabla Byers said the punishment for hazing depends on the severity of the incident, which is laid out in a rubric through the Office of Student Conduct.
“Is it that someone didn’t realize they were hazing? So maybe it’s an educational piece for something as simple as, you made someone pick up something for you,” Polkabla Byers said.
Polkabla Byers said in the last four years, Hazing Prevention Week has been expanded from Fraternity and Sorority Life to include more organizations on campus, including Title IX, athletics, academics, student organizations and music ensembles.
“If there’s individuals from campus that want to become more involved with the hazing prevention and understand more about that, I’m always happy to talk,” Polkabla Byers said.