Special to 1812Blockhouse
The following message was sent to the Ohio State community Friday from Melissa L. Gilliam, executive vice president and provost; Stacy Rastauskas, vice president for government affairs; Jeff Risinger, senior vice president of talent, culture and human resources; and Melissa Shivers, senior vice president for student life.
This week marks an important moment in our state’s and university’s commitment to eradicating any form of hazing in educational institutions across Ohio. Collin’s Law, Ohio’s Anti Hazing Act, which went into effect last week, enacts a number of important requirements and changes, all in effort to end hazing and interrupt contributing factors that have enabled the persistence of hazing in the past.
Ohio State has been a strong supporter of this legislation. We are steadfast in our dedication to all of its requirements, in addition to advancing the Inter-University Council of Ohio’s Anti-Hazing Principles, which President Johnson unveiled with state leaders in July.
To complement the actions the legislation calls on us to take and to further promote a culture of care, Ohio State will offer more educational workshops around hazing for our students and employees. In addition, a website has been created to share updates about educational programming, resources, provide updates and answer frequently asked questions.
We want all members of the Buckeye community to have the information and support they need to fully understand and take action against hazing, which is defined as “doing, requiring, or encouraging any act, whether or not the act is voluntarily agreed upon, in conjunction with initiation, continued membership, or participation in any group, that causes or creates a substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm or humiliation.”
Collin’s Law requires that any administrator, employee, faculty member, teacher, consultant, alumnus or volunteer of any organization immediately report hazing to a law enforcement agency in the county in which the victim of hazing resides or in which the hazing is occurring or has occurred. Failure to report could constitute a criminal offense, so it is important for campus community members to understand their obligations and how to report instances of hazing.
Ohio State’s Code of Student Conduct also requires students to report hazing to the university through the Code of Student Conduct and may be eligible for amnesty.
Thank you in advance for doing your part as a member of our Buckeye community to interrupt and put a stop to hazing. Your efforts are important and appreciated.
Sincerely,
Melissa L. Gilliam, MD, MPH
Executive Vice President and Provost
Stacy Rastauskas
Vice President, Government Affairs
Jeff Risinger, PhD
Senior Vice President, Talent, Culture and Human Resources
Melissa S. Shivers, PhD
Senior Vice President, Student Life
