Being part of athletic teams, clubs, fraternities and sororities, performing arts ensembles, community service organizations, and other student groups can be one of the best parts of your UMass Amherst experience. Joining a group, team, or organization can lead to meaningful friendships and connections, but being part of a group should never be harmful to your or anyone else.

Some groups may have formal or informal initiations, traditions, or rituals. If any of these require you do anything embarrassing or put yourself or anyone else in danger as a condition of membership, it’s called hazing. Hazing has serious consequences. It is a violation of the Code of Student Conduct and it’s against the law.

Watch this Clery Center video, We Don’t Haze, and ask:

• Would I feel comfortable participating in this activity if my parents were watching?
• Would we get in trouble if a college administrator or faculty walked by and saw us?
• Am I being asked to keep these activities a secret?
• Am I doing anything illegal?
• Does participation in this activity violate my values or those of this organization?
• Is this causing emotional or physical distress or stress to myself or to others?