Anti-Hazing

1. Policy

   1. Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. prohibits any current and/or disaffiliated member of Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. from engaging collectively or individually in initiating a potential member in the New Member Education Process through any method of hazing. Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. also prohibits any current and/or disaffiliated member of Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. from engaging collectively or individually in hazing any other current and/or disaffiliated member of Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. All potential, current, and disaffiliated members have the right to be treated with respect. These rights are enforced by punishing violations, as outlined in Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc.’s policies and procedures.

   2. Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. reaffirmed its total opposition to hazing with implementing a mandatory anti-hazing policy and the implementation of new procedures to identify, investigate, and punish incidents.

   3. Hazing will not be tolerated in any form.

2. Definition

   1. Hazing is considered to be any willful, intentional, knowing, negligent, or reckless act, occurring on or off the campus of an educational institution, wherein a current and/or disaffiliated member promotes or facilitates acts directed against a potential, current, and/or disaffiliated member, which endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a potential, current, and/or disaffiliated member for the purpose of being initiated into, affiliating with, disaffiliated with, or maintaining membership in Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. These acts may be physical, mental, or emotional in nature.

   2. As it is impossible to anticipate every situation that could involve hazing, the list of hazing activities below should not be considered all-inclusive examples of hazing. For clarification of this hazing policy and what activities are included, contact the National Vice President of Membership. Examples of hazing include, but are not limited to, participating, engaging, encouraging, and/or facilitating any of the following:

      1. Any type of physical activity, such as calisthenics, not specifically directed toward constructive work, including sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, and/or irrational scavenger hunts;

      2. Any type of activity that requires consuming food, liquid, alcoholic beverages, drugs, and/or other substances which subjects a potential, current, and/or disaffiliated member to an unreasonable risk of harm;

      3. Any type of verbal abuse, including lineups for the purpose of interrogating, yelling, demeaning, confusing, and/or intimidating a potential, current, and/or disaffiliated member;

      4. Any type of servitude that is of personal benefit to a current and/or disaffiliated member, including acts of chores or housework, unethical academic assistance, sexual favors, and/or running errands;

      5. Any type of bullying, including cyber bullying, of a potential, current, and/or disaffiliated member;

      6. The wearing or carrying of any embarrassing, degrading, or physically burdensome articles;

      7. Forcing a potential, current, and/or disaffiliated member into life-threatening situations of any kind;

      8. Sexual harassment and/or sexual assault of a potential, current, and/or disaffiliated member; and/or

      9. Psychological hazing, which is defined as any act and/or peer pressure which is likely to:

         1. Compromise the dignity of a potential, current, and/or disaffiliated member;

         2. Cause embarrassment or shame to a potential, current, and/or disaffiliated member; and/or

         3. Cause a potential, current, and/or disaffiliated member to be the object of malicious amusement or ridicule; and/or

         4. Any type of passive-aggressive tactics used to embarrass, humiliate, or ridicule a potential, current, and/or disaffiliated member, including giving the silent treatment, delivering demerits, using degrading names, lying in a manipulative manner, laughing in a belittling manner, giving impossible tasks, and/or giving an impossible number of tasks to complete.

3. Violations

   1. Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. recognizes that hazing is crime in each state where Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. is established. Conduct associated with hazing is not only subject to discipline by local, state, and federal authorities, but it is also subject to individual group members, individual group members’ parents, group leaders, advisors, Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc., and national affiliates being sued.

   2. Any individual found in violation of Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc.’s anti-hazing policy will be subject to probation, suspension, expulsion, and/or revocation of the individual’s status as well as be subject to a fine by the National Executive Board and/or the Board of Directors.

   3. Any Colony or Chapter found in violation of Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc.’s anti-hazing policy will be subject to probation, suspension, expulsion, and/or revocation of the establishment’s charter as well as be subject to a fine by the National Executive Board and/or the Board of Directors.

   4. Colonies, Chapters, and/or individual Sisters who receive their first hazing strike will be assessed a $75.00 fine. Subsequent violations will result in the withdrawal of the entire potential class members and suspension status for the remainder of the semester and at least one following semester.

Alcohol and Drugs

1. No Sister is permitted to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, smoke cigarettes, smoke e-cigarettes, smoke vapors, and/or smoke hookah at any Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. sponsored, funded, hosted, and/or attended events.

2. No Sister is permitted to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, smoke cigarettes, smoke e-cigarettes, smoke vapors, and/or smoke hookah with Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. letters on and/or any written form of Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc.

3. No alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapors, and/or hookah shall be present at any New Member Education Process event, activity, or ritual of Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc.

4. The possession, sale, use or consumption of alcoholic beverages, while on college or university premises or during any Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. sponsored, funded, hosted, and/or attended events, shall be in compliance with any and all applicable laws of the state, province, county, city, and institution of higher education, and shall comply with either the bring-your-own-bottle or third-party vendor guidelines.

5. No alcoholic beverages may be purchased through or with Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. funds nor may the purchase of alcoholic beverages for members or guests be undertaken or coordinated by any member in the name of or on behalf of Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. The purchase or use of a bulk quantity or common source of alcoholic beverage, for example, kegs or cases, is prohibited.

6. No members, collectively or individually, shall purchase for, serve to, or sell alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 21-years-old.

7. The possession, sale or use of any illegal drugs or controlled substances while on college or university premises or during any Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. sponsored, funded, hosted, and/or attended events is strictly prohibited.

8. All recruitment or rush activities associated with Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. shall be non-alcoholic. No recruitment or rush activities associated with Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. may be held at or in conjunction with a tavern or alcohol distributor.

9. No Sister, disaffiliated Sister, or Potential New Member shall permit, tolerate, encourage or participate in “drinking games.” The definition of “drinking games,” includes, but is not limited to, the consumption of shots of alcohol, liquor or alcoholic beverages, the practice of consuming shots equating to one’s age, “beer pong,” “century club,” “dares,” or any other activity involving the consumption of alcohol which involves duress or encouragement related to the consumption of alcohol.