Is Hazing New Freshmen Illegal at Texas Tech?

Anyone who has been a freshman at a major university understands the struggle to fit in and find your friend groups. Sometimes, others make it harder for you for no reason other than "initiation" or because they're bored.

So, when it comes to hazing new students, is it allowed right here at Texas Tech? Better yet, is it even legal in the state? I'll give you a hint: The answer is "no" to both questions. Let me explain.

Why is Hazing Illegal in Texas?

Texas law defines hazing as any intentional act that, occurring on or off campus, is directed against a student for the purpose of being initiated into or maintaining membership in an organization if the act includes any of the following:

• Physical brutality like beating, branding, whipping, etc.
• Sleep deprivation, confinement in a small space, exposure to the elements
• Coercion or causing a student to violate the law
• Being forced to consume alcohol for the sole purpose of being intoxicated

Here's something else: It's a state jail felony in Texas if you fail to report a hazing event, even if you are not involved, and the student dies.

You can read more about Texas' anti-hazing laws yourself, but essentially, putting a student's physical or mental safety at risk for the sake of initiations is quite illegal. Now, let's see what Texas Tech policy has to say about it.

No Hazing at Texas Tech

Texas Tech has an entire section on their website dedicated to hazing prevention. It's here where they include the fact that, even if the student consents to whatever acts the hazing includes, it's still illegal.

Tech is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all students. This isn't saying you can't have fun with new members to your organizations, it just means that you can't cross that line from "fun initiate challenges" to "straight-up illegal actions."