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Illustration by Ryleigh Hood <\/a><\/p>\n In the past, different UTA organizations made new participants carry around wooden planks or fruit, perform weather reports and recite various facts. The acts resulted in disciplinary action for hazing violations.<\/p>\n Though the acts may seem harmless, they can isolate new members.\u00a0<\/p>\n Amanda Perez, Fraternity and Sorority Life director, said hazing is a spectrum.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have what we call little H hazing and big H hazing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cLittle H\u201d hazing does not cause bodily harm and can typically be course corrected.<\/p>\n Perez said that while people usually don\u2019t get hurt with \u201clittle H\u201d hazing, it blurs the lines of expectations for the new member experience.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day, it\u2019s still hazing, and it\u2019s against the law,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cBig H\u201d hazing can lead to bodily harm and, in some cases, death, she said. These are the stories that make the headlines 9 out of 10 times, Perez said.<\/p>\n Nationwide, 3 in 5 college students are subject to hazing, according to a 2020 Stop Hazing report.<\/p>\n Other common forms of hazing typically involve alcohol consumption, humiliation, isolation, sleep deprivation and sexual acts, according to Stop Hazing.<\/p>\n Todd Shelton, executive director of the Hazing Prevention Network, said people who put up with hazing often just want friends and have a strong desire to be part of a group, whether that be Greek life, athletics or other organizations.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou tell yourself, \u2018I just have to get through this window of time, and then everything will be OK,\u2019\u201d Shelton said. \u201cThat\u2019s where those who haze people take advantage of that power that they have because someone wants to be a part of the group.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In 2024, the Stop Campus Hazing Act was passed to ensure colleges and universities are more transparent about hazing incidents and what they\u2019re doing to prevent them.\u00a0<\/p>\n The act defines hazing and requires public reporting and statistics of organizations found responsible for hazing, as well as campuswide prevention awareness.<\/p>\n According to UTA\u2019s policy, which pulls from the act, hazing includes intentional, knowing or reckless acts that put students at risk of physical or psychological harm as part of joining or maintaining a membership in an organization. The acts can occur on or off campus.<\/p>\n Jessica Ledbetter, assistant dean of students, said it\u2019s considered hazing even if the student agrees to participate.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ledbetter said that because hazing is a criminal act in Texas, consent is explicitly limited.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cConsent is not a defense,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n In compliance with state and federal law, UTA publishes reports of hazing through a Campus Hazing Transparency Report.<\/p>\n The report, which is on the Dean of\u00a0 Students\u2019 website, includes incidents that resulted in a finding of responsibility against an established, registered, or recognized student organization through the organizational conduct process, regardless of geography, according to the report.\u00a0<\/p>\n The report states that eight UTA groups have faced disciplinary action for hazing violations since 2020.\u00a0<\/p>\n The UTA Hazing Prevention Committee was created in 2025 in response to the passage of the act. The committee develops monthly programs, events, educational opportunities and resources, including marketing and awareness elements for UTA.\u00a0<\/p>\n If hazing is seen or experienced in any organization, there are different ways to report it.<\/p>\n People can go to the Dean of Students website and fill out a hazing report form, or call the office, the police or the national Anti-Hazing Hotline at 1-888-NOT-HAZE, Ledbetter said.<\/p>\n When reports are made at UTA, the office starts its investigation.<\/p>\n Ledbetter said the office uses a concentric circle method when looking into reports. The office identifies the parties involved and begins interviews, moving further out and gathering sources after each talk.<\/p>\n Once information is gathered, the office determines if there is enough evidence to pursue hazing charges.<\/p>\n If charges are brought forth, the president of the organization and an adviser are summoned for a meeting.<\/p>\n The organization can accept the punishments from the office and move forward or dispute them and go to a hearing, she said. As long as organizations don\u2019t accept the charges, they can appeal.<\/p>\n \u201cCould be something like probation, could be loss of social privileges, could be some educational opportunities, could be a combination of all of those things,\u201d Ledbetter said of potential punishments.<\/p>\n Shelton said preventing hazing requires a combination of awareness, education and accountability.<\/p>\n \u201cEducation is not just a once-a-year or once-a-semester course about hazing. It\u2019s ongoing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n In August, UTA launched RealResponse, an anonymous reporting platform. The platform allows the school to review completely anonymous reports.\u00a0<\/p>\n Reporting individuals can also communicate with staff members for investigation purposes, which can save the report from going nowhere.<\/p>\n Ledbetter said some reports die because the school is not able to collect enough information.<\/p>\n Shelton said universities should hold people accountable for hazing violations. Without accountability, students may continue the behavior in other groups.<\/p>\n The Hazing Prevention Committee expanded its efforts beyond hazing prevention week to provide programming throughout the school year, Ledbetter said.<\/p>\n Last year, UTA students were assigned hazing prevention training modules. Moving forward, the training will be assigned to incoming students.<\/p>\n By addressing small acts of hazing through education, Perez said she hopes to prevent dangerous incidents in the future.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I can stop it now with fruit and carrying around planks of wood, then hopefully we never get to a space here at UTA where we are genuinely harming people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n