Under a new anti-hazing bill passed earlier this year in New Hampshire, the College must turn students accused of hazing over to the police.
As Greek houses begin their Fall term pledge periods, it is unclear how the College will define hazing and how it will deal with students who are accused of hazing.
For example, Theta Delta Chi fraternity pledges traditionally wear short haircuts with designs shaved in relief. Dean of Students Lee Pelton said that "could be considered hazing."
But Pelton said the College will only act on incidents that are reported to him. "We rely on students coming to us," he said.
The law, which took effect July 1, covers colleges and universities, fraternities, sororities and sports teams. It made any hazing that causes physical or psychological harm illegal.
Usually the Hanover Police department lets the College deal with student offenders, but Pelton said Dartmouth is obligated under the new law to report alleged hazing to law enforcement officers.
The law says offenders will be charged with a Class B misdemeanor if they engage in a hazing activity which is "likely to cause physical injury or substantial emotional distress to any person."
A Class B misdemeanor is a criminal offense that can result in fines of up to $1,200. There is no jail sentence, but the court may require a certain amount of community service.
Hanover Police will not actively search out students who look like they were hazed, Sgt. Lawrence Ranslow said.
"I don't foresee us turning into the hazing police," he said. "If we see a kid who's all wet, we're not going to ask him if he laid in the water in the bottom of a fraternity basement ... There's an awful lot of laws we only get to enforce if we hear about it."
Ranslow said he thinks that with the new law, more students will refuse to participate in unreasonable pledge period activities.
"Obviously students know there has been a law change, and you'll see people saying in fraternities or sororities, 'I know you cannot do this, and I choose not to participate'," he said.
Pelton said his office decides what hazing is. "We use the 'reasonable person standard' ... The interpretation of hazing will rest with this office," he said. "Once it comes to our attention, then we're obliged to make a judgment on whether or not it constitutes hazing."
The Dean of Students office is currently working on an announcement about the law which would provide specific examples of what the College considers hazing, Pelton said.
Pelton said the following activities would probably be classified as hazing: participation in activities of kidnapping or stealing, forced consumption of food, liquid or drugs, creation of excessive fatigue or distress or an event causing ridicule or embarrassment -- like forcing a pledge to be naked or partially naked.
Mark Daly '94, president of the Co-ed Fraternity Sorority Council, said all pledges and Greek system members have to read the hazing law and sign a statement saying they understand it.
"Everyone is firmly aware of what the law states," Daly said. "Any activity that goes against the law has hopefully been changed."
Daly said he hopes there are no problems with the law this year. "We haven't really had any problems in the past," he said.
Pelton said it was important to note that these actions are illegal only if they take place during the period of initiation to an organization.
He also said his office will only handle hazing that pertains to joining a Greek house, not sports teams or other organization.
