Dean of the College Lee Pelton recently released the finalized version of the College's hazing policy Tuesday, which detailed virtually no changes from last year's policy.
A primary draft of the policy, discussed in the fall, contained specific references to initiation rites that could constitute hazing. The references were dropped because they "detracted from discussion" about hazing, Pelton said.
"A lot of people were upset at a lot of the suggestions on what might be considered hazing," Student Assembly President Nicole Artzer '94 said.
The College has never made clear what is considered a violation of the hazing policy.
"When they fall into a gray area, they have to be considered on a case-by-case basis," Pelton said.
Pelton said he will work with various groups on campus to try to determine "what kinds of behavior in this community are appropriate or inappropriate."
The Assembly is developing a plan to request anonymous documentation of initiation rites from Greek organizations, athletic groups and other student organizations that may have initiation rites, Artzer said.
"Our interest is in educating the students on what could and could not be considered hazing," Artzer said.
Pelton will review each of the theoretical cases and decide whether the College would consider them hazing. He said he thinks the idea of presenting anonymous hazing cases is good.
"I think that it's a start," he said. "I hope that our approach to this isn't so parochial and narrow and legalistic that we forget the big picture," Pelton said.
Artzer said the Assembly hopes to have the scenarios compiled by the end of the term, and expects results from Pelton's office sometime next term.
The College originally changed its hazing policy to incorporate a New Hampshire law that went into effect last July and made hazing at academic institutions a criminal offense.
Dartmouth's policy calls hazing any act that "would be perceived by a reasonable person as likely to cause physical or psychological injury to any person" and is "a condition of initiation into, admission into, continued membership in or association with any organization."
Under the law, the College is obligated to report any instances of hazing to law enforcement authorities.
But Pelton said in October that the College will only act on incidents that are reported to him. "We rely on students coming to us," he said.
The law says offenders will be charged with a Class B misdemeanor if they engage in a hazing activity. Offenders include those who participate in hazing; those who submit to hazing and fail to report the incident; and those who have knowledge of any hazing activity and fail to report the incident.
A Class B misdemeanor is a criminal offense that can result in fines of up to $1,2000. There is no jail sentence but the court may require a certain amount of community service, according to New Hampshire law.
But in the College's hazing policy, it states hazing carries "a sentence of up to a year in jail." Pelton said his office will investigate the discrepancy.
