Hazing Prevention | Ohio Northern University

In support of its mission to prepare students for lives of success, service and growth, Ohio Northern University seeks to provide and maintain a learning environment that is both positive and safe. Our Core Values call upon each member of the ONU family to live in community with one another and to act with integrity. To live these values requires our being purposeful, open, just, disciplined and caring. We must conduct ourselves with honesty and trustworthiness, and we must respect one another.

Toward this end, the University has zero tolerance for any form of hazing within our community. All students and recognized student organizations, fraternities and sororities, varsity athletic teams, and all other student groups as well as employees, volunteers, alumni and consultants of the University are prohibited from engaging in hazing behavior. Hazing causes significant and lasting harm to victims, their families and the community. An anti-hazing mindset and the prevention of hazing is therefore a shared responsibility of the entire ONU community, including our students, faculty, staff and alumni.

ONU Policy Prohibiting Hazing

To report hazing:

Reporters should dial 911 to report any emergency situations related to hazing. Reporters also should officially report the matter immediately to the Office of Student Conduct or to Public Safety.

University contacts to report hazing

Any of the following agencies can receive a report regarding hazing:

Office of Student Conduct – Student Affairs Suite, First Floor, McIntosh Center; 419-772-2434
Department of Public Safety – 211 S. Union St., Business Services Building; 419-772-2222
Office of Human Resources – 154 Lehr Memorial Building, 419-772-2013 (Note: Hazing violations by ONU employees should be reported to this office.)

Persons may report prohibited conduct anonymously using the toll-free Ethics and Conduct Hotline at 833-203-6460. Additional information about the hotline can be found HERE.

Any questions or concerns can be directed to hazing@onu.edu.

No groups, teams or organizations were found in violation during this semester
No groups, teams or organizations were found in violation during this semester
Subject: Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity – September 2022

Report Received: November 30, 2022

Formal Allegation: December 2, 2022

Case Resolve Date: March 20, 2023

Description: The Assistant Director of Student Involvement was cc'd on an email directed to the Advisor of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity regarding a contract dispute between a new member and the chapter. In the email, the authors described behavior that may constitute hazing including assertions of duress, intimidation, men being blindfolded and placed in a dark room, and new members being surround by upperclassmen members during an information meeting where they were pressured to create an account with Alpha Sigma Phi, which required the signing of a contract, under duress.

Summary of Investigation: Investigators determined the Alpha Sigma Phi was RESPONSIBLE for having activity. The decision maker considered the illustrative list of behaviors included in ONU’s Policy Prohibiting Hazing and after additional analysis agreed with the information collected by Investigators and concluded it was more probably true that not true that chapter members were engaging in behavior that violated the University’s policy.

Conduct Status and Sanctions: As a result of the findings and review of Alpha Sigma Phi’s previous conduct history at ONU, the following sanctions were imposed:
- Written Warning;
- an outcome review meeting with the Directors of Student Conduct and Student Involvement;
- chapter review and redesign of its new member process; and,
- submission of the chapter’s revised initiation plan before Fall 2023 new member bid distribution.
Current Status: Sanctions were completed by September 2023. Alpha Sigma Phi is in good conduct standing.
Subject: Kappa Psi pharmacy fraternity – December 2021

Reported Received: February 21, 2022

Formal Allegation: February 22, 2022

Case Resolved Date: March 16, 2022

Description: A professor alerted the University to information about a pharmacy student may have been the recipient of hazing behavior by members of Kappa Psi fraternity in December 2021. Reported behavior included new members being blindfolded and led, being released from ritual activities with instruction to keep their cell phone active and to respond to calls from members, receiving a call shortly after the conclusion of initiation activities with instruction to immediately return to a campus building, and being placed in an inner circle within other members of the chapter and being asked to publicly answer questions about the chapter.

Summary of Investigation: Investigators determined that Kappa Psi was RESPONSIBLE for hazing activity. Kappa Psi leadership affirmed the organization’s Fall 2021 ritual did include blindfolding and other activities consistent with the reported concern. Following additional investigation with witnesses, ONU Investigators concluded from the facts that activity related to the blindfolding of new members and methods and activities related to the chapter’s knowledge testing constituted hazing activity under the University’s policy.

Conduct Status and Sanctions: As a result of the findings and review of Kappa Psi’s previous conduct history at ONU, the following sanctions were imposed:
- Written Warning;
- an outcome review meeting with the Directors of Student Conduct and Student Involvement;
- chapter review and redesign of Kappa Psi new member ritual; and,
- submission of the chapter’s revised initiation plan before Fall 2022 new member bid distribution.
Current Status: Sanctions were completed by November 2022. Kappa Psi is in good conduct standing.
No groups, teams or organizations were found in violation during this semester
No groups, teams or organizations were found in violation during this semester
No groups, teams or organizations were found in violation during this semester
No groups, teams or organizations were found in violation during this semester
No groups, teams or organizations were found in violation during this semester
No groups, teams or organizations were found in violation during this semester
No groups, teams or organizations were found in violation during this semester
Subject: Phi Gamma Delta – October 31, 2018

Report Received: October 31, 2018

Formal Allegation: November 1, 2018

Case Resolved Date: January 16, 2019

Description: An ONU student notified the University of alleged hazing activities by Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. The reporting student indicated that a person who wished to remain anonymous alleged members of the fraternity were blindfolding new members and driving them around in a vehicle for a period of time before carrying them into a basement area where they played loud music, swung baseball bats or others objects at them, and compelled new members to sing songs before taking them upstairs to engage other fraternity ceremonies.

Summary of Investigation: On November 1, 2018, ONU imposed an immediate cease and desist order against the chapter in light of risk management concerns and alleged misconduct. On January 16, 2019, ONU Student involvement met with a member of the chapter leadership and a representative from Phi Gamma Delta’s national office. In lieu of the conduct process, Phi Gamma Delta national office and ONU reached an agreement for a remediation plan, which was provided in writing to the University.

Conduct Status and Sanctions: On January 16, 2019, a remediation plan outlined the following actions:
- Temporary suspension of the chapter and activities until the appointment of a graduate trusteeship;
- Establishment of a graduate trusteeship (to include not less than six (6) select officers including members from outside the graduate chapter) to provide broad authority to oversee the actions and activities of the chapter;
- Selection of a new faculty/staff advisor to support the chapter;
- A sanction status of WITHHELD SUSPENSION under ONU’s Student Code of Conduct following establishment of the trusteeship;
- Completion of a membership review;
- Election of new leadership within the chapter;
- Completion of a chapter retreat;
- Successful completion of a hazing prevention workshop and alcohol skills training program (provided by the IHQ);
- Completion of a semesterly review of a story (“Tell Me Something I Don’t Know”) for a minimum of three academic years;
- Recommitment to the national Phi Gamma Delta approved Pledge Education Program;
- Completion of community service;
- Scheduled visits with IHQ staff; and,
- Periodic reporting on remediation plan agreements.
Current status: Phi Gamma Delta is presently inactive at ONU

Violations

To provide readers understanding of terms that may appear throughout the variety of reports, the University includes the following glossary of terms:

ONU Investigator: At ONU, investigations related to hazing allegations are completed within Student Affairs. Investigators are typically the Director of Student Conduct, Director of Student Involvement, and/or Assistant Director of Student Involvement. Leadership from Residence Life may also be called upon, if circumstances may warrant.
Case Resolved Date: This date refers to the date on which ONU made its determination if the organization or student was responsible or not responsible for reported hazing behavior.
Conduct Status and Sanctions: ONU will provide a bulleted summary of any status or sanction obligations that are required and indicate if they are In Progress or Complete. Disciplinary status at ONU includes Social Probation, Withheld Suspension, Suspension, and Dismissal.
Current Status: ONU will provide information as to the overall completion of sanction obligations and to the overall conduct standing of the organization or student.

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