News & Updates

Notice: Anti-Hazing Policy

Written by James Willette, Ph.D.
October 4, 2022

Dear SU Students: 

Seattle University is committed to providing a safe, healthy, and equitable campus environment. Consistent with Washington State law, as has always been the policy at Seattle University, hazing in all forms is strictly prohibited. Hazing includes any act committed as part of a person’s recruitment, initiation, pledging, admission into, or affiliation with a student organization, athletic team, or living group, or any pastime or amusement engaged in with respect to such an organization, athletic team, or living group, that causes, or is likely to cause, bodily danger or physical harm, or serious psychological or emotional harm. This includes causing, directing, coercing, or forcing a person to consume any food, liquid, alcohol, drug, or other substance which subjects the person to risk of such harm, regardless of the person's willingness to participate. 

The Office of the Dean of Students updated its website at the beginning of this academic year to provide resources related to identifying, preventing, and reporting hazing. Additionally, we have updated our Hazing Policy to incorporate the requirements of “Sam’s Law,” which requires the University to report hazing violations on its website, train employees and students on recognizing and preventing hazing, and publish its hazing trainings and certain hazing data. For more information, please visit https://www.seattleu.edu/deanofstudents/hazing/.  

If you have any questions about Seattle University’s anti-hazing policies or if you would like to file a report concerning an allegation of hazing behavior, please contact deanofstudents@seattleu.edu

Sincerely, 

James Willette, Ph.D.
Associate Provost & Dean of Students