A new University Judiciary Committee bylaw explicitly states that it is the University judicial organization that will adjudicate cases of hazing. It also stresses that a student found guilty by Committee judges will automatically be expelled.
In a 17-1 decision, the Committee passed a new bylaw clarifying its jurisdiction under the Virginia state statute on hazing Sunday evening.
The new bylaw states that any cases that involve "hazing so as to cause bodily injury" will be adjudicated by the University Judiciary Committee.
The bylaw adds that accused students will be notified they face mandated sanctions under state law. In the event of a guilty verdict, discretionary power is removed from the University, and the accused student must be expelled under the state law on hazing.
The new language was proposed to clarify what the Committee should do in accordance with the Code of Virginia. State law says only that "upon satisfactory proof of guilt," the president of colleges and universities even partially funded by the state must expel students found guilty of hazing. However, it does not specify who should hear cases involving hazing.
"The state statute is written very ambiguously, and the intent of this bylaw is to clarify those ambiguities," Committee Chairman Paul Gigante said.
The new bylaw is an "outline for how we'll deal with this kind of case," said Mary Ellen Bizzarri, vice chairwoman for trials.
Hazing and bodily injury are not strictly defined in the state statute. When deciding what constitutes hazing or bodily injury, Committee judges must rely on the training they received when first joining the committee.
Although ultimately it remains the judges' discretion to decide what can be appropriately labeled as "hazing so as to cause bodily injury," it is helpful for them to have a memorandum that provides some direction, Gigante said.
He said three components of this bylaw must be determined to find guilt: hazing must have taken place, bodily injury must have been involved, and the bodily injury must have resulted from the hazing.
The new bylaw may have especially strong repercussions for University organizations who initiate students into membership.
Gigante stressed it is extremely important that organizations on Grounds are aware that the state law regarding hazing exists.
Inter-Fraternity Council President Josh Johnson said "hazing is a violation of IFC standards of conduct that we take seriously. We will support the UJC to the fullest extent we can, but we generally like to take care of our own cases with the IFC Judiciary Committee."
The IFC Judiciary Committee is a student-run adjudicating board set up to hear cases involving fraternities and members of fraternities.
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