Student Handbook - Sweet Briar College

Article VI. Tap Club Council Advisor
The Tap Club Council advisor shall be the Director of Student Involvement &
Programs.
Article VII: Violations
Hazing
a. “Hazing” means: To recklessly or intentionally endanger the health or
safety of a student or students, or to inflict bodily injury on a student or
students in connection with, or for the purpose of initiation, admission
into or affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a
club, organization, association, fraternity, sorority, or student body,
regardless of whether the student or students so endangered or injured
participated voluntarily in the relevant activity. VA Code §18.2-56.
b. The College has a moral and ethical obligation to punish hazing when it
occurs. Sweet Briar has a legal obligation to deal with hazing as well.
Under Virginia law:
i. It shall be unlawful to haze, or otherwise mistreat so as to cause
bodily injury, any student at any school, college, or university.
Any person found guilty thereof shall be found guilty of a Class I
misdemeanor.
Any person receiving bodily injury by hazing or mistreatment shall
have a right to sue, civilly, the person or persons guilty thereof. VA
Code §18.2-56
IMPORTANT - As with sexual harassment and other forms of
assault, an individual cannot legally consent to hazing. At no time
will implied or actual consent to participate in an activity by those
being hazed be considered a valid defense to a hazing charge. The
hazing does not have to take place on Sweet Briar’s campus in order
for the Policy on Hazing to apply.
To fulfill its moral, ethical, and legal obligations, the College has
adopted a Policy on Hazing and Standards of Group Behavior which
describes Sweet Briar’s policies and processes for identifying and
punishing hazing. Each Tap Club will sign the Policy on Hazing and
Standards of Group Behavior each year and place a copy on file with
the Office of Student Involvement & Programs. Additional copies of
the complete policy can be obtained online or by contacting the
office of Student Involvement & Programs. Alleged hazing
infractions will be investigated and heard through the Non-Academic
Infractions process.
Absences and Consistency
a. The President of every Tap Club must be present at every meeting. If a
President cannot attend a meeting they must inform the Tap Club
Council President with their excuse and ensure that a representative
comes in their place. Even an excused absence is an absence.
b. The first absence will result in a verbal warning by the Tap Club
Executive board in a meeting. This meeting is to remind the President
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