Campus Hazing Transparency & Max Gruver Report
Middle Georgia State University (MGA) prohibits hazing. Hazing violates MGA policy and may constitute a criminal offense under Georgia law. The federal Stop Campus Hazing Act requires institutions to maintain hazing policies and prevention programs, report hazing statistics, and publish findings involving student organizations determined responsible for hazing.
This page serves as Middle Georgia State University’s Campus Hazing Transparency Report under the federal Stop Campus Hazing Act and its public disclosure report under Georgia’s Max Gruver Act. It is MGA’s central resource for information about hazing policies, prevention, reporting options, investigation and resolution procedures, applicable law, and findings involving student or school organizations determined responsible for hazing.
What Is Hazing?
MGA’s definition of hazing comes directly from the University's Anti-Hazing Policy. This definition meets or exceeds state and federal requirements for hazing under:
Definitions
Hazing: Any intentional, knowing, reckless, or coercive act—whether individual or collective—occurring in connection with an individual’s initiation into, affiliation with, or continued membership in a student or school organization that, regardless of the individual’s willingness to participate, which:
- Causes, or creates a substantial risk of, physical, emotional, or psychological harm;
- Involves behaviors including, but not limited to:
- Physical abuse (e.g., whipping, beating, striking, electric shocking, or applying harmful substances);
- Coerced consumption of substances (e.g., food, alcohol, drugs) that could likely risk vomiting, intoxication, or unconsciousness;
- Exposure to extreme conditions (e.g., sleep deprivation, confinement, extreme exertion);
- Sexual coercion or threats of bodily harm;
- Violation of any local, state, tribal, or federal law.
School or Student Organization: Any group, formally recognized or informally established, composed of MGA students or alumni, including fraternities, sororities, clubs, societies, athletic teams, bands, student governments, or “a group living together which has students or alumni as its principal members, including local affiliate organizations.”
Please see MGA’s Anti-Hazing Policy and Student Code of Conduct for complete definitions, requirements, and procedures.
Hazing may constitute both a violation of university policy and a criminal offense under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-61), which may result in criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment.
How to Report Hazing
Reports of hazing may be submitted through the university’s Behavior Incident Reporting Form, by contacting the MGA Police Department or local law enforcement, or by reporting to the Office of Student Conduct, Office of the Provost, or Human Resources, depending on the individuals involved.
Retaliation against individuals who report hazing or participate in an investigation is strictly prohibited. Knowingly filing a false report also constitutes a violation of university policy.
About the Campus Hazing Transparency and Max Gruver Report
Middle Georgia State University maintains this report in accordance with the federal Stop Campus Hazing Act and Georgia’s Max Gruver Act. The report provides summarized information about student or school organizations found responsible for violating MGA’s Anti-Hazing Policy. It also includes applicable criminal convictions for hazing under O.C.G.A. § 16-5-61 and other criminal convictions arising from hazing incidents, when applicable.
In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, this report does not include personally identifiable information about individual students. Published disclosures are maintained for at least five years. MGA reviews and updates this report at least twice each calendar year and within 15 calendar days of a final institutional adjudication of a reportable hazing violation or public notice of an applicable criminal conviction.
Relationship to Clery Act Hazing Statistics
Middle Georgia State University also publishes annual hazing statistics in its Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. Clery statistics include reported hazing incidents that occurred within MGA’s Clery Geography and were reported to the MGA Police Department, local law enforcement, or a Campus Security Authority. A disciplinary finding is not required for a reported incident to be included in the Clery statistics.
This Campus Hazing Transparency and Max Gruver Report is different. It identifies student or school organizations that received a formal institutional finding of responsibility for hazing and includes applicable hazing-related criminal convictions. Because the two reports measure different information, their numbers may not match.
View MGA’s current Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.
Hazing Transparency and Max Gruver Report: What We Publish
MGA maintains this report as required by the Stop Campus Hazing Act and Georgia’s Max Gruver Act. It provides summarized information about student or school organizations found responsible for violating MGA’s Anti-Hazing Policy.
What We Publish
For each reportable hazing finding, MGA publishes:
- Organization Information
- Name of the student or school organization
- Incident Information
- Date or dates of the hazing incident
- Plain-language description of the conduct
- Whether alcohol or drugs were involved
- Process Timeline
- Date the investigation began
- Date the investigation concluded with a finding
- Date the organization was notified of the finding
- Findings and Outcomes
- Applicable policy or Code of Conduct violations
- Sanctions imposed on the organization
- Criminal convictions for hazing under O.C.G.A. § 16-5-61, when applicable
- Other criminal convictions arising from the hazing incident, when applicable
This report does not include personally identifiable information about individual students. If MGA has no new reportable hazing findings during a reporting period, that status will also be published.
Hazing Prevention at Middle Georgia State University
1. Hazing Prevention Programming
Middle Georgia State University provides research-informed hazing prevention and awareness programming for students, faculty, and staff. This programming includes Vector Solutions online hazing prevention training, bystander intervention training, and education on non-hazing methods for building group cohesion and belonging.
2. Federal and State Laws Related to Hazing
- The Georgia Anti-Hazing Act (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-61), commonly known as the Max Gruver Act, prohibits any person from hazing a student in connection with gaining or maintaining membership, office, or other status in a school organization. A violation is a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature and may result in criminal penalties in addition to university discipline.
- The Stop Campus Hazing Act amended section 485(f) of the Higher Education Act, otherwise known as the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (Clery Act). This Act requires institutions of higher education (IHEs) that participate in federal student aid programs to report hazing incidents in the Annual Security Report and on their Campus Hazing Transparency Report.
3. Investigation Process
Investigation Process for Students and Student Organizations
Allegations of hazing involving students or student organizations are addressed by the Office of Student Conduct in accordance with the University’s Student Code of Conduct. The Office reviews the complaint and supporting information to determine whether alleged violations should be pursued. The respondent receives written notice of the allegations and an opportunity to review and respond to the information supporting the complaint.
The matter may be resolved without a hearing if the respondent accepts responsibility and the proposed sanction. If responsibility is denied, the respondent may request a hearing before a Student Conduct Hearing Officer or Student Conduct Hearing Panel. At the hearing, the respondent may present relevant information and evidence. Responsibility is determined using the preponderance-of-the-evidence standard, meaning it is more likely than not that a violation occurred.
Following the hearing, the respondent and complainant, where applicable, receive a written decision describing the outcome, any sanctions imposed, and the applicable appeal procedures. Final hazing findings involving student or school organizations are published in MGA’s Campus Hazing Transparency and Max Gruver Report without including personally identifiable information about individual students.
Investigation Process for Faculty and Staff
Allegations of hazing involving faculty are referred to the Provost or designee, while allegations involving staff are referred to Human Resources. Reports are reviewed and addressed in accordance with applicable University policies, the Faculty Handbook, and University System of Georgia Board of Regents policies.
The review may include gathering relevant information, interviewing appropriate individuals, and providing the employee an opportunity to respond. If a violation is substantiated, appropriate corrective or disciplinary action may be taken in accordance with applicable policies and procedures. Retaliation against individuals who report hazing or participate in an investigation is prohibited. Faculty and staff matters are handled separately from the student conduct process.
Hazing Disclosures
2026
Organization: Alpha Eta Rho Incident
Date: November 17, 2025
Complaint Received: November 18, 2025
Investigation Start: November 18, 2025
Investigation End: January 14, 2026
Alcohol or drugs were involved: No
Finding: Leadership of Alpha Eta Rho accepted responsibility for an alleged hazing
violation, specifically, by having at least one prospective member participate in an
act or acts that created a risk of psychological injury and/or humiliation.
Sanctions
- Probationary status for a period of one (1) year (Spring, Summer, and Fall Semesters of
2026)
- During this time, further violations of the MGA Code of Conduct may result in a
defined period of suspension for the organization, potential loss of leadership
roles, and charges against individual members of the organization.
- Mandatory hazing prevention/awareness training for all student leaders during the probationary period.
- Continued inclusion of all sanctioned activities of the organization in Presence/KnightLife.
- Sanctioned activities were defined as all organizational activities and meetings held on campus as well as off-campus events that are promoted on-campus via social media, flyers, etc. that have or require advisor approval.
- A list of prospective members will be provided to the Associate Vice-President for Student Affairs for spring semester 2026 and fall semester 2026.
- Notification will be made to the National Alpha Eta Rho of this incident.
- The Associate Vice-President for Student Affairs will work to review and revise the initiation process for all new/prospective members to provide clear expectations to members as to what activities are required and what activities are intended to provide opportunities for prospective members to develop bonds between each other and existing members of the organization. This revision will include a more consistency in the final interview process to minimize inconsistencies, misinterpretations, and any behaviors that could be construed or identified as"hazing".
- Upon request by the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, leadership will provide access to "pledge books" for prospective members during the probationary period.
- Inclusion of this decision, the name of the organization (but not individual student names), date of occurrence(s) and investigation, the finding/agreement, and adjudication sanctions on MGA’s hazing reporting webpage.
Created: 1-15-26 JMS
2025
No hazing violations reported.
2024
No hazing violations reported.
2023
No hazing violations reported.
2022
No hazing violations reported.
Last reviewed: September 2, 2026
Middle State University must publicly disclose all hazing incidents per the Max Gruver Act and the Stop Campus Hazing Act. This page will be updated within 15 days of any substantiated violation or criminal conviction, in accordance with state and federal law.