Hazing Disclosure

Middle Georgia State University (MGA) prohibits hazing.  Hazing violates University policy and may also constitute a criminal offense under Georgia law.  MGA maintains this page as its central source for hazing reporting and required public disclosures under Georgia's Max Gruver Act and the federal Stop Campus Hazing Act..

MAX GRUVER ACT

In compliance with the Georgia SB 85 "Max Gruver Act", MGA publicly discloses each incident of hazing adjudicated under University policy, criminal convictions for hazing under Georgia law, and other criminal convictions arising from an incident of hazing. Disclosures include the name of any school organization involved, the date or dates on which the hazing occurred, and a description of the specific hazing-related findings, sanctions, adjudications, and convictions.  Disclosure do not include personally identifiable information about individual students and are maintained for at least five years.

See the MGA Student Code of Conduct, specifically section 10 - Hazing Conduct Procedures for more information.

MAX GRUVER ACT DISCLOSURES

HAZING-RELATED CONDUCT CODE VIOLATIONS

  • 2026
  • 2025
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related conduct code violations.
  • 2024
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related conduct code violations.
  •  2023
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related conduct code violations.
  • 2022
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related conduct code violations.

HAZING-RELATED CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS

  • 2026
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related criminal convictions.
  • 2025
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related criminal convictions.
  • 2024
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related criminal convictions.
  • 2023
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related criminal convictions.
  • 2022
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related criminal convictions.

STOP CAMPUS HAZING ACT

The federal Stop Campus Hazing Act expands hazing prevention and reporting requirements for colleges and universities.  Among other requirements, the Act requires MGA to maintain policies addressing hazing, provide research-informed hazing prevention and awareness programming, including hazing statistics in its Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, and maintain a Campus Hazing Transparency Report identifying student organizations found responsible for hazing violations.

MGA's Campus Hazing Transparency Report is provided below together with the disclosures required by Georgia's Max Gruver Act. The report is updated as required by federal and state law and does not include personally identifiable information about individual students.

Hazing statistics published in MGA's Annual Security and Fire Safety Report are different from the findings published on this page. Clery Act statistics include reported hazing incidents meeting federal reporting requirements; a finding that an organization was responsible for hazing is not required for an incident to be included in those statistics.  The disclosures below identify organizations for which there has been a final finding of responsibility for hazing or an applicable hazing-related criminal conviction.

Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act against another person, regardless of whether that person agrees to participate, that is connected to joining, belonging to, or staying in a student or school organization. The act must cause or create a risk of physical or psychological harm that goes beyond the normal risks of the organization's activities.

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 member, including local affiliate organizations."

Please see MGA's Anti-Hazing Policy, the MGA Student Code of Conduct - Hazing Conduct Procedures, and MGA's Annual Security and Fire Safety Reportt.

Hazing may constitute both a violation of university policy and a criminal offense under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-61).

HOW TO REPORT HAZING

You can report suspected hazing through the University's Behavior Incident Reporting Form, via the 24/7 Middle Georgia State University Ethics and Compliance Reporting Hotline at 1-877-516-3460,  or by contacting the MGA Police Department or local law enforcement.

You may also report hazing 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.

HAZING TRANSPARENCY AND MAX GRUVER ACT: 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:

  1. Organization Information
    • Name of the student or school organization
  2. Incident Information
    • Date or dates of the hazing incident
    • Plain-language description of the conduct
    • Whether alcohol or drugs were involved
  3. Process Timeline
    • Date the investigation began
    • Date the investigation concluded with a finding
    • Date the organization was notified of the finding
  4. 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

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.

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.
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.

STOP CAMPUS HAZING ACT DISCLOSURES

HAZING-RELATED CONDUCT CODE VIOLATIONS

  • 2026
  • 2025
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related conduct code violations.
  • 2024
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related conduct code violations.
  •  2023
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related conduct code violations.
  • 2022
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related conduct code violations.

HAZING-RELATED CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS

  • 2026
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related criminal convictions.
  • 2025
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related criminal convictions.
  • 2024
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related criminal convictions.
  • 2023
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related criminal convictions.
  • 2022
    • There were zero (0) hazing-related criminal convictions.
The Campus Hazing Transparency Report is updated at least twice each calendar year, as required by the Stop Campus Hazing Act. Information included in each update is maintained for five (5) calendar years from the date of publication. Disclosures required by Georgia's Max Gruver Act are posted within fifteen (15) calendar days of final adjudication or public notice of a criminal conviction and are maintained for at least five (5) years.

 

Updated: 9/30/26