2006 Code of Virginia § 18.2-56 - Hazing unlawful; civil and criminal liability; duty of school, etc., officials

18.2-56. Hazing unlawful; civil and criminal liability; duty of school,etc., officials.

It shall be unlawful to haze so as to cause bodily injury, any student at anyschool, college, or university.

Any person found guilty thereof shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Any person receiving bodily injury by hazing shall have a right to sue,civilly, the person or persons guilty thereof, whether adults or infants.

The president or other presiding official of any school, college oruniversity receiving appropriations from the state treasury shall, uponsatisfactory proof of the guilt of any student hazing another student,sanction and discipline such student in accordance with the institution'spolicies and procedures. The institution's policies and procedures shallprovide for expulsions or other appropriate discipline based on the facts andcircumstances of each case. The president or other presiding official of anyschool, college or university receiving appropriations from the statetreasury shall report hazing which causes bodily injury to the attorney forthe Commonwealth of the county or city in which such school, college oruniversity is, who shall take such action as he deems appropriate.

For the purposes of this section, "hazing" means to recklessly orintentionally endanger the health or safety of a student or students or toinflict bodily injury on a student or students in connection with or for thepurpose of initiation, admission into or affiliation with or as a conditionfor continued membership in a club, organization, association, fraternity,sorority, or student body regardless of whether the student or students soendangered or injured participated voluntarily in the relevant activity.

(Code 1950, 18.1-71; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 2003, cc. 62, 67.)