(a) Anti-hazing policy. —The governing body of each institution of higher education in this state shall promulgate and enforce anti-hazing rules consistent with this article.

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 18-16-4

  • Hazing: means to cause any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of another person or persons or causes another person or persons to destroy or remove public or private property for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in, any organization the members of which are primarily students or alumni of an institution of higher education. See West Virginia Code 18-16-2
  • institution: means any public or private institution as defined in §. See West Virginia Code 18-16-2
  • Organization: means any fraternity, sorority, association, corporation, order, society, corps, club, or similar group, or a national or international affiliate thereof, the membership of which is primarily made up students or alumni of an institution of higher education. See West Virginia Code 18-16-2
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10

(b) Enforcement and penalties. —

(1) Each institution shall provide a program for the enforcement of rules promulgated pursuant to subsection (a) of this section and shall adopt appropriate penalties for violations thereof.

(2) Penalties may include recision of permission for an organization to operate on campus property or to otherwise operate under the sanction or recognition of the institution.

(3) All penalties imposed under the authority of this section shall be in addition to any penalty imposed for violation of § 18-16-3 of this code or of any of the criminal laws of this state.

(4) Rules adopted pursuant hereto apply to acts conducted on or off campus whenever such acts constitute hazing as defined in § 18-16-2 of this code.