Lincoln Land Community College (the “College”) is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy educational and employment environment for everyone and does not tolerate hazing by any group or individual affiliated with the College. Hazing poses significant risks to individuals and communities, leading to severe physical, emotional and psychological harm. It often involves activities that humiliate, degrade or endanger participants, creating a toxic environment that undermines trust and respect. Hazing can interfere with academic performance and social relationships, fostering a culture of fear and exclusion. LLCC expressly prohibits hazing activities, whether individually or in concert with others and shall:
- Implement research-informed, campus-wide prevention programs and primary prevention strategies to raise awareness and prevent hazing.
- Include statistics for hazing incidents in the Annual Security Report and publicize the availability of this information on the LLCC public website. (Hazing statistics will become available in the Annual Security Report beginning with the 2026 Report.)
- Disseminate this policy and applicable local, state and tribal hazing laws on the LLCC public website.
- Compile a Campus Hazing Transparency Report and publish it on the LLCC public website (coming December 2025).
This policy applies to all faculty, employees, students and other individuals participating in or attempting to participate in the College’s program or activities, including education and employment.
Reporting and processing alleged hazing violations
Definition of hazing
Hazing is defined as any intentional, knowing or reckless act, occurring on or off the campus of an educational institution, by one person alone or acting with others, directed against another when: the person knew or should have known that such an act endangers the physical health or safety of the other person or causes severe emotional distress and the act was associated with pledging, joining, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in or maintaining membership in any organization, regardless of the willingness of such other person or persons to participate. Hazing includes but is not limited to:
- Whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone’s body or similar activity;
- Causing, coercing or otherwise inducing sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, extreme calisthenics or other similar activity;
- Causing, coercing or otherwise inducing another person to consume food, liquid, alcohol, drugs or other substances;
- Causing, coercing or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts;
- Any activity that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words or conduct;
- Any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal or Federal law; and
- Any activity that induces, causes or requires another person to perform a duty or task that involves a criminal violation of local, state, tribal or federal law.
For purposes of this policy, hazing shall not include a physical activity that is normal, customary and necessary for a person’s training and participation in an athletic, physical education, or similar program sanctioned by the College.
Illinois state hazing law
§ 720 ILCS 5/12C-50. Hazing.
A person commits hazing when he or she knowingly requires the performance of any act by a student or other person in a school, college, university or other educational institution of this State, for the purpose of induction or admission into any group, organization or society associated or connected with that institution, if: the act is not sanctioned or authorized by that educational institution; and the act results in bodily harm to any person.
There are no local ordinances relating to hazing violations in the College’s Clery geography.
There are no tribal laws relating to hazing violations in the College’s Clery geography.