Hazing Awareness and Prevention

September 21, 2026

Dear Howard University Community, 

This week, September 21-25, marks National Hazing Prevention Week. This annual observance is an important time for our community to pause, reflect, and engage in honest conversations about the dangers of hazing and our collective responsibility to prevent it. 

Howard University maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy against hazing in any form. Hazing is not limited to physical abuse; it can include forced behaviors, extreme peer pressure, intentional exclusion, or demeaning traditions disguised as “bonding.” An action may constitute hazing even when an individual agrees to participate. 

Hazing does not build unity. Instead, it can break trust, create fear, and harm the well-being of our community. True belonging and strong bonds are built through mutual respect, shared support, genuine inclusion, and care for one another—never through humiliation, intimidation, or pressure. 

Throughout National Hazing Prevention Week, we invite the University community to participate in programming designed to promote education, wellness, dialogue, reflection, and accountability. 

National Hazing Prevention Week Programming 

Solidcore on the Yard 
Monday, September 21 at 6:00 p.m. 

The Line We Don’t Cross 
Tuesday, September 22 at 7:00 p.m. 

Uplift & Unwrap: Affirmations on the Yard 
Wednesday, September 23 at 12:00 p.m. 

Real Talk Panel 
Thursday, September 24 at 7:00 p.m. 

Anti-Hazing Tabling 
Friday, September 25 at 12:00 p.m. 

We encourage students, faculty, and staff to participate throughout the week and continue these important conversations beyond National Hazing Prevention Week. Hazing prevention is not the responsibility of one organization, office, or individual. It requires a shared commitment across our entire University community.

Let us make it clear that our strength comes from treating every member of our community with dignity and respect. Tradition should strengthen our community, leadership should reflect integrity, and belonging should never require harm. 

Thank you for your continued commitment to keeping Howard University safe, welcoming, and strong. 

In Truth and Service, 

Office of Student Life

The Howard University Department of Public Safety is committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive campus environment through education and prevention initiatives. The Department provides comprehensive training to the University's student organizations on the requirements and expectations of the Stop Campus Hazing Act.

The training is designed to increase awareness and understanding of hazing by addressing key topics, including:

• What constitutes hazing under applicable laws and University policy.
• How to recognize and identify hazing behaviors, including actions that may not always be immediately apparent but pose risks to individuals or organizations.
• How to report suspected hazing, including the available reporting options, the importance of timely reporting, and the University's commitment to responding promptly and appropriately to reported concerns.

By equipping student leaders and organization members with the knowledge to recognize, prevent, and report hazing, the Department of Public Safety supports a campus culture that prioritizes safety, accountability, and the well-being of every member of the University community.

Please contact Deputy Chief Alvin Lide to schedule annual training for your department or student organization [Email: Alvin.Lide@howard.edu]

This collection of hazing documentaries examine the causes, consequences, and lasting impact of hazing in schools, universities, athletic programs, fraternities and sororities and other groups. The documentaries are great resources intended to support education and prevention in hopes of creating a safe environment.

Many of these documentaries serve as tributes to individuals whose lives were profoundly affected by hazing and honoring their stories to prevent future tragedies.