Performances + Events
New England Conservatory’s Stop Hazing Act Policy
The Stop Hazing Act of 2024 defines hazing as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, committed by a person (whether individually or in concert with other persons) against another person or persons regardless of the willingness of such other person or persons to participate, that (1) is committed in the course of an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, a student organization (e.g., a club, athletic team, fraternity, or sorority); and (2) causes or creates a risk, above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in the IHE or the organization, of physical or psychological injury.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed anti-hazing legislation in December 1987, making it a crime punishable by state law.
Hazing is a crime, and failure to report it is also a crime. New England Conservatory (NEC) will not tolerate hazing of any kind; its discipline committee will review any such activity — or any failure to report such activity — according to procedures outlined under the disciplinary code. NEC also reserves the right to report conduct to law enforcement and will cooperate with law enforcement consistent with applicable law.
Substantiated hazing is also a violation of the NEC Disciplinary Code, subjecting the student to discipline up to and including suspension or expulsion (as well as possible criminal prosecution).
Under Massachusetts law, any person who knows that another person is the victim of hazing as defined by Massachusetts law section seventeen and is at the scene of such crime shall, to the extent that such person can do so without danger or peril to himself or others, report such crime to an appropriate law enforcement official as soon as reasonably practicable. Whoever fails to report such crime shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars.
Anyone becoming aware of any hazing as defined by this Policy that involves NEC students must promptly report it to the Office of Academic and Student Affairs. Reports can be made online (necmusic.edu/policies/report-a-problem), by phone (617-585 -1312 or 617-585-1310), email (student.services@necmusic.edu) or by stopping by their location at 241 St. Botolph, Room 224 (Monday– Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.). In the case of an emergency threat to the safety of any person, immediately contact the Boston Police Department (emergency) at or 911 if you are off campus.
For the purposes of this policy, student organizations are defined as, an organization at NEC (such as a club, society, association, band, or student government) in which two or more of the members are students enrolled at NEC, whether or not the organization is established or recognized by the Conservatory.
Hazing activities may be physically abusive, hazardous, and/or sexually violating. The specific behaviors or activities within these categories vary widely among participants, groups, and settings.
Non-exclusive examples of hazing may include personal servitude; sleep deprivation; restrictions on personal hygiene; yelling, swearing, or insults; being forced to wear embarrassing or humiliating attire in public; consumption of vile substances or smearing of such on one’s skin; brandings; physical beatings; binge drinking; drinking games; sexual simulation; and sexual assault.
For activities to be considered hazing, forced or mandated participation is not required; hazing may also involve implied coercion. Behavior may constitute hazing if an individual reasonably feels that he or she will not be considered a fully participating member of the group or that he or she would be ostracized for not participating in the behavior (for example, alcohol use). Neither the intent of the initiator(s) nor the willingness of the participant(s) will serve as factors in determining responsibility, but may be considered in the application of sanctions.
No ensemble, studio, student organization, performance group, student leadership organization, club, or affiliated organization may require or encourage participation in conduct that constitutes hazing as a condition of membership, participation, advancement, leadership, performance opportunities, gig or touring opportunities, or other continued affiliation with the group.
NEC will annually distribute the required statutory notices to full-time students and student organizations, collect annual acknowledgements from student organizations, and complete all reports required by Massachusetts law.
Section 17: Hazing; organizing or participating; hazing defined
Whoever is a principal organizer or participant in the crime of hazing, as defined herein, shall be punished by fine of not more than three thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than one year, or both such fine and imprisonment. The term ‘hazing’ as used in this section and in sections eighteen and nineteen, shall mean any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person. Such conduct shall include whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the weather, forced consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug or other substance, or any other brutal treatment or forced physical activity which is likely to adversely affect the physical health or safety of any student or other person, or which subjects such student or other person to extreme mental stress, including extended deprivation of sleep or rest or extended isolation.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, consent shall not be available as a defense to any prosecution under this action.
Section 18: Failure to report hazing
Whoever knows that another person is the victim of hazing as defined in section seventeen and is at the scene of such crime shall, to the extent that such person can do so without danger or peril to himself or other, report such crime to an appropriate law enforcement official as soon as reasonably practicable. Whoever fails to report such crime shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars.
Section 19: Issuance to students and student groups, teams and organizations; report
Each institution of secondary education and each public and private institution of post-secondary education shall issue to every student group, student team or student organization which is part of such institution or is recognized by the institution or permitted by the institution to use its name or facilities or is known by the institution to exist as an unaffiliated student group, student team, student organization, a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen; provided, however, that an institution’s compliance with this section’s requirements that an institution issue copies of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen to unaffiliated student groups, teams or organizations shall not constitute evidence of the institution’s recognition or endorsement of said unaffiliated student groups, teams or organizations.
Each such group, team or organization shall distribute a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen to each of its members, plebes, pledges, or applicants for membership. It shall be the duty of each such group, team or organization, acting through its designated officer to deliver annually, to the institution an attested acknowledgement stating that such group, team or organization has received a copy of this section and said sections seventeen and eighteen, that each of its members, plebes, pledges or applicants has received a copy of sections seventeen and eighteen, and that such group, team or organization understand and agrees to comply with the provisions of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen.
Each institution of secondary education and each public or private institution of post-secondary education shall, at least annually, before or at the start of enrollment, deliver to each person who enrolls as a full time student in such institution a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen.
Each institution of secondary education and each public or private institution of post-secondary education shall file, at least annually, a report with the board of higher education and in the case of secondary institutions, the board of education, certifying that such institution has complied with its responsibility to inform student groups, teams or organizations and to notify each full time student enrolled by it of the provisions of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen and also certifying that said institution has adopted a disciplinary policy with regard to the organizers and participants of hazing, and that such policy has been set forth with appropriate emphasis in the student handbook or similar means of communicating the institution’s policies to its students. The board of higher education and, in the case of secondary institutions, the board of education shall promulgate regulations governing the content and frequency of such reports, and shall forthwith report to the attorney general any such institution, which fails to make such report.
NEC offices responsible for investigating incidents of Hazing will depend upon the individual or individuals involved, and whether they are students, staff, faculty, or other NEC community members.
A. Hazing Involving Students
For incidents of Hazing involving students, the Office of Academic and Student Affairs or a designee will investigate in accordance with the procedures outlined in NEC’s Student Handbook.
B. Hazing Involving Staff
For incidents of Hazing involving staff, the Office of Human Resources will investigate reports of Hazing. Staff conduct is governed by the policies outlined in the NEC Employee Handbook through the myNEC Portal.
C. Hazing Involving Faculty
For incidents of Hazing involving faculty, the Office of Human Resources and the Chief Academic Officer will be responsible for investigating.
Faculty conduct is governed by the policies outlined in the Employee Handbook and Faculty Manual.
For each incident where an established or recognized Student Organization was found to have committed a Hazing Violation, the Campus Hazing Transparency Report will include details of that incident, including the name of the organization, the date(s) of the Hazing Violation, a description of the violation, date of alleged incident; date investigation was initiated; date investigation concluded with a finding; and date notice of finding was provided to the organization.
The report will not include Personally Identifiable Information (PII), in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
NEC will publish findings of Hazing Violations committed by an established or recognized Conservatory Student Organization in a Campus Hazing Transparency Report starting on December 23, 2025 and updated bi-annually thereafter. Bi-annual updates will only be made to the report when new Hazing Violations have occurred. The report will be published on NEC’s Academic and Student Affairs website at necmusic.edu/the-college/academic-and-student-affairs.
The Office of Academic and Student Affairs coordinates the publishing of this report. NEC will maintain Campus Hazing Transparency Report entries for at least five calendar years following publication.
Beginning on October 1, 2026, NEC will include statistics about Hazing in its Clery Annual Security Report.
NEC requires that all incoming undergraduate students participate in Hazing prevention and awareness training. NEC will also provide ongoing education campaigns, including presentations, workshops, and educational materials to the community to reinforce anti-hazing practices and to encourage healthy communities and a culture of care.
Such programming may include education regarding the definition of hazing, the risks associated with hazing, reporting options, bystander intervention, strategies for fostering healthy group membership and leadership, and available support resources.
Policy Last Updated September 14, 2026
