Slippery Rock hockey suspended four years for hazing, alcohol violations

Slippery Rock University has suspended the school’s ACHA Men’s Division 1 hockey program for four years, retroactively dating back to Nov. 18, 2020, according to the Slippery Rock University Hazing Institutional Report dated Jan. 12, 2021. The report details hearings and investigations for alleged hazing incidents at the university for the past five years.

The University's conduct process "functions in the same way it does when you get a traffic citation," Leigh Ann Gilmore, Director of the Office of Student Conduct, stated to Pittsburgh Hockey Digest via email. "When the officer hands you a ticket, you can do one of two things. You can admit fault and pay the ticket, or you can say I want to go to court and plead my case. Whenever that happens, the judge can always impose additional penalties on you in that courtroom."

A report dated Aug. 25, 2020 by Leigh Ann Gilmore initially mentioned a two-year suspension. The hockey club chose to plead its case at a hearing and ultimately faced the current four-year suspension.

The August report stated that an investigation was completed on Thursday, Mar. 5, 2020 from 4 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Seven investigators from the Office of Student Conduct conducted interviews with members of the hockey program. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the investigation summary was not prepared until Jul. 1, 2020.

The suspension is effective as of Nov. 18, 2020 and is set to expire on Nov. 18, 2024. Educational sanctions were handed down as part of the August report that required the program to have education, "as determined by Matt Lobaugh, Club Sports, and Lauren Moran, Director of Student Engagement, in coordination with Holly McCoy, Title IX coordinator," on hazing, alcohol/excessive alcohol use, and sexual misconduct. It is unclear whether that education is required per the new suspension as a result of the January 2021 hearing.

Violations, per the August 2020 report

Leigh Ann Gilmore found the program in violation of the following sections of the student code of conduct:

• 3.1b: Psychological hazing, which is defined as any act which is likely to cause embarrassment or shame to another.

• 3.1c: Psychological hazing, which is defined as any act which is likely to cause another to be the object of malicious amusement or ridicule.

It was reported on Mar. 5, 2020 that there were competitive initiation rituals, such as the requirement that the loser of a shootout must "wear a funny hat like a cowboy hat in class." Leigh Ann Gilmore did not determine that the act was necessarily malicious, but "it would likely cause another to be the object of ridicule."

• 3.14: Personal errands run by new members for returning organization members.

Members of the team allegedly required new members to gather pucks, water bottles, and other equipment after on-ice activities. Player interviews stated that no new members were forced to do these activities but that most new members did such activities because they wanted to help the team. Gilmore stated that "requiring new members to perform duties constitutes hazing," so the organization was found in violation.

• 3.18: Forcing, coercing or permitting students to eat or drink foreign or unusual substances such as raw meat, salt water, onion, hot peppers, baby food, etc.

Players interviewed admitted to drinking from a dirty hockey boot, but that it was done willingly. The allegation was addressed by Matt Lobaugh on Jan. 24, 2018 and is considered to have already "been addressed educationally, but that the practice is still occurring."

• 3.20: Forcing, coercing, allowing, suggesting, or permitting students to drink excessive amounts of alcohol.

"Multiple members reported that Men’s Ice Hockey hosts an annual party for new members (rookies) that involves excessive amounts of alcohol," the report stated. "While there is no evidence to suggest that alcohol was forced on new members or other members, Men’s Ice Hockey permitted students, including new members, to drink excessive amounts of alcohol at the annual new member (rookie) events. The new member (rookie) event was a known annual event that many members acknowledged had excessive alcohol consumption." A reporter had stated on Mar. 5, 2020 that they were unable to recall more specific information due to their intoxication level at the Sep. 21, 2019 party.

• 12.f: Selling or furnishing (including the attempt to sell, furnish, or provide a place for people under the age of 21 to consume) alcoholic beverages or products without a license to a minor on or off campus.

"Leigh Ann Gilmore found Men’s Ice Hockey in violation of V12.f, as alcohol was provided at the Men’s Ice Hockey party for those under the age of 21, based on Men’s Ice Hockey interviews."

Sanctions

The suspension prohibits the club from participating in academic or other activities of the university. These activities include "student organization or Club Sports sponsored events, all university-sponsored Homecoming events, and/or intramural sports."

"During the suspension period, organization members may not function as a recognized or unrecognized organization," the report continued. "This includes hosting or participating in group activities, on or off campus, that could otherwise be considered an organization function. This includes, but is not limited to:

1. Recruiting, accepting, or initiating new members

2. Participating in University sponsored events

3. Social events

4. Organized service or philanthropic events

5. Mixers with other organizations

6. Conducting unofficial practices

7. Participating in a non-SRU sports league under a different name"

Members of the program may not use facilities on- or off-campus to engage in activities. All social media accounts of the program must be deactivated.

Members are not prohibited from transferring to another university and participating in that university's hockey program. This is an important distinction because of the requirement that "only new members (to be determined by the director of Student Conduct) of Men's Ice Hockey may be involved in the re-establishment of Men's Ice Hockey at SRU after the suspension period has ended."

Initially, the organization was eligible to return prior to the 2022 deadline if all other requirements of the sanction(s) are fulfilled. It is unclear whether there are provisions to allow the program to return early from the current four-year suspension.