In one of the final steps of a process initiated by members of the University Judiciary Committee, the Virginia House of Delegates unanimously adopted the final version of legislation Feb. 12 that will remove state-imposed expulsion for students found guilty of hazing.
The Senate unanimously passed the bill Feb. 10. The legislation now sits in Gov. Mark R. Warner's office, awaiting his signature. Warner has until March 24 to sign or veto bills passed in the 2003 session of the General Assembly that ended earlier this month.
"He's definitely going to sign it," Committee Chair Katie Graney said, adding that she had just been invited to the signing ceremony.
Warner's office declined to comment on specific bills, stating they have until March 24th to review them.
The new legislation, which would go into effect July 1, returns the responsibility of determining sanctions in hazing cases to Virginia universities and their student governments, and provides a fixed definition of hazing.
"I'm really excited about it because it's something that's been ongoing for two years now," Graney said. "It's just really great to see something that students initiated go on to become state law."
The adoption of the new hazing legislation will require changes to Judiciary Committee bylaws and education programs, and to the undergraduate record.
New sections of the bylaws and the record already have been tentatively drafted, said Madelyn Wessel, assistant to the vice president for student affairs.
"We'll be ready, assuming the governor helps us out," Wessel said.
Altering the Committee's education program will be the main task once the bill goes into effect, Graney said.
"The big thing is going to be restructuring orientation and training for our own support officers and judges and for all U.Va. students," she said.
Efforts will include extra training sessions for Committee officers and more outreach to groups around Grounds.
"We'll definitely have to go back and revisit other groups that we've already spoken to since this has been changed," she said.
The University initiated the entire process of changing the Virginia hazing law.
"The original concept or idea came from our students," said Nancy Rivers, University director for state governmental relations.
A Judiciary Committee case involving a minor hazing incident two years ago raised questions about the state law.
"It brought to our attention this whole matter," Graney said. "That's why we wanted to change the statute: one, there's no definition of bodily injury, and two, there's no consideration of the seriousness of the act."
By automatically expelling a student for hazing no matter what the incident, the Committee process is disrupted because there is not a trial for sanctions, which determines the seriousness of the case, Graney added.
"It completely undermined our system of student self-governance," she said.
In Fall 2001, former Committee Chair Paul Gigante brought the issue to the vice president's office for student affairs and the general counsel's office. The three organizations worked together to create a proposal that was approved by President John T. Casteen III and the Board of Visitors, and then sent to public colleges and universities around the state, many of which voiced their support.
The bill was presented to the General Assembly for its 2003 session.
Newly-elected Inter-Fraternity Council President Ryan Ewalt said he was happy the General Assembly passed the hazing bill.
"It's going to be good for the entire University," he said. "It's going to allow us to be more accountable to ourselves and that's important for student self-governance."
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