Administrators at the University of Central Oklahoma announced the suspension of the cheerleading squad’s operations and activities on Saturday. The team will be unable to compete for the remainder of the school year. The decision comes amid an investigation into an alleged hazing incident.
According to ABC News, School president Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar did not provide any details about the alleged hazing incident due to student privacy concerns. However, she said in her letter that the investigation immediately began after reports were made. “Hazing of any kind has no place at the university and will not be tolerated,” Neuhold-Ravikumar wrote. She also confirmed that the cheerleading team will not be able to participate in any national competitions for two years.
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“The UCO cheer team should embody the spirit of our community — encouraging us to give our best effort and to represent our university with pride and dignity,” Neuhold-Ravikumar said, per Fox News. “We consider our student organizations an extension of the university community and its values, and we are committed to maintaining those standards.”
Neuhold-Ravikumar said in the letter that any members of the cheer squad that were “responsible for these unacceptable and abhorrent activities” would potentially face university sanctions. They would also be removed from the cheer squad. These members would “undergo a membership review process and may be given the opportunity to try out for next year’s team.”
According to the Daily Mail, a student newspaper on campus called The Vista requested information about the alleged hazing incidents. The outlet submitted a Freedom of Information Act request and received a redacted report. The document listed the acts of hazing but did not identify the individuals.
The document said that the “squad members were asked to answer questions of a sexual nature, grind against objects ‘in a sexual manner,’ twerk, endure screaming similar to what is heard in the military, drink ‘a mixture of things taken from the refrigerator,’ and drink alcohol even though they were under the legal drinking age.” Additionally, the cheer squad members were blindfolded and sprayed with a liquid.
The University of Central Oklahoma has a strict policy on hazing: “Regardless of the incident location(s), any student(s) and/or student organization(s) found responsible for any form of hazing ay be subject to immediate suspension and/or expulsion. The expressed or implied consent of the victim shall not be considered as a defense. Apathy and/or consent in the presence of hazing are not neutral acts; they shall be considered violations of this policy.”
