Edmond, Oklahoma – Claims of hazing have prompted the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) to suspend its cheerleading team.
UCO President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar didn’t provide details of the alleged hazing in an email but said the campus immediately investigated the claims and that hazing will not be tolerated by the school, reports 6ABC.
Neuhold-Ravikumar said that the campus approaches reports of hazing “swiftly and with great concern,” reports KOCO
The suspension of the cheerleaders will be in effect through the end of the school year, and the team won’t be allowed to participate in national competitions for two years.
In her email, Neuhold-Ravikumar described the alleged hazing activities as “unacceptable and abhorrent.” Team members found responsible for the hazing could face sanctions by the school, including removal from the team and suspension from UCO. She also vowed to require the cheerleaders and the leadership of all student organizations to be trained on hazing and bystander intervention.
Additionally, members of the cheerleading team who aren’t found responsible for the hazing will need to “undergo a membership review process and may be given the opportunity to try out for next year’s team,” the school president said.
