Risk management may be defined as taking appropriate measures to minimize the risk to assure the safety and well-being of members and non-members interacting with a Chapter, Province or the Fraternity in any way.


Kappa Psi Policy on Risk Management


The Risk Management Policy of the Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Inc. involves an ongoing educational program which includes the provisions covered below as past of the collegiate Chapters, Provinces and international leadership training sessions and publications. All alumni, especially those working with the collegiate chapters, are encouraged to take training in risk management and be positive role models for the collegiate member by their responsible behavior and by supporting risk management policies.


Each Chapter and Province will:

  1. Become cognizant of ways to reduce risk by working to identify any action which could result in injury or death.
  2. Encourage members to plan all events with incorporated measures that will protect each member or non-member.
  3. Analyze the risks involved in actions before they are taken and to plan events so that exposure to liability is minimized.
  4. Remove all risks associated with hazing and alcohol. The Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Inc. has well-established policies on hazing (this Fraternity does not condone nor will tolerate hazing by any member, chapter or province) and alcohol abuse. All members of the Fraternity, collegiate or alumni, are aware of these policies, and pledges are also instructed on these policies.
  5. Prevent situations that facilitate illegal drinking, the abuse of alcohol or substance abuse in any form.
  6. Conduct an 'Activity Risk Assessment' before hosting a function for the Chapter, Province or Fraternity. A list of assessments to be considered shall be developed by each chapter, province or Fraternity, and may include the following:
    a. What liability does the chapter or province foresee in the upcoming events?
    b. List the problems that could arise.
    c. How would each of these problems be solved?
    d. What safeguards are implemented in case the event gets out of hand?
    e. Will any city, county and state ordinances be violated?
    f. Have the chapter policies, university rules and college rules been checked so that they are not violated?
    g. Determine how the chapter officers will maintain control over this event.
    h. Is the liability worth the benefits of the event?


Policy on Hazing


The Kappa Psi policy on hazing defines such action as any physical or mental harassment. Specifically, hazing includes but is not limited to the following:

  1. Any form of forced physical exercise
  2. Any activity that might reasonably be expected to cause embarrassment or psychological harm to the individual
  3. Any activity that might reasonably by expected to bring physical harm to the individual
  4. Any activity that might reasonably be expected to degrade or otherwise compromise the dignity of the individual
  5. Any activity that might reasonably be expected to require an unreasonable or inordinate amount of the individual's time, or in any manner impair the individual's academic efforts
  6. Any activity that might reasonably be expected to make the individual an object of ridicule
  7. The required consumption of any liquid or solid matter, or
  8. Any requirement which compels an individual to participate in any activity which is illegal or contrary to the individual's genuine moral and/or religious beliefs or contrary to the rules and regulations of the educational institution.

All acts of hazing by a chapter or any of its members or alumni are especially forbidden.


Any International officer, Chapter officer, Grand Council Deputy, Chapter Member, or Alumni who has knowledge of any incident which violates the hazing policy should, within forty-eight (48) hours, notify the Grand Regent of the incident with details of the incident stating which part(s) of the hazing policy was violated.


The Grand Regent will, within five (5) days of the reporting, appoint an investigating officer to make a full and complete report including a list of charges and/or violations of this policy and the names of the chapter officers and/or members alleged to be involved in the incident. The involved person, persons, or chapter will be notified and be required to attend in person or respond in writing to a "show cause" hearing within ten (10) days of notification to explain the alleged violations of the policy and to give reasons why any or all of the following sanctions should not be recommended to the Dean of the College/School of Pharmacy of the University for implementation. The Executive Director shall then prepare a full and complete report to the Executive Committee.


If after careful review of the violations and the responses of the accused, the Executive Committee finds the allegations to be true substantially and verified, the Executive Committee may recommend to the Dean of the College/School of Pharmacy of the University any or all of the following sanctions for his consideration.

  1. Resignation of the Regent and the Pledge educator from their respective offices in Kappa Psi. The Grand Regent, in consultation with the Grand Council Deputy, will appoint members to assume the offices vacated.
  2. Placing of Regent and Pledge educator on social probation which would be governed by the policy of the university involved.
  3. Placing on social probation the individual members involved in the actual hazing which is governed by the policy of the university involved.
  4. Suspension of the involved persons from the College/School of Pharmacy or University.
  5. Expulsion of the involved persons from Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Inc.
  6. A written education program for the membership on hazing shall be submitted to the Fraternity and the Dean of the College/School of Pharmacy within thirty (30) days of the investigation.
  7. Disqualification from any and all awards for the involved persons during the current school year.
  8. Suspension of the Chapter from the College or University activities.
  9. Suspension of rights to pledge and initiate new members.
  10. Requirement of chapter of involved persons to sponsor or perform community service.
  11. Requirement of chapter to conduct anti-hazing workshops on campus.
  12. Require all members to sign a copy of the national hazing policy.


Once sanctions have been imposed by the Dean, the Chapter shall be considered on probation for a period of not less than one (1) year. Any further violations of this policy or the imposed sanctions placed upon the responsible parties may result in the revocation of the Chapter's Charter by the Executive Committee.


Implementation: This Executive Committee Policy on Hazing shall be distributed to each and every active Chapter in Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Inc. The policy shall be sent to the Regent and Grand Council Deputy with the expectation that at the next regular meeting the policy will be read out loud to the officers and brothers of the chapter. Each Chapter Regent will be required to submit a copy of the policy signed by the Grand Council Deputy and the Regent attesting to the fact that this policy has been read to the membership of their chapter.


Executive Committee General Policy Number 88-1


Policy on Alcohol and Substance Abuse


The Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Inc. is committed to providing members the information needed on which to base attitudes toward the role of alcohol in personal context, in group settings and in the practice environment. The Fraternity seeks to be a positive influence in helping members avoid the problems which can be directly linked to the unenlightened use of alcohol and to substance abuse in general. Substance abuse in any form be it through abuse of alcohol, the use of illegal substances, or the abuse of controlled substances is unconditionally condemned by the Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Inc.


Each Chapter and Province will:

  1. Not have alcohol as the central focus of any event and will not advertise that alcohol might be present. Other activities are encouraged; such as dancing, sports, or other types of games should be available for guests.
  2. Not sponsor any event not in compliance with any and all legal permits under the regulation of sale and use laws of the local jurisdiction, state or Province and university.
  3. Make available at all social events sufficient food and non-alcoholic refreshments, which must be accessible to all guests.
  4. Not spend chapter funds to purchase alcohol. There can be no chapter sanctioned pooling of funds This usually means that any alcohol present must be brought by the person intending to consume it (BYOB). Chapter funds can be used to buy non-alcoholic beverages and other refreshments.
  5. Not permit mass containers (kegs, party balls, punch bowls, etc.) even if brought by individuals.
  6. Not have open parties without a guest list. Guest list must be filed out 24 hours in advance with the appropriate local authorities, and must be limited to no more than 2 guests per member.
  7. Check IDs of all guests and members and those over 21 must be identified in some manner, such as: bracelets, stamps on hands, etc.
  8. Arrange for a non-member to check IDs, most commonly this means campus or hired security officers.
  9. Not co-sponsor an open event with an establishment which sells alcohol either at the establishment or otherwise. Same for alcohol distributors, etc.
  10. Rent out an establishment or banquet facility provided a licensed bartender is selling all of the alcohol or managing the alcohol brought by guests (BYOB). Guest lists, carding, etc., must still be in effect at these functions.
  11. Conduct seminars on alcohol awareness/health education topics.
  12. Not allow drinking formally or informally, during rush or with prospective members. No alcohol may be involved, formally or informally, during member education with pledges.
  13. Initiate ways, which must be in place, to prevent impaired driving.
  14. Ensure that a certain number of members remain completely sober to act as 'party monitors' during events, and these individuals must be readily identifiable (wearing jackets, hats, arm bands, etc.).


Policy on Sexual Harassment


Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Inc. explicitly condemns and will not tolerate any form of sexually abusive behavior. It is the responsibility of each member to behave in such a manner that their words or actions cannot reasonably be perceived as sexually coercive, abusive or exploitive.


Risk Management Education


Each chapter will take the responsibility of instructing annually each member and pledge on the Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Inc. Risk Management Policy. In addition, each chapter will notify the Central Office on a special form supplied in the Fall Packet, once such instructions are performed.


Each Chapter and Province will develop its own Risk Management Guidelines and send a copy to the Central Office. The Provinces will also strive to educate annually the chapters in their provinces through scheduled workshops or seminars. The international leadership will educate the membership through mailings, the Kappa Psi publication The Mask, and workshops at the biennial Grand Council Conventions.


Each Chapter Regent and Province Satrap should complete the "Risk Verificaton Form", which is distributed in the Fall Packet and found on the Forms page.



Chapters and Provinces With Electronic Risk Management Policies


Below is a listing of all Chapters and Provinces that have an electronic copy of their risk management policy. Please contact either the Web Services Coordinator or the Webmaster to have your policy posted online here.


The files available for download are in rich text format (RTF), which should be able to be opened and read with almost any word processing software. This format was also chosen so that the text can be easily be copied and edited, as desired.