The UB soccer players charged with hazing will receive a permanent transcript notation of the incident on their student record, according to UB officials.
Recently, the SUNY administration put a direct emphasis on how the act of hazing will affect students' transcripts.
In a letter sent out to all SUNY schools last April, SUNY Chancellor Robert King recommended that "each campus should develop a 'permanent transcript notation' policy that addressed hazing and other serious violations of the student conduct code, especially conduct which leads to the death or serious physical injury to another person."
On June 8, the SUNY advisory central administration sent out an additional letter, stating the same hazing policy recommendation and adding that, "students found responsible for hazing and other serious violations of the student conduct code will receive, as part of their sanction, a permanent transcript notation."
According to Dennis Black, vice president for student affairs, the soccer team incident was UB's first try at implementing the permanent transcript notation. Black said that since the policy had been recommended, this is the first hazing incident that has occurred.
Paul Jaanimagi, father of accused soccer player Erik Jaanimagi, said although there has been some disagreement about the fairness of punishments the players received, he agreed that the punishments were appropriate.
"I don't condone it in any way," he said. "My understanding is that the kids complain and would always complain no matter what the outcome was."
The elder Jaanimagi said his only complaint was the university failed to extensively educate students on the hazing policy in its entirety.
"I think education is the best way to put a stop to these things, and the university has failed to educate on hazing," he said.
Black said, however, he does not feel students need additional training on the code of ethics.
"They don't need training programs to know the difference between right and wrong," Black said.
Jaanimagi added that there was a team meeting last week at which a university official spoke to the team about the exact rules about hazing.
According to Jaanimagi, not all charges were dropped on Erik, and that he, Brandon Foley, and Braden Byler are still suspended from the team for the rest of the season.
Jaanimagi added that the three players can choose to appeal the decision, and are planning to do so.
