Following up on a summit meeting last month that explored ways of addressing hazing on campuses, the NCAA is mailing a handbook on the topic to athletics directors at member schools.

The handbook, "Hazing Prevention in College Athletics," also is being provided to conference commissioners.

The 58-page handbook encourages administrators, coaches and student-athletes to lead efforts to discourage a culture of hazing on campuses, and to collaborate in creating an environment of open and honest discussion supported by a strongly enforced anti-hazing policy.

The handbook’s purpose is to define hazing and describe the types of activities that constitute hazing; define the roles of administrators, coaches and student-athletes in preventing hazing; and establish an understanding of why students participate in hazing.

It also serves as a resource for creating preventive educational programs and for enhancing team bonding and leadership as positive experiences.

The handbook's messages are consistent with those offered last month at a summit meeting during the NCAA Convention in Nashville. There, panelists provided definitions of hazing and presented data indicating that most student-athletes are confronted with it in one form or another, though few recognize hazing when they experience it.

Panelists generally agreed that hazing inflicts some form of harm -- most often mental but frequently also physical.

Summit participants also described various strategies that have been employed on campuses to increase awareness of and reduce the risk of hazing, including:

•         Conducting educational sessions for student-athletes during orientation and in team meetings.

•         Scheduling speakers to discuss the topic with coaches.

•         Including hazing prevention on the agenda of student-athlete advisory committees.

•         Involving student-athletes in anti-hazing policy and program development.

•         Cooperation with broader campus hazing prevention efforts.

Simply talking about hazing with student-athletes and equipping them to address it among themselves may be the most effective solution to the problem, panelists suggested.

Additional copies of the handbook can be downloaded via the "hazing prevention resources" link (www.ncaa.org/health-safety) at NCAA.org.