Protect students
Congress should enter the fight on hazing
Concerns about dangerous hazing at college fraternities and sororities have reached a fever pitch. Deaths are adding up.
Since mid-October, five students throughout the country have died due to activities that have been linked, directly or indirectly, to Greek life. This includes the death of a 17-year-old high school student from Erie who was found dead at an off-campus fraternity house near Penn State’s University Park campus.
That death comes less than three years after the death of 19-year-old Penn State student Timothy Piazza, a tragedy that kick-started efforts to cut down on hazing in the commonwealth. Gov. Tom Wolf signed a law named for Mr. Piazza in October 2018, establishing one of the country’s strongest anti-hazing laws.
Despite this, deaths continue, here in Pennsylvania and elsewhere in the United States. Efforts are now underway to strengthen penalties for hazing at the federal level, a welcome development in an urgent effort to keep students safe.
Congress is considering bipartisan measures that would establish a federal definition of hazing, as well as require colleges and universities to act more decisively and with greater transparency to combat hazing.
The Report and Educate About Campus Hazing, or REACH Act, tackles the former issue, defining hazing as “any intentional, knowing or reckless act” committed as a condition of membership in a student group that could cause “physical injury, mental harm or degradation.” Establishing a clear definition of the act will make it easier for law enforcement to police dangerous activity that threatens the wellbeing and safety of students.
Another bill, the End All Hazing Act, introduced by U.S. Reps. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., and Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, would strengthen schools’ requirements for reporting hazing allegations to the authorities. If an allegation involves serious injury or the risk of one, schools will have to report the matter to law enforcement within 72 hours.
The law would also require schools to maintain a web page, available to students, staff and parents, with up-to-date information on student organizations that have been disciplined for hazing and details of what the school has done to correct the matter.
Supporters of Greek life have long defended the groups’ contributions to campus life, tradition and alumni networking. But, as more students are injured and killed, this argument is quickly running out of runway. Some colleges and universities, like Ohio University, have taken drastic measures, such as suspending all fraternities and sororities, as a means of protecting students.
Passing the REACH and End All Hazing acts will not solve the problem overnight. But federal involvement will signal to colleges and universities, frats and sororities, and, most important, to students that hazing is an unacceptable danger that will be met with significant punishment.