On Dec. 30, 2024, former president, Joe Biden, signed the “Stop Campus Hazing Act.”
The new law amended the Clery Act and adds hazing to the list of reportable offenses. The Stop Campus Hazing Act requires all institutions of higher education (IHE) that participate in federal student aid to publish incidents of hazing to a public crime report.
The Stop Campus Hazing Act states that every IHE must create a public forum that “summarizes findings concerning any student organization found to be in violation of the IHE’s standards of conduct relating to hazing”. While the report is required, the IHE is only required to update the forum if hazing violations are reported.
Congress defines hazing as “any intentional, knowing or reckless act committed by a person against another person or persons regardless of the willingness of such other person or persons to participate.”
WCU’s Code of Student Conduct defines hazing as, “any activity by a student, student group, or RSO, related to membership in a student group or RSO, that intentionally or unintentionally endangers the mental, physical, or emotional health of a person.”
“When it comes to fraternities and sororities, hazing is treating any member differently than you treat someone whose already been initiated or gone through the process for joining.” said Ryan Williamson, president of the WCU Interfraternity Council.
According to WCU’s Code of Student Conduct, “While hazing is typically associated with membership selection and initiation into a group or organization, it is possible for hazing to occur before, during, after or separate from membership selection and initiation, and regardless of a person’s status or position in the student group or RSO.”
The Interfraternity Council governs the Greek life organizations on Western Carolina University’s campus. IFC primarily handles social issues while the Student Conduct office deals with code violations.
In cases of immediate danger, hazing should be reported to University Police. In less immediate situations, hazing in any organization can be reported at dsa.wcu.edu/report. Hazing in fraternities or sororities can also be reported to the Greek Student Engagement Office.
Extreme cases of hazing may involve excessive consumption of alcohol, endangerment or physical abuse.
“There was a case at Virginia Tech where a guy was joining a fraternity and the fraternity brothers handed him a fifth of vodka, locked him in a closet with a slice of bread and said, ‘you’re not leaving this closet until this vodka is finished,’” Williamson said.
Less extreme examples include anything that does not physically harm someone but could cause mental or emotional distress.
Whether physical or psychological, most forms of hazing affect mental health.
“Less extreme examples could be making the new guys run security at your parties or making them be the designated drivers at your parties exclusively.” Williamson said.
While hazing can be detrimental to one’s mental and physical health, it also creates a negative image of organizations.
“It builds distrust and animosity between some of the people you’re bringing into your organization,” Williamson said.
Under the Code of Student Conduct, hazing is classified as Article V prohibited conduct. These violations are handled on a case-by-case basis. Often, organizations found guilty of hazing are disbanded.
In 2015, the Zeta Xi chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha was suspended from WCU campus for five years after a report of hazing. The suspension came after students reported incidents of waterboarding and other physical violence.
According to Williamson, Greek life organizations that are suspended for hazing are suspended for multiple years to ensure former members cannot join again and resume the offenses.
It remains unclear how the Stop Campus Hazing Act will be implemented on WCU campus, however the process of investigation is not expected to be affected. The law aims to provide a more transparent form of investigation into hazing.
“It’s a little more transparent process with a transparent outcome instead of just putting a letter into a black box and never hearing about it again,” Williamson said.
Williamson approves of the new act and believes it will deter people from hazing.
“I love it. I think that social pressure can, in some ways, be more powerful to people who are young and don’t have the life experience necessary to make a decision on how much a criminal conviction can affect their life,” Williamson said.
