WASHINGTON DC (NEXSTAR) – Two U.S. senators have made it their mission to end hazing at fraternities and sororities across the country by forcing colleges and universities to come clean about incidents involving student organizations.
Hazing is a crime in almost every state, but the latest reporting shows the majority of Greeks are still initiated that way.
In the last decade, at least 40 students were killed by fraternity hazings. One of them was Max Gruver, a Louisiana State University freshman.
“This has gone too far,” said U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R Louisiana.
Cassidy is working with Gruver’s parents to stop hazing on campuses across the country.
“You still send your kid to that university, but they don’t join that organization,” Cassidy said.
The bill would require colleges and universities to report hazing to law enforcement within 72 hours that involved serious injury or risk of injury to a student.
It would also require the institutions to post on their websites any organization that has been disciplined for hazing.
“If they know there’s going to be this transparency, they don’t do it. That’s the ultimate in being busted because the organization won’t have members,” Cassidy said.
A handful of states have passed similar requirements, but lawmakers, families and even the fraternities and sororities themselves believe this federal solution is the best fix.
The North American Interfraternity Conference and National Panhellenic Conference CEOs said in a statement, “We must bring more transparency, accountability and improved safety to all student organizations on campuses nationwide.”
The same bill is on the House side.
Neither has passed, but Cassidy is hoping to gain enough momentum to send it to the president.
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey is co-sponsoring the bill.
Several Penn State students have died in hazing-related incidents, most recently sophomore Tim Piazza.
