Bill Cassidy - Ranking Member of the Senate HELP Committee | Official U.S. Senate headshot
Bill Cassidy - Ranking Member of the Senate HELP Committee | Official U.S. Senate headshot
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) announced that their resolution to recognize National Hazing Awareness Week has passed the U.S. Senate. The resolution designates September 23 through 27, 2024, as "National Hazing Awareness Week," acknowledging the numerous students who have died or suffered severe injuries due to collegiate hazing and promoting efforts to prevent such incidents.
Cassidy and Klobuchar's Stop Campus Hazing Act, aimed at improving reporting and prevention of hazing on college campuses, has also passed the U.S. House of Representatives. This bipartisan legislation mandates colleges to include hazing incidents in their annual campus safety reports and establish research-based programs to educate students about the dangers of hazing. The bill also seeks to increase transparency by providing parents and students with better information regarding a student organization’s history of hazing incidents.
"Students and families should feel safe no matter what college they choose," said Dr. Cassidy. "By increasing transparency, the Stop Campus Hazing Act will ensure that hazing is never ignored. We must get this bill across the finish line and passed into law."
Senator Klobuchar added, "When parents send their kids away to college, they expect they will get a good education and make new friends. Unfortunately, too many are also exposed to hazing, a dangerous—and at times deadly—problem. Our bipartisan legislation will improve hazing prevention efforts on college campuses to make sure we have the information we need to stop this abuse and keep students safe."
The National Study of Student Hazing found that more than half of college students involved in extracurricular clubs, athletic teams, and organizations experience hazing. Since 2000, there have been more than 50 hazing-related deaths.
The Stop Campus Hazing Act aims to:
- Improve hazing reporting by requiring colleges to include hazing incidents in their Annual Security Report;
- Prevent hazing by establishing campus-wide, research-based education and prevention programs;
- Help students and their parents make informed decisions about joining organizations on campus by requiring colleges to publish on their websites the institution’s hazing prevention policies and details of organizations that have violated them.
This legislation is supported by various organizations including the Clery Center; StopHazing; Anti-Hazing Coalition; Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values; Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors; National Panhellenic Conference; North American Interfraternity Conference; National Pan-Hellenic Council Inc.; Association of Big Ten Students; College Safety Coalition; SAFE Campuses LLC; International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators; National Association of Clery Compliance Officers and Professionals; along with parents of hazing victims.
The 2024 National Hazing Awareness Week resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Bob Casey (D-PA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Angus King (I-ME), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Steve Daines (R-MT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Joe Manchin (I-WV).
The Stop Campus Hazing Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Bob Casey (D-PA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tim Kaine (D-VA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Steve Daines (R-MT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Angus King(I-ME).
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