Penn State on Tuesday published a report outlining 31 hazing violations among student organizations between 2013-2018. The five-year report is required of secondary schools and higher education institutions under Pennsylvania’s new Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Law.
Schools will be required to update the reports biannually every January and August under the new law, which is named for the Penn State sophomore who died in February 2017 after alcohol-fueled hazing on bid acceptance night at the now-banned Beta Theta Pi fraternity.
The law, which was introduced by state Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman and supported by Piazza’s parents, also toughens criminal penalties for hazing and increases reporting and educational requirements for institutions and organizations.
‘Student safety remains a top priority at Penn State, and the University follows a no-tolerance policy on hazing,’ Penn State spokesperson Lisa Powers wrote in an email, adding that hazing can be reported through an anonymous hotline as well as to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Compliance or Penn State Police.
‘The University will investigate all allegations of hazing, and disciplinary sanctions may include separation from the University or disaffiliation from the organization or team.’
All but three of the hazing violations involved fraternities or sororities. Non-Greek life violations included the Shades of Blue a cappella group in 2014 (potential new members directed to consume alcohol), Penn State Altoona women’s soccer team in 2015 (verbal harassment, forced/coerced alcohol consumption, forced to wear clothes with derogatory words), and a high school sports camp in 2016, (four campers used a stun gun on another).
Fifteen of the 31 violations were reported after Piazza’s death. Some of the hazing described new members being required to wear embarrassing outfits to class, complete scavenger hunts, clean fraternity houses, do calisthenics and run errands for members.
New members of Gamma Beta Phi sorority at Penn State Altoona were verbally abused, forced to consume alcohol and required to lick members’ toes, according to the report. The sorority was suspended for two semesters on Feb. 2, 2018.
Zeta Psi fraternity at University Park was suspended for three years on April 13, 2018 after brothers instructed new members to finish a jug of wine in 30 minutes.
The conduct process is still pending against Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity at University Park, where new members allegedly were required to participate in activities involving ‘confinement, forced food consumption, sleep deprivation, and physical abuse.’ The charges were made in September 2018
Kappa Sigma, Sigma Phi Epsilon, and Phi Kappa Sigma were placed on probation for hazing violations reported during the fall 2018 semester.
The full report can be found here.
