By: Community Officer Jeff Kirchman
Since 2000, there have been an average of two hazing-related deaths annually on higher-education campuses. The federal government has stepped in to help stop the practice.
The Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA) took effect on January 1, 2025. The SCHA amended the Clery Act, requiring higher education institutions to include hazing statistics in their annual Clery reporting and have specific hazing policies in place by July 1, 2025.
The Clery Act is a federal law requiring higher education institutions to implement certain security and safety policies and disclose certain crime statistics. For more information on the Clery Act, visit UWPD’s website.
The SCHA defines hazing as:
Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a person (whether individually or in concert with other persons) against another person or persons regardless of the willingness of such other person or persons to participate, that—
‘‘(I) is committed in the course of an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, a student organization;
and
‘‘(II) causes or creates a risk, above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in the institution of higher education or the organization (such as the physical preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team), of physical or psychological injury including—
‘‘(aa) whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone’s body, or similar activity;
‘‘(bb) causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, extreme calisthenics, or other similar activity;
‘‘(cc) causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to consume food, liquid, alcohol, drugs, or other substances;
‘‘(dd) causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts;
‘‘(ee) any activity that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words or conduct;
‘‘(ff) any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, or Federal law; and
‘‘(gg) any activity that induces, causes, or requires another person to perform a duty or task that involves a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, or Federal law.’’
Additionally, a Student Organization is defined as:
An organization at an institution of higher education (such as a club, society, association, varsity or junior varsity athletic team, club sports team, fraternity, sorority, band, or student government) in which two or more of the members are students enrolled at the institution of higher education, whether or not the organization is established or recognized by the institution.
It’s also important to point out that hazing is against state law, as defined in Wisconsin state statute 948.51.
Incidents of hazing can be reported through the same channels as all other Clery offenses, including UWPD, The Office of Student Assistance and Support, The Office of Community Conduct and Community Standards, and others.
While it may be couched in the language of “tradition” or “belonging,” hazing has absolutely no place at UW-Madison. This new reporting requirement takes a significant step towards eliminating it.