case study a fatal hazing in college ap bio

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How hazing led to the death of fraternity pledge Sam Martinez

By Anderson Cooper

November 28, 2021 / 6:57 PM EST / CBS News

We've all heard the story: a healthy young man is hospitalized or dies after being hazed pledging a college fraternity. Despite years of education campaigns and attempts to stop underage drinking, the hazing continues. Some victims' parents are working with leaders of national fraternities, pushing for tougher laws against hazing, while other parents charge the national fraternities that oversee the local chapters are, themselves, part of the problem.

When a freshman named Sam Martinez died pledging Alpha Tau Omega at Washington State University in 2019, his parents said the national fraternity hid the local chapter's history of hazing, and hindered the investigation into their son's death.

Jolayne Houtz: If we had known even a fraction of what we know now, Sam never would've wanted to join that fraternity. We feel duped. 

Anderson Cooper: By whom?

Jolayne Houtz: By Alpha Tau Omega, the national fraternity, the chapter on that campus, and by Washington State University.

Jolayne Houtz and Hector Martinez said they knew their son, Sam, had been pledging Alpha Tau Omega for more than two months, but were unaware that, according to the police report, some witnesses said he'd already endured being hit, tackled, and asked to consume large quantities of alcohol by ATO members. They last spoke with Sam around 5 p.m. on November 11, 2019.

Jolayne Houtz: We told him that we loved him. And he said, "I love you too." And that was the last time that we got to talk to him.

Hector Martinez: I remember we, we s-- we say, "Take care of yourself." And he say, "Don't worry, I got it."

Around 9 p.m., Sam was summoned by fraternity members to Big/Little Night – when each pledge learned who their "big brother" was and, according to police, got introduced to the so-called "family drink."  ATO rules forbid hazing and alcohol at the fraternity house, but Sam recorded a video shortly after he and another pledge were given nearly half a gallon of rum by their "big brother" – the equivalent of about 40 shots.

Gary Jenkins: And basically told, "Go ahead and start drinking."

Anderson Cooper: Two people drinking almost half a gallon of rum?

Gary Jenkins: Correct. 

Gary Jenkins is chief of police in Pullman, Washington, where Washington State University is located. He oversaw the investigation into Sam Martinez' death.

Gary Jenkins:  It was about a half an hour later, that witnesses were telling us there was only about two and a half inches left in that--

Anderson Cooper: Wow.

Gary Jenkins: Half-gallon bottle.

It wasn't the first violation of ATO's dry policy that semester. Sam shot another video in the fraternity basement in August. One young man is leaning over a garbage can. Two others appear passed out. This one is propped up with a backpack.

Gary Jenkins: They would put a backpack on someone, so they wouldn't be able to stay on their back and potentially inhale their own vomit while they were unconscious.

According to the police report, when Sam passed out, he too was left on a sofa in the basement. He died of acute alcohol poisoning hours later.

Gary Jenkins: It was strictly from too much alcohol in his system, that shut down his-- his organs.

Anderson Cooper: I assume it would've made a difference if when he had first passed out, somebody had called 911?

Gary Jenkins: Absolutely.

Anderson Cooper: Or taken him to an emergency room?

Gary Jenkins: Sure. I mean, he was-- he was alive till around 4:00 or 4:30 in the morning. Any time before then, more than likely his life would've been saved.

A fraternity member did finally call 911 at 8:30 a.m. Police and EMTs found Sam's body on the basement floor. His blood alcohol level was nearly five times the legal limit.

Later, according to police, the fraternity's student president told them he got advice from ATO's national headquarters that Chief Jenkins said hampered the investigation.

Gary Jenkins: The student president of the fraternity told us that they got word from national to-- to instruct all of their members to delete all their social media. And so that tells me a lot about—about the national organization, whether they're really interested in the truth. 

Anderson Cooper: Did they prevent justice?

Gary Jenkins: I think so. I think there was very likely information that would be very relevant to the investigation of Sam's death that would've been in social media, that now we'll never know. 

Eight months after Sam's death, his parents filed suit against ATO, its members, and Washington State University. Doug Fierberg, their attorney, has litigated more than 40 hazing cases during the last two decades.

Doug Fierberg: This is an industry that's been involved in this sort of misconduct for decades.

Anderson Cooper: I don't think a lot of people think of fraternities as an industry.

Doug Fierberg: It's a network of organizations that are there trying to solicit membership from young people who are away from home, often for the first time.  And it's clearly designed to make money like any other industry.

Anderson Cooper: What is the role of fraternity leadership?

Doug Fierberg: They have complete control but also pair that with deniability. Because principal to them is this idea that when somebody dies, and that's gonna happen, or when somebody is sexually assaulted, and that's gonna happen, that they have some blockade between them and the victim in terms of liability. 

Wynn Smiley: My primary goal, when Sam died, was to find out what happened. Liability was the last thing on my mind.

Wynn Smiley has been CEO of Alpha Tau Omega's national fraternity organization for 25 years and reports to a board of directors that has authority over its multimillion-dollar budget. He said they set the rules for ATO's 137 local chapters nationwide, educate members aggressively on their policies banning hazing and underage drinking, and have the power to shut local chapters down. After Sam's death, Wynn Smiley flew to Washington State University the next day.

Wynn Smiley: We wanted to find out who broke ATO policy. They knowingly decided to provide alcohol to Sam, which is a violation not only of our alcohol policy, but also of our hazing policy. 

Anderson Cooper: We understand you came with  an "insurance adjuster."

Wynn Smiley: I came with Linda, who is a great investigator. She acts like a mother as it relates to them feeling-- feeling comfortable with her.

Anderson Cooper: Is she an insurance adjuster?

Wynn Smiley: She is. 

Anderson Cooper: Do you turn over the results of any interviews you've done with members to the police?

Wynn Smiley: Depends on the situation.

Anderson Cooper: In Sam's death, did you?

Wynn Smiley: I ha-- I-- I don't-- I don't recall, frankly.

Anderson Cooper: If you want to be transparent, you would turn over the results of those interviews to the police, no? 

Wynn Smiley: We would have certainly provided that information, had we-- had the police asked.

Chief Jenkins told us his officers were unaware Wynn Smiley and Alpha Tau Omega's insurance adjuster were conducting an investigation and received no information from ATO about what members told them.

Anderson Cooper: The president of  the fraternity told the police that, and I'm quoting, "National's ATO had told them to delete all their social media."

Wynn Smiley: Any time the chapter is in a situation where it has knowingly violated ATO policy, and we know that there's going to be news coverage, we advise chapters to take down their social media.  We did not tell them to "delete." We never tell anybody delete-- delete anybody's social media.

Anderson Cooper: Did you tell members to save all of their communications about what happened that night in order to give it to police?

Wynn Smiley: We told members to cooperate fully with the police.

But according to Chief Jenkins, fraternity members were not particularly cooperative.

Gary Jenkins: We definitely found that, when interviewing fraternity members, that they were less than forthcoming. And-- and we found a lot of conflicts between what they told us and what other people told us who knew what was happening.

Sam's parents say it was only after his death they learned ATO had a troubled past at Washington State University. In 2013, WSU put the fraternity on probation for nine months because of alcohol-related hazing.

Jolayne Houtz: Parents need to see the track record, the disciplinary history of these fraternities so that, you know, we can be informed.

Anderson Cooper: They could easily do that.

Jolayne Houtz: I think so.

In 2018, after another complaint of hazing, ATO's national office stepped in and removed nearly half the chapter's members - some 30 students - though ATO never disclosed why.

Anderson Cooper: Did you make that information public anywhere?

Wynn Smiley: We had that conversation with the members in terms of why they're being expelled, and they can certainly share that with whomever they want. 

Anderson Cooper: But you don't publish information on your website about what you find.  Why not be up front about what you actually found?

Wynn Smiley: We're moving forward with the men who are in the chapter, who we believe--

Anderson Cooper: You put a lot of very positive stuff about ATO on your website. Don't you also owe it to potential pledges and their parents to give them information when they're looking at your fraternity? 

Wynn Smiley: If we thought that would help, but we don't consider it--

Anderson Cooper: Why don't you think that would help?

Wynn Smiley: Because I don't think that-- I don't think undergraduates look at websites. And I don't think-- 

Anderson Cooper: Wait, wait a minute. You-- you "don't think undergraduates look at websites?" You know that if you put all this information on your website, it might dissuade people from choosing to pledge your fraternity.

Wynn Smiley: That's, that's not why we wouldn't put it on. We're considering-- we're looking at that. 

Wynn Smiley told us he supports efforts to increase criminal penalties for hazing, but doesn't believe his national organization has a duty to supervise its local chapters.

Wynn Smiley: These are self-governing, independent organizations for a reason.

Anderson Cooper: Right. But you-- you want them to be. You are making money from them.  You can shut them down, you can go in and tell them that you're gonna drug-test. You do have a supervisory function; you just are not wanting to embrace it.

Wynn Smiley: And if we thought that that would be effective, we may consider that. 

Anderson Cooper: You don't want any adult supervision that's directly linked to you. You don't feel that would be beneficial.

Wynn Smiley: We're not convinced that that would necessarily be beneficial.

Gary Jenkins: I don't think they could be more wrong. I think having an adult there to oversee what's going on and ensure that they are complying with their own handbook. Everything that was going on was in violation of what their handbook says.

Jolayne Houtz: They set themselves up to ensure that if something goes wrong, that they can't be held accountable.  And they'll point to the rogue fraternity members or they'll point to the university or they'll point at the young dead pledge and blame them, but it's never their fault .

Anderson Cooper: Did they try to blame Sam?

Jolayne Houtz: Oh yeah.  Why was he drinking that night? It's-- that's not what we do here.

Wynn Smiley says Sam Martinez wasn't bullied or pressured into drinking the night he died.

Wynn Smiley: When push comes to shove, uh, the pledges, um, can stand up and say, "No."

Anderson Cooper: Wait a minute, wait a minute, come on. 

Wynn Smiley: And I don't wanna put-- I don't wanna put that on them. I don't wanna put that on them, because that's not fair. I'm just saying that--

Anderson Cooper: But, but come on. You know if a pledge says, "This is ridiculous. I'm not gonna drink hot sauce, I'm not gonna do, you know, squats against the wall and I'm not gonna do 20 shots of rum," they wouldn't get into the fraternity.

Wynn Smiley: No, and-- I'm telling you they would.

Anderson Cooper: This is the second-biggest night in the entire pledge process that Sam has undertaken.

Wynn Smiley: He was provided the alcohol, should never have been provided the alcohol--

Anderson Cooper: He wasn't "provided the alcohol" like somebody just goes and gets beer for some kids hanging outside a 7-Eleven. He was handed a nearly half-a-gallon of rum. You're saying if he had just said, "You know what? No, this is ridiculous, they woulda said, "Great. You-- you can be a member of our fraternity.  That's great. That shows spunk on your part." You think that's what would have happened?

Wynn Smiley: Had he said, "No, I don't wanna drink," I'm confident that he would not have had to have drinked.

Anderson Cooper: He'd already had Date Night. Actually, it's called "Black-Out Date Night," I believe. What happens on Black-Out Date Night?

Wynn Smiley: So whoever organized that event for the fraternity, again, did so outside of ATO policy. And people were, were connected with dates, or they brought a date--

Anderson Cooper: They were handcuffed to dates.

Wynn Smiley: Some were. And--

Anderson Cooper: Yeah, well, he was handcuffed to a woman and told to drink, I think it was-- a half-bottle of vodka.

Wynn Smiley: And should have never been put in that position.

In July, Alpha Tau Omega settled the lawsuit brought by Sam Martinez' parents without admitting wrongdoing. Washington State University removed its recognition of the chapter, and then ATO revoked its charter. The chapter can seek reinstatement in 2026.  Seven fraternity members have been sentenced to between 1 and 19 days in jail for serving alcohol to minors. Sam's parents are now working with state legislators to try to make hazing a felony.

Jolayne Houtz: He was the beautiful, quirky, funny center of our world. And it felt like the earth just fell away the day that we learned the news. 

Anderson Cooper: What do you wanna see happen?

Jolayne Houtz: I don't wanna see any more young men die.

Since our interview, ATO has updated its national fraternity website to include several instances of "chapter discipline," including hazing incidents.

Produced by Sarah Koch. Associate producer, Chrissy Jones. Broadcast associate, Annabelle Hanflig. Edited by Patrick Lee.

Anderson Cooper, anchor of CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360," has contributed to 60 Minutes since 2006. His exceptional reporting on big news events has earned Cooper a reputation as one of television's preeminent newsmen.

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The nature and extent of college student hazing

Background: This study explored the nature and extent of college student hazing in the USA. Hazing, a form of interpersonal violence, can jeopardize the health and safety of students.

Methods: Using a web-based survey, data were collected from 11,482 undergraduate students, aged 18–25 years, who attended one of 53 colleges and universities. Additionally, researchers interviewed 300 students and staff at 18 of the campuses.

Results: Results reveal hazing among USA college students is widespread and involves a range of student organizations and athletic teams. Alcohol consumption, humiliation, isolation, sleep-deprivation and sex acts are hazing practices common across student groups. Furthermore, there is a large gap between the number of students who report experience with hazing behaviors and those that label their experience as hazing.

Conclusions: To date, hazing prevention efforts in post-secondary education have focused largely on students in fraternities/sororities and intercollegiate athletes. Findings from this study can inform development of more comprehensive and research-based hazing prevention efforts that target a wider range of student groups. Further, data can serve as a baseline from which to measure changes in college student hazing over time.

©2012 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin Boston

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Journal and Issue

Articles in the same issue.

• National Hazing Study: Hazing in View
• Peer Reviewed Publications
• Other Publications

StopHazing Research Lab

An engine for multidisciplinary collaboration, the lab is a virtual hub to connect experienced researchers, developing scholars, and students, to investigate key questions to inform a developing knowledge base about hazing and its prevention. With longstanding support from the University of Maine, the lab publishes findings in research journals and shares implications for policy and practice.

A Groundbreaking National Hazing Study

Dating back to the national study, Hazing in View: College Students at Risk , (2008) , Dr. Allan and colleagues have helped blaze a trail for systematic data collection about hazing. Building on this foundation, the StopHazing team continues to design and implement studies seeking to illuminate the nature and extent of hazing and effective strategies for its prevention in a range of settings including colleges and universities, high schools, and the military.

Research-to-Practice Philosophy

Our work is grounded in a research-to-practice philosophy that emphasizes partnerships with practitioners and the production of knowledge with real-world applicability. Framed by a critical theoretical approach, we strive to view the complexity and power dynamics of hazing within the larger social context in which it occurs. Our investigations are change-oriented and also consider the intersections of hazing and other issues that impact school, campus, and workplace climate.

Practitioners and Scholars

Elizabeth Allan, Director of the StopHazing Research Lab, and Professor of Higher Education in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Maine has been involved with research related to hazing and its prevention for more than a decade. Previously, she worked in Student Affairs roles where she led a range of hazing prevention efforts including the development of a peer education program, a hotline, leadership trainings, and spearheaded the passage of state law prohibiting hazing. 

Prioritizing collaboration and a research-to-practice approach, Dr. Allan’s work as a practitioner informs her scholarship today. Producing peer-reviewed journal publications is important for contributing to a base of knowledge grounded in empirical studies and rigorous research. At the same time, translating scientific research-to-practice is vital for sharing findings with practitioners who can apply the research “on the ground,” provide a feedback loop, and expedite the pace of change. 

Dave Kerschner, Post-Doctoral Fellow for Research and Evaluation for StopHazing specializes in research related to college athletics and Division III athletics in particular.

Graduate Research Collaborators and Interns also play an integral role in the lab. Graduate and undergraduate students have worked alongside lead researchers to assist with data collection and analysis, reviewing the literature, writing, and developing research-based resources for practice.

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Expert Commentary

Dangers and impacts of college hazing: Research roundup

Collection of scholarly literature and reports that focus on the dangers and impacts of hazing, with a focus on hazing-related deaths and injuries among U.S. colleges and universities.

Republish this article

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .

by Denise-Marie Ordway, The Journalist's Resource December 15, 2017

This <a target="_blank" href="https://journalistsresource.org/politics-and-government/problems-college-hazing-research/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://journalistsresource.org">The Journalist's Resource</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://journalistsresource.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/cropped-jr-favicon-150x150.png" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;">

Every year, college students are injured or killed during events associated with hazing. Often, violence, heavy drinking and humiliation are part of the rituals students endure to gain acceptance into a popular group on campus. At times, sleep deprivation, nudity and sex acts also are involved. While college hazing is most commonly associated with fraternities and sororities, other organizations participate as well, including sports teams and marching bands . While many states have made hazing a crime, only some have made it a felony. In 2012, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson introduced legislation that would have made the activity a federal offense. But that effort was unsuccessful. Colleges and universities nationwide prohibit hazing but struggle to prevent it even after launching numerous programs over the years to urge students to avoid such activities and report them.

It is difficult to gauge the prevalence of college hazing because no organization formally tracks it. Higher education institutions generally do not monitor hazing incidents or allegations. And hazing is not one of the  student offenses that colleges must report to the U.S. Department of Education under the federal Clery Act , formally known as the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. Some individuals informally monitor hazing-related deaths. For example, Hank Nuwer , a journalism professor in Indiana who writes about hazing, keeps a running tally of published accounts of hazing deaths on his website.

Hazing is an issue that journalists on the education and crime beats cover quite often, especially if they work near large universities. It’s a topic of intense interest to parents and educators and one that requires considerable time to cover well. A reporter could be writing about a single hazing incident for a year or longer because a death or serious injury often prompts multiple investigations, lawsuits and new anti-hazing initiatives. Breaking news about hazing happens year-round. In December 2017, a sorority at the College of William & Mary  and a fraternity at the University of Southern Indiana were suspended for hazing. Meanwhile, the Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity was indicted on a hazing charge  after a pledge at the University of Houston was body slammed and suffered a lacerated spleen. A total of four fraternity pledges died in 2017.

As journalists explore the issue from various angles, this selection of academic research and other reports will help inform their coverage.

Role of alcohol

“Bullying Victimization Among College Students: Negative Consequences for Alcohol Use” Rospenda, Kathleen M.; et al. Journal of Addictive Diseases , 2013, Vol. 32. doi: 10.1080/10550887.2013.849971.

Abstract: “This study reports the prevalence of bullying victimization at school and work among college freshmen and the relationships between victimization and changes in alcohol consumption and alcohol problems. Web survey data at two time points from a sample of 2,118 freshmen from eight colleges and universities in the midwestern United States indicated that 43 percent of students experienced bullying at school and that 33 percent of students experienced bullying at work. Bullying, particularly at school, consistently predicted alcohol consumption and problematic drinking, after controlling for baseline drinking and other school and work stressors.”

Hazing and race, gender

“Asian American Fraternity Hazing: An Analysis of Community-Level Factors” Parks, Gregory S.; Laybourn, Wendy Marie. UCLA Asian Pacific American Law Journal , 2017.

Summary: This law review article examines hazing among Asian American fraternities, the history of Asian American fraternities and the social concept of masculinity among Asian men. “Within  Asian  American  fraternities,  among  those  cultural  factors  are  notions  of  masculinity  and  how  they  were  reared  and  disciplined  by  their  parents. These  factors  may engender hyper-masculine conduct, namely violence, and be directed at those whom Asian American fraternity men exert authority over, pledges, because of displaced aggression. These points may provide helpful points of intervention within Asian American fraternities that might help curtail hazing within these groups.”

“White Boys Drink, Black Girls Yell . . . : A Racialized and Gendered Analysis of Violent Hazing and the Law” Parks, Gregory S.; et al. Journal of Gender, Race & Justice , 2015.

Summary: “ In this article, the authors theorize that legally consequential behavior is influenced by race and sex. Specifically, this article contends that hazing, as a form of legally consequential behavior, manifests itself quite differently within BGLOs [Black Greek Letter Organizations] than within their white counterpart organizations. Specifically, this article finds that hazing in Black fraternities is more physically violent. The authors contend that prevailing and yet provincial notions of Black masculinity in the United States underscore the violent nature of Black fraternity hazing.”

Hazing in sports

“Qualitative Review of Hazing in Collegiate and School Sports: Consequences From a Lack of Culture, Knowledge and Responsiveness” Diamond, Alex B.; Callahan, Todd; Chain, Kelly F.; Solomon, Gary S. British Journal of Sports Medicine , 2016. DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2015-095603.

Findings: “Despite increased attention to its dangers, hazing remains pervasive throughout the sports world. However, many do not recognize those actions as consistent with hazing. A change in culture, increased education and awareness, along with methodologically sound strategies for action must occur in order to reduce the ill effects and cycle of hazing. To date, current information and efforts are lacking.”

“Hazing Rites/Rights: Using Outdoor- and Adventure Education-Based Orientation to Effect Positive Change for First-Year Athletes” Johnson, Jay; Chin, Jessica W. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning , August 2015. doi:10.1080/14729679.2015.1050681.

Summary: This study examines outdoor-based and adventure education-based orientation as an alternative to traditional forms of orientation for sports teams. The study “highlights some of the promising possibilities for creating new welcoming traditions for collegiate athletic teams.”

“Male Team Sport Hazing Initiations in a Culture of Decreasing Homohysteria” Anderson, Eric; McCormack, Mark; Lee, Harry. Journal of Adolescent Research , July 2012, Vol. 27. doi: 10.1177/0743558411412957.

Abstract: “In this longitudinal ethnographic research, we report on seven years of hazing rituals on two separate men’s sports teams at one university in the United Kingdom. Using 38 in-depth interviews alongside naturalistic observations of the initiation rituals, we demonstrate that hazing activities have changed from being centered around homophobic same-sex activities to focusing on extreme levels of alcohol consumption. We show that whereas same-sex activities once occurred paradoxically to prohibit them, today these initiations open up the possibility of same-sex behaviors for young men in the life stage of emergent adulthood.”

“Hazing and Initiation Ceremonies in University Sport: Setting the Scene for Further Research in the United Kingdom” Groves, Mark; Griggs, Gerald; Leflay, Kathryn. Sport in Society: Cultures, Commerce, Media, Politics , 2012, Vol. 15. doi:10.1080/03031853.2011.625287.

Abstract: “In recent years, the pervasive practice of student initiation ceremonies into university sports teams has become widely reported in the British media. Such initiations have been likened to the practice known as hazing, which is prevalent in universities across the U.S.A. Although there is some research that has considered how and why hazing occurs in American universities, less attention has been paid to the initiation ceremonies that regularly occur in British institutions. This article provides an overview of some of the literature that has examined the practice of hazing in the U.S.A. in order to set the scene for much needed research in the U.K.”

Hazing in the military

“Hazing in the U.S. Armed Forces: Recommendations for Hazing Prevention Policy and Practice” Keller, Kirsten; et al. Report from the RAND Corporation, 2015.

Summary: “ Initiation activities have long been part of U.S. military culture as a way to mark signi­ficant transitions, status changes, and group membership. However, along with these activities have often come acts of hazing, in which individuals were subjected to abusive and harmful treatment that went beyond sanctioned ceremonies. In recent years, extreme cases of alleged hazing have led to the high-profi­le deaths of several service members, resulting in renewed interest from the public and Congress in seeing these hazing rituals eliminated from military culture … In this report, we address ways to improve the armed forces’ definition of hazing, the effects of and motivations for hazing, how the armed forces can prevent and respond to hazing, and how the armed forces can improve the tracking of hazing incidents.”

Hazing policy

“Defining Hazing: Why Popular Definitions Are Misleading and Counterproductive” Cimino, Aldo. Journal of Higher Education Management , 2017.

Summary: This paper, written for a publication of the American Association of University Administrators, aims to “highlight the shortcomings of these popular definitions of hazing, and to provide a universally applicable definition of hazing that will improve education efforts and provide a coherent basis for constructive policy.”

“Hazed and Confused: The Rohm Incident and the Necessity of Hazing Legislation” Gurbacki, Karrie. Berkeley Journal of Entertainment and Sports Law , April 2015, Vol. 4.

Summary: This article offers insights into the history of hazing among different social and academic groups and explores the need for changes in state laws dealing with hazing and its effects.

“Hazing as Crime: An Empirical analysis of Criminological Antecedents” Parks, Gregory S.; Jones, Shayne E.; Hughey, Matthew W. Law & Psychology Review , 2015, Vol. 39.

Summary: Because little research has been done by legal scholars on the topic of hazing in recent years, this study seeks to fill the void. It explores “hazing as a criminal legal issue and the extent to which social science helps elucidate why hazing persists and the factors that may militate against it.”

“Hazing in Public Schools: A Liability Challenge for School Leaders” Essex, Nathan L. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas , 2014, Vol. 87. doi: 10.1080/00098655.2014.936809.

Abstract: “Hazing in public schools is a significant problem that may result in serious physical or emotional harm to students who are victims. According to experts in the field, each year more than 1,500,000 American students become new hazing victims. Hazing also results in legal challenges for school personnel. The courts consider public schools to be safe places where teaching and learning occur in a peaceful environment. Thus, school personnel have a leading responsibility to protect the safety of students under the functional custody of their schools. Hazing activities, if not checked, pose a threat to the health and safety of students. Hazing by its very nature is a private act. Consequently, a significant number of hazing acts goes unreported. Hazing has become so prevalent that it has prompted 44 states to pass legislation banning it. Despite anti-hazing laws, hazing continues to occur among athletes, peer groups, gangs, and other schools clubs and organizations. Hazing creates stress, anxiety, intimidation, and often results in physical and emotional harm to victims. Well-defined policies prohibiting hazing and proper procedures for reporting hazing, coupled with vigilance by school personnel, in monitoring student activities may greatly reduce hazing incidents and minimize potential liability claims for school personnel.”

“Prevalence and Profiling: Hazing Among College Students and Points of Intervention” Campo, Shelly; Poulos, Gretchen; Sipple, John W. American Journal of Health Behavior , March 2005. doi: 10.5993/AJHB.29.2.5.

Summary: This study examines university student attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs about hazing. It found that 36 percent of students surveyed participated in hazing and that Greeks, men, varsity athletes, student leaders and upperclassmen were more likely to engage in hazing. It also suggests that many students do not recognize hazing when they experience it.

About The Author

Denise-Marie Ordway

The Biology Corner

Biology Teaching Resources

HHMI and Case Studies

HHMI Biointeractive has many interactive resources, case studies, and data analysis. Here is a list of my favorites:

Interactive Case Study For Studying Elephant Communication

Effects of Fungicides on Bumble Bee Colonies

Human Skin Color: Evidence for Selection

Lactase Persistence: Evidence for Selection

Exploring Trophic Cascades

Exploring Biomes in Gorongosa

Nutrient Cycling in the Serengeti

Shannan Muskopf

notes/quizzes/ppts/hwk/labs

Living environments graphing packet key: (just copy and paste the link below into a new tab) https://www.manhassetschools.org/cms/lib/NY01913789/Centricity/Domain/709/Graphing%20Practice%20Packet%20ANSWERS.pdf

What Is Hazing in College? Facts, Statistics, and Prevention Efforts

Editor & Writer

Note: This report contains content related to suicide and sexual assault. Please take note of these confidential and free resources, available 24/7.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (dial 988). If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, please seek legal counsel. The National Sexual Assault Hotline is available at 1-800-656-4673.

Additionally, if you've witnessed or experienced hazing, call the confidential, toll-free anti-hazing hotline at 1-888-NOT-HAZE (1-888-668-4293). Note that every call is transmitted into an email and then sent to the fraternity or sorority named in the phone call.

Data Summary

• Check Hazing is a ritual that involves risk, pain, or harm, typically as part of initiation into a group.
• Check College hazing often entails forced alcohol consumption, humiliation, isolation, sleep deprivation, and sex acts. [1]
• Check Over half of college students (55%) involved in sports, clubs, or other social organizations have experienced hazing. [2]
• Check It's estimated that since 2000, 105 college students have died from hazing-related incidents. [3]
• Check 44 states currently have adopted anti-hazing legislation, but there is a push for a federal law. [4]

Hazing is nothing new to the college scene. But in recent years, it has caused national public outcry for prevention and stronger legislation, mainly due to the high number of hazing-related deaths.

In 2021, NBC reported that since 2000, at least 50 college students have died from hazing, with the majority of those deaths related to alcohol. [5] According to independent researcher Hank Nuwer, the toll could even be as high as 105. Note Reference [3]

This report investigates the many questions that remain about hazing on college campuses, from why students decide to participate to how colleges can better protect students from its deadly consequences.

Table of Contents

What is hazing, hazing statistics, greek life hazing, effects of college hazing, college hazing in national news, anti-hazing laws, how to stop hazing in college.

Hazing began as — and remains — a ceremony for welcoming new members into a closed society.

While hazing might seem like a new phenomenon, it actually dates back thousands of years. This may explain why such practices endure in tradition-bound institutions with deep historical roots, like fraternities and athletic clubs. [6]

In a study published in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, Michelle A. Finkel, MD, defines hazing as committing acts against an individual or forcing an individual into committing an act that creates a risk for harm in order for the individual to be initiated into or affiliated with an organization. [7]

However, hazing has no universal definition, making it hard for students to know when they are experiencing hazing, for educators to know when to intervene, and for colleges to keep track of hazing violations on campus. [8]

According to Inside Hazing, hazing's fuzzy definition and strong code of silence means that nearly all hazing statistics are underestimates. [9]

Additionally, no U.S. health agency tracks hazing incidents, injuries, or deaths. Instead, researchers, journalists, nonprofit organizations, and volunteers conduct tracking efforts. Here's what they've found since the early 2000s.

• A 2008 national study of student hazing presented by professors Elizabeth Allan and Mary Madden concluded that over half (55%) of college students in clubs, teams, and organizations experienced hazing. Note Reference [2]
• In the same study, 95% of cases went unreported. Note Reference [2]
• 73% of sorority and fraternity members experienced hazing. Note Reference [2]
• 3 in 4 varsity student-athletes experienced hazing. Note Reference [2]
• According to research by the same group in 2011, alcohol consumption , humiliation, isolation, sleep deprivation, and sex acts were the most common hazing practices. Note Reference [1]
• Additionally, researcher and professor Hank Nuwer has documented 105 hazing-related deaths since 2000 in his Unofficial Hazing Clearinghouse Database. Note Reference [3]
• Nuwer's research has found that at least one hazing-related death has occurred each year from 1959-2021. Note Reference [3]
• In 2014, 83% of students at Cornell University agreed that it is never okay to humiliate or intimidate new members of a social organization. In 2021, that percentage was 91%. [10]

Allan and Madden found that the most frequently reported hazing behaviors of students who were members in clubs, athletics, or Greek life included: Note Reference [2]

• Participating in a drinking game
• Singing or chanting by self or with others in public groups in a way that is not related to the event
• Associating with specific people and not others
• Drinking large amounts of alcohol to the point of getting sick or passing out
• Sleep deprivation
• And more, represented in the graph below

According to data collected from the Hank Nuwer Unofficial Hazing Clearinghouse, 76% of hazing-related deaths were associated with fraternities . Note Reference [3]

Kimberly Davis, Ph.D., a data analyst at Penn State's Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform, dedicated her dissertation to hazing and organizational culture in historically white fraternities. She found that the students who were most likely to engage in hazing were male, white, and fraternity members . [11]

In the early 2000s, more than 1 in 4 undergraduates in social fraternities or sororities (26%) drank large amounts of alcohol to the point of getting sick or passing out as part of initiation. Over half (53%) reported that participating in a drinking game was a frequent form of hazing . Note Reference [2]

According to the Hazing Prevention Network, the impact of hazing can be felt by all of those involved — hazed and hazer. The effects range from feelings of shame and guilt to the ultimate consequence: death. [12]

Physical Impacts

One of the more common forms of hazing includes tests of physical dedication to an organization. Student-reported examples include binge drinking, sleep deprivation, enduring harsh weather, and performing sex acts. Note Reference [2]

Although less common, physical beatings, burnings, brandings, and abductions have also been reported throughout the years. [13]

These hazing rituals can cause physical instability, bodily injury or harm, sleep deprivation, or even hospitalization. Note Reference [12]

Psychological Trauma

Victims of hazing can experience a lost sense of control or autonomy, strained relationships with family members and friends, and declining grades, all of which can contribute to worsened mental health. Students can even experience post-traumatic stress disorder from hazing rituals. Note Reference [12]

According to Hank Nuwer's Unofficial Hazing Clearinghouse, 105 college students in the last 23 years have lost their lives at the hands of hazing. Note Reference [3] Of the reported deaths:

• 60 involved the presence of alcohol
• 11 were caused by car accidents
• 7 were suicides as a result of hazing
• 6 were caused by a fatal fall
• 6 were caused by sleep deprivation

Nuwer notes that his database includes deaths that appear to meet the consensus definition of criminal hazing, accidents while carrying out pledging or pledges being encouraged to drink, and suicides where parents believe hazing may have been a contributing factor. Note Reference [3]

While most well-known hazing scandals have taken place among fraternities, two recent scandals have instead happened within athletic programs.

Harvard Women's Hockey

In January 2023, the Harvard women's hockey program, including Coach Katey Stone, was brought under scrutiny for hazing allegations, including a Naked Skate tradition and Initiation Week where first-year students were pressured to consume alcohol and simulate sex acts. [14]

Northwestern University Football

On July 10, 2023, Northwestern head football coach, Pat Fitzgerald, was fired after an investigation found that his players had participated in hazing rituals. [15] , [16] According to the Daily Northwestern, the hazing included sexual abuse, from forced nudity to coerced sexualized acts in the team locker room.

An anonymous player told the Daily Northwestern, It's just a really abrasive and barbaric culture that has permeated throughout that program for years on end now. [17]

Currently 44 states have anti-hazing laws, although the strength and breadth of those laws vary across state lines. Note Reference [4]

• Of the 44 states, only 30 include a component of consent, which says that a person's willingness to participate does not determine if hazing did or did not happen.
• The six states without any anti-hazing laws are Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, New Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii.
• Lawmakers in each of these states except for Alaska are pushing for state-wide legislation. [18]

Many believe that state bills are not enough and that comprehensive federal legislation is necessary to really crack down on hazing. Several bills have been introduced in the Senate and the House and are gaining traction with bipartisan co-sponsorships.

Even in the 44 states that maintain laws prohibiting hazing, most deem it a misdemeanor rather than a felony. Additionally, many anti-hazing laws specifically refer to initiation rituals despite the fact that hazing can take place outside fraternities.

Parents have been the driving force behind much of the recent state legislation. In 2018, the parents and family members of eight college students who died as a result of hazing helped to form the Anti-Hazing Coalition (AHC) in partnership with the National Panhellenic Conference and the North American Interfraternity.

Since the coalition was formed, nine states have enacted strong anti-hazing laws.

A Deeper Look Anti-Hazing Laws Passed in the Wake of Hazing Deaths

In 2019, Florida passed an anti-hazing law that allows for legal action against students who assist in hazing, regardless of whether they were present for the actual hazing. This bill, called Andrew's Law, was named after Florida State University student Andrew Coffey, who died from alcohol-related hazing in 2017. [19]

In 2021, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 126, also known as Collin's Law, which requires colleges to publicly detail violations of the institutions' hazing policy on their website, along with increasing penalties for hazing violations. [20]

The Georgia Senate unanimously voted in February 2021 in support of a bill that was created in honor of Max Gruver, a Louisiana State University student who died from alcohol-related hazing in 2017. The bill has similar conventions to Collin's Law. [21]

Many believe state bills aren't enough.

In March 2021, U.S. lawmakers reintroduced a 2019 proposal for a comprehensive national anti-hazing law that would require colleges to post information on their websites about any hazing incidents that have taken place on campus or in student groups. [22]

Called The End All Hazing Act, the bill seeks to educate on the dangers of hazing, expose the groups that haze, and be the catalyst to end all hazing, according to the Gruver family. [23]

The Report and Education About Campus Hazing (REACH) Act was introduced to the Senate in March 2021 and the House of Representatives just a month later. [24]

The bill would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require higher education institutions to disclose hazing incidents. It would also create a more inclusive definition of hazing to include physical and mental harm or personal degradation regardless of a student's willingness to participate.

So far, the bill has received bipartisan support and is continuing to bring in more co-sponsorships from legislators.

Dr. Elizabeth Allan, whose research informed the statistics listed earlier in this report, told BestColleges, I feel very optimistic that there aren't really any major concerns about the legislation. It's just a matter of continuing to meet with legislators so that it's on their radar.

Even though hazing culture is deeply embedded on some college campuses, there are still opportunities to minimize, and ultimately eliminate, hazing. Here are some ways students can join the movement.

Actions Students Can Take Against Hazing

• Get to know your college's anti-hazing policies and state and local hazing laws.
• Explore the free prevention workshops, toolkits, and activity guides from StopHazing .
• Become a Student Representative for the Student Network for Advocacy and Prevention (SNAP) to help educate your campus about the harm of hazing while advocating for better prevention policies.
• Take the hazing prevention pledge .

Still, hazing prevention must also come from the institutional level.

In September 2022, StopHazing hosted a research roundtable featuring:

• Dr. Adam McCready , assistant professor-in-residence of higher education and student affairs at the University of Connecticut
• Dr. Kimberly Davis , a data analyst at Penn State's Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform
• Dr. Tim Marchell and Laura Santacrose , director and assistant director of the Skorton Center for Health Initiatives at Cornell University

The researchers pointed to several strategies that college leaders can use to help prevent hazing.

Strategies for College Campuses to End Hazing

• Establish a clear definition of hazing for your institution and include interventions as early as the recruitment process.
• Keep a public record of all hazing violations and explain how students can report official hazing violations to university officials.
• Involve students themselves in developing hazing prevention policies, programs, and interventions, and consider individual group cultures when implementing hazing prevention programs.
• Approach policy enforcement as an educational opportunity as opposed to a punishment.
• Expand hazing prevention efforts on campus, from making sure strong anti-hazing statements come from campus leaders and officials themselves to developing campus-wide social media campaigns.

Remember, if you've witnessed or experienced hazing, you can call the confidential, toll-free anti-hazing hotline at 1-888-NOT-HAZE (1-888-668-4293). Note that every call is transmitted into an email and then sent to the fraternity or sorority named in the phone call.

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The nature and extent of college student hazing

Affiliation.

• 1 College of Education and Human Development, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA. [email protected]
• PMID: 22909916
• DOI: 10.1515/ijamh.2012.012

Background: This study explored the nature and extent of college student hazing in the USA. Hazing, a form of interpersonal violence, can jeopardize the health and safety of students.

Methods: Using a web-based survey, data were collected from 11,482 undergraduate students, aged 18-25 years, who attended one of 53 colleges and universities. Additionally, researchers interviewed 300 students and staff at 18 of the campuses.

Results: Results reveal hazing among USA college students is widespread and involves a range of student organizations and athletic teams. Alcohol consumption, humiliation, isolation, sleep-deprivation and sex acts are hazing practices common across student groups. Furthermore, there is a large gap between the number of students who report experience with hazing behaviors and those that label their experience as hazing.

Conclusions: To date, hazing prevention efforts in post-secondary education have focused largely on students in fraternities/sororities and intercollegiate athletes. Findings from this study can inform development of more comprehensive and research-based hazing prevention efforts that target a wider range of student groups. Further, data can serve as a baseline from which to measure changes in college student hazing over time.

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4th college student in Ohio pleads guilty in hazing case

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ATHENS, Ohio (AP) — A fourth Ohio University student pleaded guilty Friday to charges related to the investigation into a fraternity hazing that led to a student’s death.

Saxon Angell-Perez, 22, of Upper Arlington, pleaded guilty to felony permitting drug abuse, felony cocaine possession and misdemeanor hazing charges, The Columbus Dispatch reported .

Angell-Perez joins three other members of the former Sigma Pi fraternity who pleaded guilty earlier to charges that grew out of the 2018 death of Collin Wiant. Prosecutors said Angell-Perez gave cocaine to pledges and fraternity members and participated in hazing Wiant and other pledges.

Friday’s hearing was conducted via Zoom.

Athens County Common Pleas Judge Patrick Lang sentenced Angell-Perez to non-reporting probation and a drug and alcohol diversion program, meaning he will avoid jail time.

Angell-Perez addressed the Wiant family in court.

“To the Wiant family, I would like to extend my sincere apology,” he said. “There are no words. If there is anything I can do ... I am just terribly sorry.”

Wiant’s parents, Wade and Kathleen, appeared via Zoom from their home in Dublin. Wade Wiant said his youngest son’s high school graduation this week made Collin’s death more difficult.

“There’s a sadness that someone is missing from dinner; there’s an empty seat there,” he said. “The pain there remains. The pain endures and does not seem to lessen in intensity.”

Collin’s mother said the family is traumatized about sending another son off to college and hopes the culture of hazing can change.