Fall 2024 Hazing Review by Hank Nuwer
A close look at hazing media stories over the Fall of 2024 shows a spike in hazing numbers and seriousness of incidents compared to the quieter pandemic 2020-2021 time period.
While no hazing deaths in U.S. schools were reported, an ill-advised, alcohol-fueled party sponsored by a sorority resulted in the death of Dartmouth College fraternity member Won Jang. Hazing was not uncovered during an investigation by local authorities. https://www.hanovernh.org/DocumentCenter/View/5998/Hanover-PD-Press-Release-22nov2024
Fraternity Incidents:
Penn State: Penn State is experiencing a substantial increase in hazing reports to start the 2024-25 academic year, Student Affairs officials wrote in a statement to parents and families this week.
Hazing reports compared to this time last year have more than doubled, according to the letter signed by Assistant Vice President Darcy Rameker, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Director Megan Pepper and Student Accountability and Conflict Response Director Katy Larkin.
University of Houston: A Division of Student Affairs document obtained by the student newspaper, The Cougar, details members of the Kappa Sigma fraternity are accused of using racial slurs, hazing pledges by making them run naked across campus, and allegations of being humiliating, degrading, and inappropriate with new members within the last year.
Marshall University (W.V.): Alpha Sigma Phi and Alpha Tau Omega, and the sorority Alpha Xi Delta activities prompted a school hazing investigation.
“Allegations of sexual misconduct, alcohol abuse, humiliation and other hazing activities were reported,” the university said in the following statement.
Michigan State University: MSU stated that they are investigating the Theta Chi fraternity after receiving “multiple reports” of hazing occurring.
The investigation into Theta Chi comes almost exactly a month after a former student filed a lawsuit against Lambda Phi Epsilon Fraternity and three fraternity members for alleged hazing that occurred in 2021. https://statenews.com/article/2024/10/former-msu-student-sues-fraternity-for-injuries-from-hazing?ct=content_open&cv=cbox_latest
University of Iowa: The University of Iowa has placed Alpha Delta Phi on interim suspension after an alleged hazing incident last week.
Alpha Delta Phi has been accused of having 56 blindfolded pledges “with food thrown on them” in the fraternity house’s basement, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the Iowa City Press-Citizen.
Syracuse University: Syracuse University suspended the Psi Upsilon fraternity and Phi Kappa Psi over hazing allegations.
Online videos contained what Chancellor Kent Syverud called “repugnant” and potentially illegal behavior.
University of Alabama: Five members of University of Alabama Pi Kappa Phi fraternity are charged with hazing incidents that police say happened in August 2024.
University of Virginia: The University officially terminated Kappa Sigma fraternity’s Fraternal Organization Agreement Sep. 10 after a months-long investigation revealed hazing took place.
University of Mississippi: Authorities are investigating for hazing the suspended Mississippi Alpha Chapter of Phi Delta Theta.
Washington State University: Washington State University is investigating three fraternities for misconduct, including hazing, reckless endangerment and threats. The fraternities are Sigma Chi, Sigma Phi Epsilon, and Tau Kappa Epsilon.
University of Miami: The university newspaper reported hazing investigation involving Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
Cornell University: Cornell’s Kappa Delta Chapter of Theta Tau was accused of hazing and drug use. Seven other groups unnamed were also under investigation by school authorities.
Indiana University’s Sigma Chi chapter sanctioned for hazing.
International:
India: An 18-year-old student of a medical college in Gujarat’s Patan district died Saturday night after allegedly being made to stand for three hours during ragging by seniors at his hostel.
Police said Sunday that they have sought a report from the anti-ragging committee of the college while authorities at the institute said the incident is being probed.
Anil Natwarbhai Methaniya, from Jesda village in Surendranagar district, was a first-year student at GMERS Medical College and Hospital at Dharpur in Patan.
Phillippines: MANILA — Seven Tau Gamma Phi suspects in the alleged 2024 fatal hazing of John Matthew Salilig underwent preliminary investigation before the Department of Justice (DOJ) Friday afternoon.
MANILA (2nd UPDATE)—President Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday hazing is embedded in the culture of fraternities, and it could be difficult to put an …
Canada: The 2024 Ontario Coaching Report, which delves into the state of sport culture and coaching practices across all levels and sports, asked about specific hazing behaviours in an effort to bring clarity to the troubling findings in last year’s report. Instead, the data is likely to raise even more concerns for parents, sport organizations and policymakers.
Overall, 62 per cent of Ontario coaches view positively at least one specific hazing activity, including physical tests, performing tasks for senior team members or demeaning nicknames. And 32 per cent of coaches view positively at least one extreme hazing practice, which includes pressure to consume alcohol or drugs, physical or sexual assault, pretend abduction/kidnapping, consumption of vile concoctions, vandalism or property damage and deprivation of sleep, food or water, according to the data.
LONDON, Ont. – Lawyers in the sexual assault case of five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team began what are expected to be several weeks of legal arguments on Monday, ahead of next year’s trial.
Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were charged with sexual assault earlier this year in an incident that allegedly took place in London, Ont., in June 2018.
High School
Lisbon High School, Maine: Nobody will face criminal charges related to reports of hazing incidents among students at Lisbon High School.
Mead High School, Oregon: Racially tinged hazing. our Black former Mead High School football players and their parents are suing the Mead School District for failing to intervene in a football program that “created and tolerated an environment of assaults, sexual assaults, racial discrimination, threats, bullying and harassment” over a two-year period, according to the complaint filed last week in Spokane County Superior Court.
The lawsuit says two of the Black players were sexually assaulted by white teammates at mandatory overnight football camps run by the school at Eastern Washington University over the summers of 2022 and 2023. A white player who tried to protect his teammate was also assaulted. The attacks were videotaped and widely shared on social media.
Santa Fe, N.M. An alleged hazing incident involving Santa Fe High School football players includes accusations of a “sexual offense,” according to police.
Santa Fe police Deputy Chief Ben Valdez wrote in an email Wednesday detectives assigned to the department’s Special Victims Unit are investigating the incident. “Based on allegations,” he wrote, “the incident was classified as a sexual offense.” rmer Santa Fe High School head coach Andrew Martinez has resigned following hazing allegations into the school’s football team. Martinez made the announcement on the football team’s X page on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. KOAT asked Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham if anti-hazing legislation will be addressed after details emerged into the investigation involving student-athletes on its football team.
Nebraska: Bishop Neumann shut down its football team. But there were no arrests in an alleged sexual hazing.
Rochester, Illinois: Some football players used airsoft guns or CO2 pistols to target other team members at the football field – again, after school hours with no coaches or other supervising adults there. The investigator found that other activities were taking place including what is known as cookie races, where students placed cookies in between their buttocks, raced each other and the loser ate the cookie.
James Madison H.S. Football: Bronx, New York: At James Madison High School, three students were accused of forcibly restraining and inappropriately touching a 14-year-old on the JV team, according to the NYPD.
Hanover High School: Hanover High School has been suspended due to misconduct reports regarding baseball team alleged hazing.
The Tamaqua (PA) School Board settle a 2021 sports sexual hazing lawsuit.
Federal:
South Dakota State University is the subject of a civil rights probe by the federal government stemming from alleged hazing, harassment, and retaliation on campus and a fraternity house.
The complaint that sparked the investigation, however, came after its author spent time behind bars for alleged crimes against his former fraternity brothers.
The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) this month opened an investigation into reported misconduct involving the Brookings chapter of Sigma Phi Delta and the university. The probe follows a complaint alleging the university failed to take action to stop fraternity membership initiations that rose to the level of unlawful physical and mental abuse.
The DOE confirmed in a three-page letter obtained by The Dakota Scout that it has opened a case related to allegations that the university discriminated against the complainant on the bases of race, sex, and retaliation.
Past death arises after weird outburst: Aconvicted Fresno State alum turned University of Oregon administrator is now under investigation after making controversial statements on social media stemming from the recent election results.
In a now-deleted video posted to his personal Instagram account, Leonard Serrato was heard airing his frustrations over the election results while encouraging supporters of President-elect Donald Trump to commit suicide.
“If you are so sad about your groceries being expensive, get a better (expletive) paying job. Do better in life. Get a (expletive) education. Do something because you are (expletive) stupid,” said Serrato in the video.
The University of Oregon says it is aware of the post and released a statement, saying it ‘finds the statements made in the video abhorrent and not in alignment with our values or mission.’
This recent incident not Serrato’s first brush with controversy.
In 2014, Serrato and two of his fraternity brothers were charged in connection to the hazing death of Fresno State freshman Philip Dhanens.