Stop Campus Hazing Act

A new federal law establishing hazing-related requirements for all institutions of higher education that participate in federal student financial aid programs

The Stop Campus Hazing Act amends the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act and applies to all institutions of higher education that participate in federal student financial aid programs. The Stop Campus Hazing Act sets forth new reporting requirements, including a new, federal definition of "hazing" and "student organization." It also mandates "research-informed campus-wide prevention programs designed to reach students, staff, and faculty."

President Biden signed the Stop Campus Hazing Act into law on December 24, 2024 - now titled Public Law 118-173.

Projected Timelines

According to the text of the Stop Campus Hazing Act, TA Strategies projects the following dates when specific mandates will go into effect. We will revise this timeline as guidance is issued from the U.S. Department of Education.

• January 1, 2025 - Begin collecting hazing statistics for the Annual Security Report 

(“Not later than January 1 of the first year after the date of enactment of this Act”)

• June 23, 2025 - All amendments to the Annual Security Report go into effect

(effective “6 months after the date of enactment of this Act”)

• July 1, 2025 - Begin collecting "hazing incidents" for the Campus Hazing Transparency Report

(“beginning July 1, 2025”)

• On or about December 23, 2025 - Make public the first Campus Hazing Transparency Report

(“not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of the Stop Campus Hazing Act”)

• In or around December 2026 - Make public the first Annual Security Report as amended by the Stop Campus Hazing Act

(“The amendments . . . apply with respect to the annual security report . . . for the calendar year that is 2 years after such date of enactment”)

Relevant Sections of the Stop Campus Hazing Act

(4) DEFINITION OF HAZING.—Section 485(f)(6)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(6)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(vi) The term ‘hazing’, for purposes of reporting statistics on hazing incidents under paragraph (1)(F)(iv), means 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.”.

(5) DEFINITION OF STUDENT ORGANIZATION.—Section 485(f)(6)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(6)(A)) is further amended by adding at the end the following:

“(vii) The term ‘student organization’, for purposes of reporting under paragraph (1)(F)(iv) and paragraph (9)(A), means 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.”.

(b) Statement of policy and prevention program on hazing.—Section 485(f)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(1)) is amended by inserting after subparagraph (J) the following:

“(K) A statement of current policies relating to hazing (as defined by the institution), how to report incidents of such hazing, and the process used to investigate such incidents of hazing, and information on applicable local, State, and Tribal laws on hazing (as defined by such local, State, and Tribal laws).

“(L) A statement of policy regarding prevention and awareness programs related to hazing (as defined by the institution) that includes a description of research-informed campus-wide prevention programs designed to reach students, staff, and faculty, which includes—

“(i) the information referred to in subparagraph (K); and

“(ii) primary prevention strategies intended to stop hazing before hazing occurs, which may include skill building for bystander intervention, information about ethical leadership, and the promotion of strategies for building group cohesion without hazing.”.

Full text of enrolled bill here.

More resources:

• Winter 2025 AFA Legal & Legislative Update via AFA Learning, Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors

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Last updated January 14, 2025

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