Why was this law enacted?
The Stop Campus Hazing Act was signed into law by President Biden on December 23, 2024.
The Stop Campus Hazing Act (SCHA) amends section 485(f) of the Higher Education Act, otherwise known as the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). Notably, the bill also changes the name of the Clery Act to the “Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act”, representing the Act’s evolution in addressing broad campus safety needs.
U.S. Federal Law
The federal law defines hazing as an act:
- Intentional, knowing or reckless
- Committed by a person (individually or with other persons)
- Against another person or persons
- Regardless of the willingness of those other person(s) to participate,
- In the course of an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, a student organization (e.g., a club, athletic team, fraternity, or sorority); and
- causes or creates a risk, above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in the IHE or the organization (such as the physical preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team), of physical or psychological injury including--
- whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone's body, or similar activity;
- causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, extreme calisthenics, or other similar activity;
- causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to consume food, liquid, alcohol, drugs, or other substances;
- causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts;
- any activity that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm
- any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, or Federal law; and
- 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.''
Why was this law enacted?
The Clery Center partnered with Gary and Julie DeVercelly, whose son, Gary DeVercelly, Jr. died by hazing in 2007.
www.clerycenter.org/scha-what-you-need-to-know
The Stop Campus Hazing Act has three primary parts:
- Including hazing statistics in annual security reports
- Implementing hazing policies and prevention education
- Compiling a campus hazing transparency report
Kansas Law - Hazing is Illegal
Hazing has long been illegal under the laws of the State of Kansas. Kansas Statute 21-5418 states:
Hazing is recklessly coercing, demanding or encouraging another person to perform, as a condition of membership in a social or fraternal organization, any act which could reasonably be expected to result in great bodily harm, disfigurement or death or which is done in a manner whereby great bodily harm, disfigurement or death could be inflicted.
Barton Policy
Hazing is defined at Barton in the Code of Student Conduct as:
“an act which:
- causes or creates
- a risk to the mental or physical health or safety of a student
- for the purpose of initiation into, affiliation with, or maintenance of membership in a student organization or group.
- This organization or group can be two or more students and
- need not be an established or recognized organization.
- Consent or agreement of a student to be hazed is not a defense to a charge of hazing.”
Under the Stop Campus Hazing Act, the definition of hazing has considerably broadened and is not limited to historical groups involved in hazing, such as athletic teams, band, and fraternities and sororities.
How to Report Hazing
All incidents of hazing should be reported to the Vice President of Student Services. All such incidents will be investigated and processed according to the procedures in the Student Code of Conduct.
VP Student Services
L-139
(620) 792-9226
Campus Safety
T-154
(620) 792-9217
Barton’s prevention and awareness programs generally focus on alcohol and other drugs and the poor choices that ensue, Title IX and sexual harassment and violence, violence and bullying. Barton is adding hazing education and prevention to those efforts directed at students. Hazing awareness, prevention, and reporting efforts are being added to orientation and programming for faculty and staff as well.