Penn State Executive Vice President and Provost Nicholas P. Jones joined with members of the U.S. House of Representatives and other key stakeholders for a press conference on Thursday, July 13, in Washington, D.C., to urge passage of national legislation that addresses hazing on college campuses. The Report and Educate About Campus Hazing (REACH) Act, if passed into law, would require universities across the country to report hazing under the Clery Act and provide educational programming on the dangers of hazing.
The bill was introduced in June by sponsors Patrick Meehan, U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania's 7th district, and Marcia Fudge, U.S. Congresswoman from Ohio's 11th district.
"Penn State greatly appreciates the leadership of Congressman Meehan and Congresswoman Fudge in addressing hazing and dangerous behaviors on campuses across the country," said Jones. "We are dedicated to addressing these issues at our university, and to the support of similarly focused action at all levels of government. Our support for this legislation aligns with our commitment to taking a leadership role in the implementation of significant reforms focused on the safety and well-being of students, at our university and nationally."
Hazing is illegal and is not acceptable behavior for any student group at Penn State. When Penn State is alerted to allegations of hazing, the University takes immediate action to investigate and impose significant sanctions, including application of the student conduct process where appropriate. Specific to Greek-letter organizations, Penn State has taken over responsibility from the Greek system for monitoring and adjudication for major safety violations, and has implemented deferred rush, among many other measures. In Pennsylvania, University leadership continues discussions with state officials on ways to strengthen penalties for hazing, and is advocating for expansion of the current law on Medical Amnesty for underage drinking.