The Report and Educate About Campus Hazing (REACH) Act will require colleges and universities to disclose information about hazing on campus in their annual crime reports. It would also require any college or university that accepts federal funding to provide hazing prevention education to all students.
The REACH Act would add hazing as one of the misconducts/crimes that are reported under the Clery Act. Specifically, it requires colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs (and therefore are subject to the Clery Act) to:
- Disclose incidents of hazing in their Annual Security Report;
- Report statistics of referrals for discipline and arrests specific to hazing; and
- Implement a hazing education program for students.
The bill also defines hazing as: Any intentional, knowing or reckless act committed by a student, or a former student, whether individually or in concert with other persons, against another student, and in which both of the following apply:
(a) The act was committed in connection with an initiation into, an affiliation with or the maintenance of membership in any organization that is affiliated with such educational institution.
(b) The act contributes to a substantial risk of potential physical injury, mental harm or degradation or causes physical injury, mental harm or personal degradation.
Click here to learn more about the REACH Act.
