Toe Licking, Abuse, Forced Drinking: Reports Detail PA Hazing

A new anti-hazing law passed in the wake of a Penn State student's 2017 death now requires colleges and universities in Pennsylvania to detail hazing incidents in reports made available to the public.

The law, which implements a variety of anti-hazing measures in addition to requiring the reports, was signed by Gov. Tom Wolf in October— a year and a half after Timothy Piazza's death at Penn State's Beta Theta Pi fraternity.

The new hazing reports, released Jan. 15, detail a variety of disturbing allegations, including pledges that were forced to lick other brothers' toes, drink excessively, eat expired foods, and even jump into rivers. The hazing occurred among Greek organizations as well as sports teams, the reports detail.

This week's initial publication of the reports required colleges to detail all hazing incidents from 2013 through 2018. Going forward, the reports must be updated twice a year — on Jan. 1 and Aug. 1.

Penn State reported 31 incidents across its campuses in the five-year reporting period.

According to the reports, new pledges were forced to drink and perform various acts aimed to cause embarrassment. They were subjected to sleep deprivation, hunger, physical abuse, verbal abuse, unsanitary conditions, and more.

Students at Lehigh University reported being subjected to mental and physical abuse, were forced to drink, endured sleep deprivation and were made to perform various public stunts that could cause embarrassment.

Fifteen incidents were reported at Temple, including students being forced to jump in a river.

Here are some of the specific hazing incidents outlined in the various reports:

• At Penn State's Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, new members were subjected to "mental and physical" hazing. They were forced to consume alcohol and take drugs. They were confined, and subjected to "extreme physical activity" as a part of the membership initiation process. As a result, the organization was suspended by the University for six years.
• Gamma Phi Beta members at Penn State's Altoona campus were forced to drink, perform acts of servitude, and were required to lick the toes of members. They were also verbally abused and were called "stupid" and "idiots." The organization was suspended by the University for two semesters.
• At Temple's Beta Pi Phi fraternity, four members were charged with hazing and causing harm to individuals. The members were accused of various alleged hazing behaviors, including forced alcohol consumption, jumping in a river, and scavenger hunts.
• New members of Kappa Alpha Psi at Lehigh University were required to participate in "acts of personal servitude," including shoveling snow and cleaning members’ apartments. The fraternity was charged with hazing.
• New members of Penn State's Sigma Lambda Gamma sorority were forced into "acts of servitude" and were required to perform calisthenics that in at least one case resulted in injury. New members were called derogatory or offensive names, and were given restrictions on where they could go on campus and who they could interact with. The organization was suspended by its national organization for five years.
• Four Lehigh University students who were new members of Alpha Tau Omega were arrested in another state for charges related to theft and vandalism, which was determined to be a pledging activity. The fraternity was charged with hazing.
• Penn State's Pi Kappa Phi pledges had to eat expired food, perform calisthenics, consume alcoholic beverages, engage in "acts of servitude" and participate in bi-weekly "line-ups." Consequences for wrong information during the line-ups included being immersed in a large trash can filled with water and ice. The fraternity was suspended for three years.
• The Alpha Chi Omega sorority at Lehigh University was charged with hazing after planning a scavenger hunt in which participants received points for various acts, including sexual
  activity, the use of drugs and alcohol, and ingesting foods and other liquids.
• New members at Penn State's Kappa Delta Rho were forced to clean and do other brothers' laundry, missed their own classes and at times went to class in place of members, were taped or restrained to poles or to the wall, and had food and other objects thrown at them. The new members were required to write and create “Stall Stories,” a newsletter containing pornographic images that was placed throughout the fraternity house. The University suspended the organization for three years.
• Lehigh's Kappa Sigma fraternity made new members carry “pledge packs,” which contained condoms, cigarettes, and other items. The fraternity was charged with hazing, intentionally furnishing false information, and the unauthorized or illegal consumption, distribution, or possession of alcohol.

The Timothy J. Piazza Law was sponsored by Pennsylvania Senator Jake Corman (R-34). In addition to requiring the reports of hazing incidents, it increases penalties for all those involved in hazing, and requires schools to have policies and reporting procedures in place to stop hazing incidents. It also establishes clear-cut parameters on hazing for organizations such as fraternities and sororities.

The law is named for a the Penn State sophomore from Hunterdon County, N.J. who died after drinking heavily at a Beta Theta Pi pledge acceptance party then falling at the house in February 2017.

Investigators say Piazza consumed at least 18 drinks in an hour and 22 minutes before falling down a flight of stairs. No one at the house called for help until 12 hours later, despite evidence Piazza was in grave condition, authorities have said.

RELATED: Penn State Frat House Death: Fast Drinking, Slow Death, Frantic Coverup In Grand Jury Timeline

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