Introduction

The Clery Act is a consumer protection law that requires every college or university in the U.S. to disclose safety information. The Stop Campus Hazing Act amendment incorporates hazing as a Clery-reportable crime. As a result, every college or university that receives federal funding is required to publish hazing transparency reports by December 23, 2025. These reports will provide easy-to-access public information about hazing incidents on campuses across the nation. 

In our previous blog, “Is Your Campus Ready to Post a Hazing Transparency Report,” we focused on what institutions need to do now to prepare. In this follow-up, we shift the lens to students and families – exploring how they can read, interpret, and use hazing transparency reports to make safer, more informed choices. 

What Students and Families Need to Know about Hazing

According to our research and HazingInfo.org’s blog “Five Things Parents Should Know about Hazing,” hazing remains widespread and often hidden. This blog provides several tips to help families navigate and address hazing risks: 

  1. Be aware that hazing is common: More than half of students (55%) experience it, but fewer than 1 in 10  recognize they were hazed when asked directly. It’s not just in fraternities and sororities, but also among varsity athletic teams, club sports teams, bands, theater groups, honor societies, and other groups and organizations (Allan & Madden, 2008). 
  2. Research your campus: Use HazingInfo.org’s Campus Lookup to review your institution’s hazing reports, policies, and reporting processes. A lack of data or information can be a red flag. 
  3. Start the conversation early: Talk about hazing as part of your “back-to-school checklist,” especially during the first weeks of the semester when students are more likely to be joining organizations and the risk of hazing may be higher. 
  4. Make a plan: Know what to do and who to contact if hazing is suspected or experienced. 
  5. Don’t assume oversight is enough: Institutions may not always be proactive or engage in hazing prevention beyond policy compliance, which is why student and family engagement is so important. 

One way students and families can proactively engage is to review their institution’s hazing transparency report and learn more about how to recognize hazing.

Why Hazing Transparency Reports Matter to Students and Families

Transparency reports aren’t just compliance documents. They are valuable tools for students, families, and community members because they: 

  • Reveal patterns of behavior in organizations. 
  • Help families guide conversations with students about group involvement and safety. 
  • Encourage students to think critically about group culture and their personal values. 
  • Hold institutions accountable for their prevention and response efforts. 

When approached thoughtfully, reports can empower students and families to advocate for safer campus communities. The Stop Campus Hazing Act further strengthens this process by serving as an essential consumer protection measure, enabling students and families to make informed decisions about involvement at colleges and universities committed to student safety.

How to Read a Hazing Transparency Report

Transparency reports can vary from school to school, but here are key elements to look for: 

  • Group(s) found responsible for hazing under the campus policy. 
  • Dates and descriptions of the incidents. 
  • Sanctions or follow-up education assigned to the group(s). 
  • Patterns over time, such as recurring problems in the same group(s). 

It’s also important to notice what may be missing. Some reports may include ‘confirmed’ or ‘found’ violations – the minimum amount of information required under the Clery Act.

We advocate, however, for the institutions to include as much detail as possible. The more detail, the better, like including all reports received or investigated.

Others may use minimal detail or fail to include a plain language explanation of what’s included in the report, making it difficult for anyone visiting the website to understand. Ideally, the reports should use plain, accessible language, easily understood by individuals unfamiliar with hazing policies or campus requirements.

Note: It is important to acknowledge that no transparency report is perfect, and not every report will cover 100% of hazing occurring at a given institution. Studies have found that students are often reluctant to formally report hazing to campus officials. Therefore, it is crucial to speak with your students and friends and help them identify the signs that hazing may be occurring.

Check out these strong examples of transparency reports from a few institutions’ hazing prevention websites: 

For more support when reviewing your campus’s hazing transparency report, you can reference this Flow Chart Resource: Questions to Ask to Understand a Transparency Report

infographic of questions to ask to understand a hazing transparency report

Using Reports to Inform Decisions about Groups and Questions to Ask

Reading a transparency report is only one step. Pair it with intentional questions to make informed decisions. Consider asking questions from our Infographic, “Joining a club, team, or organization? Questions to Ask!” or some of the questions below: 

Campus Response and Transparency

  • Is the report easy to find and written in plain language?
  • Does it explain what happened and how the campus responded to the incident?
  • Are there repeat incidents involving the same group?
  • What might be missing from the report and why?

The Group Culture 

  • Does the group engage with the broader community in positive ways?
  • Does my student feel comfortable with the group’s reputation and culture?
  • What does the joining process look like? What strategies do they use to build connections and deeper relationships among members?
  • What would they be giving up or potentially risking by joining?

Final Takeaways 

Start the conversation now. Hazing transparency reports are a vital resource for students and their families. By learning how to read them, asking the right questions, and using tools like HazingInfo.org to gather information and guide decisions, you can play a direct role in shaping safer and more supportive campus communities. 

This isn’t just about compliance. It’s about values, accountability, and enhancing student well-being. Most importantly, your student’s well-being! 

 Tools and Resources for Families and Students

Upcoming Trainings and Events to Support Campus Hazing Prevention

Author:
Lauren Griffin, M.Ed. – Program & Prevention Coordinator at StopHazing