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Gruesome Spotlight On College Hazing

Centre County DA Stacy Parks Miller hugs Evelyn Piazza as her husband Jim stands in the background after announcing the findings in the investigation of Timothy Piazza at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. (Joe Hermitt/PennLive)
Centre County DA Stacy Parks Miller hugs Evelyn Piazza as her husband Jim stands in the background after announcing the findings in the investigation of Timothy Piazza at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. (Joe Hermitt/PennLive)

One Penn State pledge is dead, and 18 of his fraternity brothers are charged. We’ll look at what’s happened with hazing.

Nineteen-year-old Tim Piazza died after a rough night in February at his Penn State fraternity, Beta Theta Pi. Traumatic brain injury. After a night of heavy drinking and hazing. Last Friday, 18 of his fraternity brothers charged. Involuntary manslaughter. Aggravated assault. Reckless endangerment. Evidence tampering. Hazing. We thought colleges had cracked down on hazing. Maybe not. This hour On Point, what’s really going on with hazing now at American college campuses. — Tom Ashbrook

Guests

Charles Thompson, reporter for the Patriot-News and PennLive. (@chasthompson1)

Dan Berrett, senior reporter for the Chronicle of Higher Education, where he covers teaching, curriculum and research on higher education. (@DanBerrett)

Elizabeth Allan, professor of higher education at the University of Maine’s College of Education and Human Development. Director of the National Hazing Prevention Consortium. (@elizabethjallan)

From Tom’s Reading List

PennLive: Ten Penn State students arraigned in frat death case, all released on bail — “Ten of the 18 Penn State students charged in connection with the Feb. 4 fraternity house death of sophomore engineering student Timothy Piazza appeared for arraignment Friday here in Centre County court. All were later released on bail.”

Chronicle of Higher Education: After a Student Dies, Penn State Bans a Fraternity and Liquor at All Greek Houses — “Pennsylvania State University on Thursday permanently banned a fraternity after a student died, and announced a sweeping set of measures designed to crack down on what officials described as “growing evidence of problems” related to hazing, alcohol abuse, and drug use in Greek life. The actions included a ban on hard liquor at all fraternities.”

National Study of Student Hazing: Hazing in View: College Students at Risk— “Hazing in View: While data confirm that hazing is occurring in Greek-letter organizations, the research also reveals the presence of hazing in other student groups including varsity athletics, club sports, intramural teams, military groups, recreation clubs, service fraternities and sororities, performing arts organizations (e.g., marching bands and theater groups), honor societies, academic clubs, and other groups students elected to identify separately.”

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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