Traditions and rituals have long been woven into the college experience. Memorable moments are made with classmates and friends for years to come. However, for some fraternities, sororities, athletic teams and other campus organizations, there’s a “tradition” that can carry devastating consequences for families and students — hazing.
Despite university administrators' efforts for years to eliminate campus hazing, the problem persists, and these rituals and initiation rites continue to be dangerous, causing psychological harm, physical harm and even resulting in loss of life.
That loss of life leaves a hole in the hearts of families and parents, like Lianne Kowiak. For Kowiak, the issue is deeply personal. Her son, Harrison Kowiak, died in 2008 following a fraternity hazing incident. He was a student at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory. Since then, Kowiak became an advocate for reform, speaking to thousands of students across the country. She was also instrumental in the push for Harrison’s Law in North Carolina.
Harrison’s Law was passed last summer and took effect in December 2025. It expands the definition of hazing, going beyond solely physical injury. It also raises hazing to the highest class of misdemeanors and creates a new felony charge for school staff who aid and abet hazing.
Some advocates say the law may not go far enough to deter students from hazing. Kowiak shared with The Assembly frustrations with changes from the initial proposal, yet still considered the law “a monumental hurdle that we’ve crossed.”
The law was characterized as "merely a starting point" by Dr. Elizabeth Allan, director of the Hazing Prevention Research Lab and lead investigator of the landmark 2008 National Study of Student Hazing. Allan is currently relaunching the study with a new survey to establish a new national baseline, now 18 years later. In an op-ed, Allan wrote the real impact of the law will be felt when parents and the entire campus community "embraces their role in fostering a culture where every student is safe, respected, and free from the harm of hazing."
On this episode, we will shed light on the issue of campus hazing and discuss campus culture, prevention and the responsibilities institutions bear in keeping students safe.
GUESTS:
Elizabeth Allan, Ph.D., professor of higher education, director of the Hazing Prevention Research Lab at the University of Maine and principal at StopHazing
Lianne Kowiak, mother of Harrison Kowiak, hazing prevention advocate and a founding member of the Anti-Hazing Coalition
Todd Shelton, executive director of Hazing Prevention Network
