REACH Act

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education to disclose hazing incidents, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Report and Educate About Campus Hazing Act REACH Act 2. Inclusion of hazing incidents in annual security reports Section 485(f)(1)(F) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(1)(F) (1) in clause (i)(IX), by striking and (2) in clause (ii), by striking and (3) in clause (iii), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (4) by adding at the end the following: (iv) of hazing incidents that were reported to a campus official. . 3. Definition of hazing Section 485(f)(6)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(6)(A) (1) by redesignating clauses (iii) through (v) as clauses (iv) through (vi), respectively; and (2) by inserting after clause (ii) the following: (iii) The term hazing (I) was committed in connection with an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, any organization that is affiliated with such institution of higher education (including any athletic team affiliated with that institution); and (II) contributes to a substantial risk of physical injury, mental harm, or degradation or causes physical injury, mental harm, or personal degradation. . 4. Recording of hazing incidents Section 485(f)(7) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(7) For hazing incidents, such statistics shall be compiled in accordance with the definition of that term in paragraph (6)(A)(iii). 5. Educational program on hazing Section 485(f)(8)(B)(i) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(8)(B)(i) (1) in the matter preceding subclause (I), by striking and stalking stalking, and hazing (2) in subclause (I)(ff), by striking and (3) in subclause (II), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (4) by adding at the end the following: (III) a comprehensive program to prevent hazing that shall— (aa) be a campus-wide program for students, staff, faculty, and other campus stakeholders (such as alumni and families of students); (bb) be a research-based program; (cc) be designed and implemented in partnership with a broad coalition of campus stakeholders, including leadership of the institution, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and families of students; (dd) include information on hazing awareness, hazing prevention, the institution’s policies on hazing, how to report hazing, and the process used to investigate hazing; and (ee) include skill building for bystander intervention, information about ethical leadership, and the promotion of strategies for building group cohesion without hazing. .

Summary: Report and Educate About Campus Hazing Act or the REACH Act This bill requires institutions of higher education (IHEs) that participate in federal student-aid programs to report hazing incidents and implement hazing education programs. Specifically, the bill requires each IHE to disclose hazing incidents that were reported to campus officials in its annual security report. The bill defines the term hazing to mean any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a student, or a former student, of an IHE against another student (regardless of that student's willingness to participate), that (1) is connected with an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in an organization that is affiliated with the IHE (e.g., an athletic team); and (2) contributes to a substantial risk of physical injury, mental harm, or degradation or causes physical injury, mental harm, or personal degradation. In addition, each IHE must implement a comprehensive program to prevent hazing, which must include information on hazing awareness, hazing prevention, and the IHE's policies on hazing.