Database from HazingInfo, UMaine makes hazing data available from colleges and universities in all 50 states

Hazing data from nearly 1,500 college campuses across the United States is now available at HazingInfo.org.

This marks the first time that information about college hazing incidents in all 50 states is available in one place for students, families and others to learn about hazing on their campuses.

The announcement also marks a major expansion for HazingInfo.org, the nation’s first free, comprehensive database of college hazing incidents. The database previously featured data from nine states.

HazingInfo was founded by Jolayne Houtz and her husband, Héctor Martinez, in honor of their son, Sam, who died following a fraternity hazing ritual at Washington State University in 2019. The website launched in 2023 in partnership with the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development, StopHazing, and the University of Washington Information School to provide public access to free, accurate information on hazing incidents at U.S. colleges and universities.

“Launching the database with all 50 states is an incredible milestone in the effort to promote transparency and accountability for hazing,” said Elizabeth Allan, professor of higher education at UMaine.

Allan, who directs UMaine’s Hazing Prevention Research Lab and is principal of the StopHazing research group, served as a consultant to the members of Congress and their staff who crafted the Stop Campus Hazing Act, which became law in late 2024.

“Families across the country deserve clear, trustworthy information about campus safety as they send their children off to college,” Allan said. “The HazingInfo.org database gives parents and caregivers the facts they need to ask the right questions, help guide their students through safe choices, and hold institutions accountable for preventing harm.”

HazingInfo users can search 1,478 public and private colleges and universities to see each school’s hazing policy, history of reported hazing incidents, hazing reporting form and hazing prevention contact information.

Each campus page also includes links to state hazing laws and recent news articles on hazing incidents at the school. Schools get a green checkmark on their HazingInfo page for each piece of information they provide and a red “X” if they don’t provide any information.

Colleges and universities vary widely in how much hazing information they make public, and it is often difficult for consumers to find that information buried deep on school websites.

The new HazingInfo data helps tell the story of each campus’s commitment to hazing prevention and the history of hazing in its clubs, teams and organizations.

The HazingInfo team used artificial intelligence tools to compile preliminary hazing information for each school. Each school’s results were then checked by hand to ensure accuracy.

Nine states currently have laws requiring colleges and universities to publicly report campus hazing incidents. HazingInfo’s expansion adds available data for the remaining 41 states plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico to the database.

The Stop Campus Hazing Act requires every U.S. higher education institution to create and publish an annual Campus Hazing Transparency Report. This year’s reports, which will include hazing violations dating back to at least July 1, are due Dec. 23. The HazingInfo website will be updated with new campus hazing data after that deadline.

Contacts: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu; Jolayne Houtz, jolayne@hazinginfo.org; 425.495.9339