The University of Wisconsin-Madison reported nine hazing violations connected to Greek life between 2021 to 2025 after a new federal law required universities and colleges to publicly report hazing incidents.
Under the Stop Campus Hazing Act, universities and colleges were required to begin documenting hazing violations starting July 1, 2025, implement anti-hazing policies and publish their first Campus Hazing Transparency Report by Dec. 23, 2025. UW-Madison went beyond the July requirement by including hazing reports from years prior.
“We appreciate the attention the federal act brings to hazing prevention. This helps us bring attention to important hazing prevention efforts,” Mark Gutheir, Associated Chancellor for Student Affairs, told The Daily Cardinal in a statement.
The law requires a “general description" of the student organization’s hazing incident in their transparency report — including any involvement of drugs or alcohol — additional findings from the institution and possible sanctions placed on the group. UW-Madison provided all aforementioned requirements in their transparency report, along with a list of Registered Student Organization Code of Conduct violations the student organization was responsible for.
Although UW-Madison complied with the legal requirements, national anti-hazing advocate S. Daniel Carter told The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel it would be beneficial for parents and students if the university went into greater detail on what occurred during the hazing incidents rather than just sharing the Code of Conduct violations.
Records obtained by The Daily Cardinal paint more light on two of the nine hazing violations reported.
A witness described seeing a group of men lined up, without jackets, being harshly yelled at by a member of a fraternity in freezing weather conditions near the Phi Gamma Delta house, in records obtained by the Cardinal. The witness said they heard a fraternity member yelling phrases like “you’re trash” and “you don’t belong here” at the men for not wearing the appropriate attire for their party, 2023 emails to the office representing the more than 60 sororities and fraternities on campus show.
In December of the same year, another email exchange described a student asking their professor for an extension on an assignment due to his participation in a hazing ritual that demanded the student stay in a locked room for 72 hours — matching the dates of UW-Madison’s report of Alpha Sigma Phi - Kappa Chapter’s incident.
Jenny Bernhardt, communications director for the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, told the Cardinal “the university will continue to refine the content and format as needed,” in an email.
Bernhardt said UW-Madison created a new hazing policy in June to offer a clear definition of hazing at the university while also staying in line with the Stop Campus Hazing Act and the state of Wisconsin’s anti-hazing law.
In the new policy, the university defines hazing as “any intentional, knowing, or reckless act against an individual that endangers the physical, mental, emotional, or psychological health of that individual” in order to obtain membership or admission into an organization or group. If found violating any rules, penalties against the student organization can range from a written reprimand to a termination.
“We’re committed to educating students and other members of our community regarding the harm hazing brings, helping students and other group members be safe, encouraging reporting if a hazing incident occurs, and facilitating transparent reporting,” Bernhardt said.
The MJS found UW-Madison reported the most hazing violations in the state, with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater reporting two and Carroll University and University of Wisconsin-Green Bay each reporting one. No other Wisconsin higher education institutions have reported hazing violations.
The UW-Madison Hazing Prevention Coalition, a group of university staff members that develop hazing prevention methods, offers students the ability to file hazing reports and learn more about hazing prevention on their website.
