All LSU student organizations must provide hazing-prevention education to all members by Oct. 1, due to the strengthened efforts of LSU Hazing Policy and Education to educate the LSU community about hazing. 
In Sept. 2017, LSU student Max Gruver died of alcohol poisoning after a Phi Delta Theta hazing ritual. Following Gruver’s death, the Louisiana State Legislature passed the Max Gruver Act in 2018, which raised the penalties for hazing in Louisiana.
According to the Max Gruver Act, individuals involved in a hazing incident resulting in the death of the victim can now face up to five years in prison and fines up to $10,000. Individuals involved in a hazing incident where death does not occur can face up to six months in prison and fines of up to $1,000. 
Before the Max Gruver Act was enacted, hazing convictions only carried a maximum $100 fine and 30 days in jail. 
The Louisiana Board of Regents also created a uniform hazing policy for all public universities in the state. This uniform policy, among other things, requires all participants in any student organization to have at least an hour of hazing education, either in person, online, or both. 
Following these changes, all student organizations at the University are now required to provide at least one hour of hazing-prevention training to all their members. The training may be completed in person, electronically through completion of a Moodle Module, or both. 
According to the Office of the Dean of Students, the Hazing Prevention Education Committee developed a comprehensive curriculum for the hazing-prevention training. Upon completion of the training, students should be able to define the University’s Hazing and Coercive Behavior policies and the Max Gruver Act, identify hazing warning signs and hazing education resources, define and apply the principles of bystander intervention and demonstrate knowledge of options for reporting suspected instances of hazing.
Many University students who have already completed the hazing-prevention training noted things they learned in the course.
Political communication freshman and Acacia fraternity pledge Cade Throckmorton completed both the in-person training as well as the online course. He said both trainings covered the same topics, but mentioned the in-person training allowed for students to ask questions.
Mass communication and political science freshman Rebecca Herin completed the online course, but felt students should already understand the topics it covered.
“It seemed redundant, but I guess some people really need it if it’s still happening,” Herin said.
Mass communication freshman Gabrielle Lomasney, who attended an in person training, said she “learned forms of hazing that qualify under the new law,” which she was not previously aware of. 
Students who feel they have partaken in or witnessed an act of hazing can call LSU PD at 225-578-3231, report hazing online through this form or report hazing anonymously to Baton Rouge Crime Stoppers at 225-344-STOP.
Students who are interested in learning more about the Max Gruver Act, the Board of Regents policy, or the University’s policies on hazing, can enroll in the Moodle course here.