Anti-Hazing
Our Statement Against Hazing
Delta Chi stands firmly against hazing because it contradicts the very foundation of our values—Promoting Friendship, Developing Character, Advancing Justice, and Assisting in the Acquisition of a Sound Education. Hazing endangers our brothers, erodes trust, and undermines the purpose of our Fraternity. It is not just harmful—it is life-threatening and unacceptable. We are committed to fostering a culture of accountability, education, and prevention, ensuring that every member experiences true brotherhood built on respect and integrity. Delta Chi will continue to take decisive action through policy reforms, education initiatives, and active prevention efforts to uphold the safety, dignity, and well-being of every brother. Hazing has no place in our fraternity—our commitment is to a stronger, safer, and more inclusive brotherhood.
Adam Oakes Hazing Prevention Day
A Commitment to a Safer Future
On February 27, Delta Chi recognizes Adam Oakes Hazing Prevention Day, a day dedicated to honoring Adam’s memory and reaffirming our commitment to fight hazing. Adam’s story is a painful reminder of why we must take action to ensure that every member of our fraternity experiences true brotherhood—one built on respect, integrity and safety.
Who Was Adam Oakes?
Adam Oakes was a first-year sports marketing major at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), and sports were his passion, from playing football, basketball and baseball while growing up to being the commissioner of several fantasy football leagues. He also loved traveling, weekends at the beach and playing video games. He was the only child of his mom Linda and dad Eric, and the youngest of three grandchildren.
Adam was close with his family, and at college, he was seeking out a group of friends who would be like brothers. He chose Delta Chi in the spring of his first year at VCU. Like all of us, he was seeking friends and a place to belong. The chapter issued him a bid, and soon after he joined, at what the chapter called a big brother reveal, Adam was hazed and supplied excessive amounts of alcohol. The next morning, he was found unresponsive in the Delta Chi house where the event was held and was pronounced dead at the scene with the cause later announced as an alcohol overdose.
On Feb. 27, 2021, Adam tragically lost his life at just 19 years old due to hazing. His passing was preventable, and his story must catalyze change.
Adam’s story is not just about remembrance—it’s about transformation. Hazing has no place in Delta Chi or any fraternity experience. On this day, we reflect on our shared responsibility to protect one another and uphold the values of our brotherhood.
Delta Chi is committed to:
Educating members on the dangers of hazing and alcohol misuse.
Accountability to ensure our policies are more than just words—they are actions.
Taking steps toward a safer fraternity experience through evolving the member experience.
Adam Oakes Hazing Prevention Day 2025
If Someone Would Have Said Something!
📅 Date: Wednesday, Feb 26, 2025
⏰ Time: 7 – 8 PM CT
📍 Location: Virtual Event
🎟 Register Now: Register Here
About the Program
Led by Kim Novak, an expert in fraternity health and safety, this session will equip participants with strategies to become upstanders—ensuring members recognize the importance of speaking up and taking action when witnessing situations that could negatively impact members, guests or the Fraternity.
Through an upstander framework designed with fraternity men in mind, Kim will provide guidance on how to set expectations and empower brothers to act when they see or hear something concerning.
Why You Should Attend
✔️ Learn how to empower your brothers to be upstanders.
✔️ Gain practical strategies for creating a culture of accountability in your chapter.
✔️ Hear from a leading expert in fraternity health and safety.
How We’re Taking Action
In honor of Adam and to create a safer fraternity experience, in 2025, Delta Chi is implementing critical changes:
Eliminating the Big Brother program – Replacing outdated traditions that have been misused with true mentorship.
Re-imagining the Associate Member onboarding – Implementing a structured 35-day experience centered on leadership, education and mentorship.
Strengthening Risk Management policies – Educating members on policies and laws around hazing and substance abuse and enhancing accountability.
Elevating bystander intervention training – To prevent harmful situations from escalating by empowering our brothers to take action and intervene if the risk arises, we provide individual online, chapter-based, and in-person opportunities across our membership.
How You Can Get Involved
Adam’s legacy calls us to action. Here’s how you can honor his memory and commit to a hazing-free brotherhood:
Educate yourself and others – Learn about the warning signs of hazing and alcohol misuse.
Speak up – If you see something that goes against our values, step in and prevent harm.
Participate in hazing prevention events – Engage in conversations, workshops, and awareness campaigns within your chapter.
Use available resources – Visit deltachi.org/evolving-experience to access educational materials and risk management policies.
A Future Without Hazing
Adam’s story is a call to action for every Delta Chi. Brotherhood is about lifting one another up and not putting each other at risk. By remembering Adam and committing to change, we can ensure a safer, more responsible fraternity experience for future generations.
Anti-Hazing Task Force
The Anti-Hazing Task Force was established in June 2023 and charged with evaluating the current Associate Member Education Program and providing recommendations on best practices for the future.
The Task Force desires to make recommendations that elevate the Associate Member Experience, consider the modern college environment, and are proactive in programming and resource development.
Co-Chaired by Dick McKaig and “DD” Mark Sexton, with additional expertise and leadership from hazing prevention consultant Kim Novak.
Engaged participation and feedback from undergraduate leaders, alumni who serve as advisors, and current and former Regents.
Sought outside experts around hazing prevention to understand and problem solve around Delta Chi’s issues, concerns, needs, and aspirations.
- Recommendations from the Task Force will guide future program development.
Other Resources to Consider
The Hazing Prevention Network is a national organization dedicated to empowering people to prevent hazing, by providing education and resources, advocating on hazing prevention, and building partnerships with others.
The Anti-Hazing Coalition (AHC) is a collaboration of the National Panhellenic Conference, the North American Interfraternity Conference, and parents whose children were tragically killed by acts of hazing. The AHC is working to eradicate hazing through aggressive student educational outreach, new state-level efforts to strengthen criminal and civil penalties for hazing and federal advocacy to use transparency to make lasting cultural change in student organizations and on university campuses. Every student has the right to learn and thrive in a safe and healthy campus environment.
Other organizations within the fraternal community—HazingPrevention.Org, the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) and Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values (AFLV)—have committed their support to these efforts.
The coalition will:
- Pursue state-based anti-hazing legislation that delivers greater transparency through stronger hazing reporting requirements, strengthens criminal penalties and encourages prosecution, calls for university accountability for bad actors, provides amnesty to encourage people to call for help, and calls for student education.
- Expand awareness and intervention education, including providing a platform for the parents to speak to tens of thousands of college students.
- Engage fraternity and sorority members in educating high school students to confront hazing and bullying.
Since 2018, these parents have spoken to more than 150,000 students. Parents are also being invited to speak with students — including fraternity men and sorority women — at both the local and national levels.
The Love Like Adam Foundation educates and equips students, academic leaders, and law enforcement with an aim to save lives by preventing hazing on campuses everywhere.
Hazing Hotline: The Hazing Hotline provides an anonymous telephone line for anyone to report a suspected or recent hazing incident to one number 1-888-NOT-HAZE (1-888-668-4293) that accepts calls 24 hours a day.
Delta Chi will not be a shield for bad actors who violate the hazing, alcohol and drug law and policies. Everyone is responsible for his actions and in many cases, accountability is sought on multiple fronts: from the University, Delta Chi, and legally.
The Stop Campus Hazing Act is a groundbreaking law designed to increase transparency, enhance accountability, and provide students and families with the tools they need to make informed decisions. Delta Chi has been a strong supporter of this legislation, engaging directly with lawmakers, university leaders, and anti-hazing organizations to ensure its passage and implementation.
What the Stop Campus Hazing Act Does
The Stop Campus Hazing Act introduces critical reforms to prevent hazing and hold organizations accountable by requiring colleges and universities to:
Improve hazing reporting by including hazing incidents in their Annual Security Report (“Clery Report”), ensuring transparency and accountability.
Prevent hazing through campus-wide, research-based education and prevention programs that equip students with the knowledge to recognize and intervene in dangerous situations.
Help students and their families make informed decisions by requiring colleges to publish hazing prevention policies and list organizations that have violated them on their websites.
Delta Chi’s Role in Advocating for This Change
As a leader in hazing prevention, Delta Chi played an essential role in advocating for the Stop Campus Hazing Act by:
Lobbying for Stronger Protections – Delta Chi leaders engaged in direct discussions with policymakers to push for increased transparency and institutional accountability.
Collaborating with Stakeholders – We partnered with universities, anti-hazing groups, and other Greek organizations to emphasize the need for prevention-focused education.
Educating Our Members – Through training, awareness campaigns, and public advocacy, we reinforced our commitment to eliminating hazing and creating a safer fraternal experience.
State Anti-Hazing Laws
Although 44 of the 50 states – including all but one in which Delta Chi has chapters – have anti-hazing laws in place, the strength and breadth of the laws vary significantly. Learn more here.
Resources:
Read the Stop Campus Hazing Act Fact Sheet
Check out Clery Center free resources for campuses to educate on and prevent hazing
