The university presidents across the state met with Governor DeWine Tuesday morning in efforts to discuss the issue of hazing in the state after a Bowling Green fraternity member dies from allegedly being hazed.

20-year-old Stone Foltz died after drinking “a copious amount of alcohol,” attorney Sean Alto told The Columbus Dispatch.

That has sparked conversation on Kent State’s campus as to what their stance is on hazing.

“As leaders, we all condemn this behavior,” President Diacon said.

Diacon talked with Governor DeWine amongst other university presidents about pushing the state to criminalizing hazing like 11 other states in the country have.

“And so we’re all very supportive as university presidents of the last legislation that’s making its way through the state legislature, to to criminalize hazing to make it into a felony under certain circumstances,” Diacon said.

Kent State is taking their own part in moving the hazing laws through the state legislation.

“One thing we’re going to look to be doing here pretty soon, there is a law going around called Collins law, that’s trying to get passed through state legislator. We are trying to get some letter writing campaigns from members of Kent State’s FSL community to really try to push that law through, in in the state of Ohio,” IFC Director of National Education, Dylan Mace said.

Hazing in greek life on Kent State campus has always been banned, said Mace, and is not something a values-based organization would do. He explained that not even a phone call is acceptable. 

“Any acts of hazing that is appointed to us, we give through our channels to the university, and then from there they launch an investigation, and get to the bottom of what happened,” Mace said.

Pi Kappa Alpha is the fraternity where Foltz was allegedly hazed. Kent State has that chapter on campus and they are making sure to prevent something like this from happening here.

“it’s disappointing to see another chapter of pike at a different university do something like this,” Pike President, Nick Salvator said.

Salvator said Pike has never tolerated hazing at Kent State or nationally.

“In our chapter, we’d like to emphasize a focus on substance abuse. We have no tolerance, hazing, no tolerance at all,” Salvator said.

According to Salvator, the chapter signs individual contracts for hazing making an emphasis that it is not acceptable.

PKA and Kent State are making strong efforts to make their members and the Greek Life community feel safe on campus.

“It’s not time to worry about what you’re posting on consequences. At that time, it’s time to save someone’s life, they need to call 911. They need to get an ambulance though. And do all that they can to make sure that that person’s okay,” Mace explained.

Gianna DaPra is a TV2 reporter. Contact her at [email protected].