How the College of Charleston Builds a Culture of Campus Safety

The unfortunate reality is this: Hazing continues to be a widespread, life-threatening issue across higher education institutions. 

The passage of the Stop Campus Hazing Act was a milestone in the fight to address this crisis, but progress won’t be immediate. According to HazingInfo, more than 800 colleges and universities missed the deadline to publish public data about hazing incidents that occurred in 2025. 

The College of Charleston, originally founded in 1770 and home to almost 12,000 students, is one institution taking a proactive approach to not just documenting misconduct on their campus, but preventing it altogether.

Going above and beyond the letter of the law

Beginning in 2016, the Tucker Hipps Transparency Act mandated that all public higher education institutions in South Carolina report conduct violations by fraternities and sororities. When this took effect, the College of Charleston intentionally chose to take their reporting a step further.

“Early on, we made the decision to report hazing incidents for any student organization. But we don't just report hazing, we report any violation,” explains Alicia Caudill, Executive Vice President of Student Affairs at the College of Charleston.  

For Caudill and her fellow leaders, this practice serves current students as much as it serves prospective students and their families. 

“College today is a family decision and a family investment. I want families to be able to review this information—alongside reports from other campuses in South Carolina and even annual security reports across the country—and use it to inform their decisions. You can make better determinations about if this is the right place for your student.”

Reframing student safety as a culture issue, not simply a compliance checkbox

The Stop Campus Hazing Act is a significant step toward addressing the persistent hazing crisis across higher education. But, as recent research from Penn State’s Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research states, documenting incident data “...does not, on its own, change the conditions that allow hazing to persist.”

At the College of Charleston, tracking misconduct is part of a larger portfolio approach to tackling and preventing it in all forms. This includes:

• Expanded education: In recent years, Caudill’s team has invested in more training options (including virtual programs) to make incoming students aware of risk factors to watch for, and how to raise concerns. “That changes the conversation,” says Caudill. “There's a reason that law is in place, it’s because we're trying to prevent and educate. We have an obligation to the spirit of the law, not just the letter of the law.”
  
  
  

• Problem-solving partnership: The College makes a concerted effort to treat students as collaborators in the fight against misconduct. Caudill wants students to think of her team as consultants who can help brainstorm ideas to address issues within their clubs, teams, and other organizations. “We want them to come to us and tell us what's going on so that we can work with them to create a solution. We've explained how the outcomes will likely be different if you're coming to us as partners. We're going to look at all the options available to us—the only option isn't to close or end an organization.”
  
  
  

• Positive peer empowerment: Establishing meaningful relationships with individual student leaders has a compounding effect. Explains Caudill, “The single most influential resource on a campus is other students.” Her team’s goal is to create a positive, open environment for conversations about misconduct concerns, rather than immediately resorting to punitive language. “We have to lean in more to talking to students, understanding the challenges, and then teaching them how to navigate those challenges.” 

“Every student needs to feel confident, safe, and connected,” says Caudill. “They need to know there are places where that can happen, and they don't have to tolerate behavior that doesn't value them for who they are.”

The College of Charleston’s integrated approach, underpinned by a platform that elevates students’ voices, creates a culture where problematic behaviors aren’t simply monitored, but mitigated.

“This is not an understatement: RealResponse has been transformative. We have received more reports and better information. We've been able to investigate them, so we have better information that puts all of us on the best path forward,” shares Caudill. “I really do believe it’s helping us build trust with students, because they see we take these reports seriously.”

Learn more about how RealResponse can amplify the voices and insights you need to strengthen your institution’s culture.