Parents of Fraternity Hazing Victims to Attend Two-Day Retreat

When sending their children off to college, parents want them to learn and have fun. They don’t expect them to be involved in a fatal hazing incident. Sadly, that is a tragic reality for some families.

Three years ago, Tucker Hipps passed away at just 19 years old during a hazing incident. A Clemson University sophomore at the time, he wanted to join Sigma Phi Epsilon, a campus fraternity. But on a morning run with some of the fraternity members on September 22, 2014, he was allegedly forced by a fraternity member to walk over a narrow bridge crossing Lake Hartwell. He then fell from the bridge and died from his injuries.

His mother, Cindy Hipps, is hosting the inaugural Parents Anti-Hazing Retreat in Greenville, South Carolina this Friday and Saturday. Over a dozen parents who have lost children to hazing will attend the private event where speakers and activities are scheduled. Two of the speakers include author and journalist Hank Nuwer and Kevin Kruger, president of NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.

Hipps has already taken legal action herself. In 2016, the Tucker Hipps Transparency Act was signed into law by former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. This law requires tracking and public reports of misconduct by fraternities and sororities at public universities.

Parents from all over the country will attend the two-day conference this weekend to connect with other parents and help plan what action could be taken to stop future hazings from happening to other students.