The University of Missouri’s Greek community is taking new steps to confront the dangers of hazing. This fall, the Mizzou Greek Alliance announced a campaign to raise awareness of Danny’s Law—the recently enacted statute named in honor of former Mizzou student Danny Santulli, who suffered catastrophic injuries during a 2021 fraternity hazing ritual.
Danny’s Law provides immunity from prosecution to the first student who calls 911 during a hazing emergency and to those who render aid, such as administering CPR, while help is on the way. It is designed to encourage immediate, life-saving intervention rather than silence or delay.
Building Awareness on Campus
As part of its campaign, the Mizzou Greek Alliance has distributed hundreds of informational posters to fraternity and sorority houses throughout the state, begun planning specialized hazing prevention training programs for fraternity officers, and set goals to secure nonprofit status for the organization so that it can sustain its efforts. These initiatives are intended to not only increase familiarity with Danny’s Law, but also to confront the culture of secrecy that too often surrounds hazing incidents.
The risks are not hypothetical. Fraternity members often delay calling for help for hazing victims out of fear of the legal consequences, and those delays can be fatal. As David Bianchi, the fraternity hazing attorney who represents the Santulli family, noted: “It’s widely believed that had people had called for help when it was clear that Danny was in big trouble, if they had called 911, when they should have placed that call, Danny would probably be fine today.”
This law exists because of that inexcusable failure. It promises to protect those who do the right thing, and create an incentive to act quickly when every second matters.
The Need for Stronger University Action
Awareness campaigns are important, but Bianchi emphasizes that they cannot succeed alone. “I’ve been in a room speaking to hundreds of fraternity and sorority members, but they’re there because they’ve been ordered to be there,” he told ABC 17. You just have to force-feed it to them. And you have to scare them straight ,and the universities have to be tough, and historically, they have not been tough enough.”
David raises a critical point for schools and awareness campaigns. Education alone cannot change entrenched behavior. Universities must pair training with real accountability. That means treating hazing with zero tolerance, no excuses, and decisive enforcement.
“The universities need to act swiftly, they need to expel everybody involved with no second chances and no excuses,” David says.
Toward a Safer Future
Danny’s Law represents progress, but lasting change will only come when colleges and universities match legal reforms with courage and consistency in enforcement. Every delay in punishing hazing behavior sends the wrong message. Every second wasted in an emergency risks another student’s life.
For over 30 years, STFBC has seen up close the devastation hazing leaves behind. We believe that the combination of laws like Danny’s Law, public awareness efforts by organizations like the Mizzou Greek Alliance, and firm university discipline can shift the culture from silence to safety.
Until then, we must continue to hold institutions accountable and fight for families whose lives have been forever changed by preventable acts of hazing.