Parents Addressed Florida Atlantic Anti-Hazing Summit
Rae Ann Gruver and Evelyn Piazza spoke to students about preventing hazing-related deaths at a recent summit.
Updated on Sept. 25, 2026 in Substance Abuse
Rae Ann Gruver and Evelyn Piazza shared their experiences at the Florida Atlantic University Anti-Hazing Summit. Their addresses aimed to challenge students to actively prevent future hazing-related incidents.
Why it matters
The summit sought to combat hazing on and off campus by highlighting the tragic outcomes of fraternity hazing. Speakers emphasized the need for student intervention to ensure such deaths do not happen again.
Max Gruver was forced to consume 32 ounces of 190 proof alcohol, resulting in a blood alcohol concentration of 0.495. Hazing in Florida schools and universities has been criminalized since the 2005 passage of the Chad Meredith Act.
The players
Rae Ann Gruver
She is a parent advocate who lost her son, Max Gruver, to an alcohol-related hazing incident in 2017.
Evelyn Piazza
She is a parent advocate whose son, Tim Piazza, died following a severe hazing incident involving a subdural hematoma and ruptured spleen.
Florida Atlantic University
This is a public university that hosted the annual Anti-Hazing Summit at its Boca Raton campus.
The details
The summit featured presentations on intervention strategies to fight against prohibited hazing practices. These activities remain strictly banned under University Regulation 4.007(5), which covers both on and off-campus property.
Timeline
The Chad Meredith Act was passed in 2005.
Rae Ann Gruver and Evelyn Piazza addressed FAU students on September 24, 2026.
The Big Picture
The summit follows a pattern set by the Chad Meredith Act to address hazing as a crime.
The summit reminds students of the strict legal and university regulations prohibiting hazing. Awareness of these policies and intervention training can directly impact the safety of the local student population.
The takeaway
Students are encouraged to recognize the signs of hazing and take responsibility for peer intervention to stop dangerous activities. Understanding the legal consequences of the Chad Meredith Act is a vital step in fostering a safer campus environment.
Further reading
Learn more about local efforts to combat risky behavior in the Substance Abuse section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by FAU University Press.
