Posted on 03/29/2008 12:35:24 PM PDT by RogerFGay
The Gamma Phi Beta sorority at University of North Dakota has been put on temporary social probation while the university investigates complaints stemming from a November party during which sorority members and their guests donned mock Indian garb and red face and body paint.
The temporary probation was issued by both the UND Dean of Student’s Office, which will investigate the complaints, and by the Gamma Phi Beta International office in Centennial, Colo.
The probation means Gamma Phi won’t be allowed to host or participate in social activities with other sororities and fraternities or other student groups, either on or off campus, during the investigation, UND Dean of Students Lillian Elsinga said.
Photos from the November party show sorority members in “Indian maiden”-style dresses and feather headdresses. Some male guests are dressed in makeshift loincloths and smeared with red paint.
Elsinga wouldn’t speculate on what, if any, penalty her office will recommend once the investigation is complete, but said, as dean of students, she did not condone the behavior be-ing described.
In a brief statement released late today, UND President Charles Kupchella gave his support to the investigation and said “appropriate action will be taken at the conclusion of the review.”
Gamma Phi’s central office also issued a statement today.
“Gamma Phi Beta International Sorority sincerely regrets the recently-reported actions involving chapter members at the University of North Dakota. We realize that the actions of the chapter demonstrate the need for greater chapter education about diversity and personal dignity.”
The Gamma Phi party first came to public attention late last week after Margaret Scott, an American Indian student who frequents UND’s American Indian Student Services house, found photos of the party on the Facebook site of Anastasia Ginda, the sorority’s current president.
The American Indian Student Services House is next door to the Gamma Phi house.
Scott copied the photos onto her photobucket.com site and forwarded that link to an anti-nickname campus e-mail list.
The Herald also linked to Scott’s photobucket site in its early coverage of the Gamma Phi party. Many of those photos have since been removed from the site and replaced with a note that they violated the site’s user agreement.
About 10 American Indian students wrote an official discrimination complaint about the Gamma Phi party late last week, and that form was delivered to Elsinga this morning.
Between 50 and 60 discrimination or harassment complaints are filed at UND every year, covering a broad range of issues, Page said. Elsinga said it has been several years since a complaint was filed against a fraternity or sorority.
Calls made to Ginda and the sorority house since Friday have not been returned.
It’s the university’s right to discipline the students as it sees fit, was my point. It’s not all about me.
What on earth is our country coming to. Certain “speech” is OK now but other “speech” isn’t. There is no objectivity, only political correctness- where up is down and down is up.
Somehow this has to stop- I don’t know how, but if it doesn’t, we are headed to a socialistic totalitarian state. If you haven’t read Hayek, I strongly suggest it. Sometimes I think because I am getting older that I am simply old-fashioned. But then I read this kind of gargabe and realize its not me, in this case its these idiot academic liberals who can’t think their way out of a paper bag. When I try to put myself in their place to understand where they are coming from, I can’t, its impossible.
Sometimes I think it would be great to pack up and move to a different country (maybe New Zealand?). Nah, we need a revolution. I don’t see a way to bridge the gap.
This is probably a huge overeaction, but I’m just sick of this crap.
We had a version we called “Slow Dixie” where the first verse was sung slowly like a hymn. Only on the chorus did we break into the faster version you’re probably more familiar with. It was really quite beautiful.
We actually had very nice tradition for when a brother became engaged. We would pull our cannon to the fiance’s dorm or sorority house arriving just after midnight with torches blazing and under the stars and bars. We would serenade the fiance finishing with ‘Slow Dixie’ and the firing of the cannon. Wonder what reaction that would bring now?
Are you trying to say that this is the first time a sorority or fraternity has ever dressed up as an ethnic group ? I do not think that it is a bad thing or demeaning in anyway. What so you think of Saint Patrick's Day ?
That's quite a leap. There's none on those themes that this group of activists got offended about...perhaps because they didn't care about them, or perhaps they didn't know...but party themes based on cultural stereotypes are common. I have a group down the street from me that has Polish and Irish themed parties every year, in which they dress up in a manner that neither group has in more than a century - if ever. ...and no one cares.
On the other hand, in a town one of my friends moved to, a local artist did a sculpture of a local historical figure teaching indians how to read and donated it to the library of the school named after the historical figure. There was quite an uproar by a bunch of people insulted on the indians behalf as being portrayed as illiterate (of English).
In another case of PC, a Carroll County, Maryland school board member and apologized after a worked complained that he made a racial comment about a rock that created problems for workers. The Washington Times (March 22) failed to mention what the comment was other than it was directed at a rock.
From what I have heard about some sorority parties, I’m relieved to hear that they were all clothed. The lack of modesty (and morality) on college campuses these days is shocking.
Why don’t the Indians dress up as pilgrims and join the party?
I guess letting loose and having fun is out of the question in our hyper-offended society.
We knew them as the Goo Foo Boos.
Do you have pics? I want to be shocked and dismayed, too.
Oh does this bring back memories!
When I first got my license and the first warm spring day hit our area I had to take all my pals for a ride to Athens Ohio (everyone had to take a turn doing so) to park at a certain parking garage at OU university. You parked on the top level and (IIRC) went to the southeast corner which overlooks Sorority Row.
But if memory serves those young ladies laying out on the roofs of their Sorority houses did not dress like Indians, rather they dressed more like Adam's partner.
I am offended when Indians dress like white people.
Rumor is that all the Cleveland Indians are going to be arrested when they take the field on Opening Day.
I feel horrible.
I played “cowboys and Indians” as a child...where do I send my reparations check.
White guilt is getting very expensive.
By this logic we should cancel Halloween.
More info at Boston Tea Party Historical Society
I learned something looking up the exact date. One of the participants, David Kinnison, lived to the age of 115, in Chicago of all places, and was photographed.
I'm sure some exist but you'll have to do your own "research" to find them. I have some visual images that are hard to erase. Every semester when I am convinced that no immodest dress will surprise me, I am wrong.
Recently a colleague and I were talking in the SUB when a young "lady" came around the corner. My friend stopped talking and we both silently looked at one another in amazement. She was wearing the lowest cut pair of hip-hugger I have ever seen. My immediate thought was she can't wear those without some serious shaving.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.