No skin, but Baylor still suspends frat over Playboy pictures

Associated Press ^ | August 29, 2002 | Associated Press Staff

[MeekOneGOP]

No skin, but Baylor still suspends frat over Playboy pictures

Members clothed for picture; school says publication salacious

08/29/2002

Associated Press

WACO - A fraternity has been suspended from Baylor University for a year after a picture of some members, fully clothed, appeared in Playboy magazine.

About 50 men and four women, all students, posed on a sand volleyball court, some wearing Sigma Phi Epsilon T-shirts and others waving Baylor pennants.

A student who has since graduated posed nude for another photo and used an alias. The pictures are in the October issue featuring the Big 12 conference.

Officials at Baptist-affiliated Baylor called it a salacious publication and said it runs contrary to the school's ideals. In the past, Baylor administrators have threatened to expel any student who poses for the magazine.

Larry Brumley, a university spokesman, said discipline for the students appearing in the October issue could vary. He declined to elaborate, citing federal student privacy laws.

Elizabeth Norris, a Playboy spokeswoman, said some fraternity members called the magazine about a month ago and asked editors not to run the picture.

Sigma Phi Epsilon members at Baylor declined to comment.

---

Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dallas/tsw/stories/082902dntexplayboy.27fe6.html

[MeekOneGOP]

Well, not Baylor. But just down the road at UT - Austin.

Peter Yang AMERICAN-STATESMAN
University of Texas students Rachel Balbert, left, and Penny Drake were chosen to be in a revealing photo feature in the October issue of Playboy.

[Houmatt]

Seems pretty straightforward to me. If you pose in Playboy, you are subject to disciplinary action.

What is missing from the article is the reaction from the students in question.

[Notforprophet]

Damn I miss living in Austin!

[antivenom]

Funny how breaking the rules is now considered a "get rich scheme"...the school made it clear, they don't want THEIR students who attend THEIR school associated with smut...with or without clothes on. Seems to me the "kids" need to go to Berkley with this attitude...

[MeekOneGOP]

It sounds like some of them got the message after the photo shoot....calling the
editor to stop the presses!

[MeekOneGOP]

heh heh !

[JimRed]

Baylor does represent itself as a Christian school, so it's not surprising that they might hold their students to a higher standard. Great lookin' bunch'a kids, though!

[rdb3]

This is a trip.

We used to do quite a few things together with S F E and P K A.

[Mr. Bird]

I'm all for rules, and believe private organizations can set their own.

QUESTION: legally, would Baylor be allowed to expel someone who had an abortion? If not, where is the difference?

[Tony Niar Brain]

This is such a big deal over nothing; Baylor is demonstrating hyper-sensitivity to Playboy. Relax guys, we're all born naked, Jesus knows we're all naked underneath our clothes. Loosen your collars.

[Dead Corpse]

While I agree that such actions are over-the-top IMO, Baylor has every Right to set the criteria for their college. If they insist on everyone wearing cheese-helmets, then so be it. If you don't like it? Find another college to attend.

Our Freedom to associate, or not, has taken enough knocks the last forty years.

[Mr. Lucky]

Answer 1: Yes.

Answer 2: Nobody was murdered in the Playboy photos.

[Physicist]

It sounds like some of them got the message after the photo shoot....calling the editor to stop the presses!

It's possible that not everybody in the photo was aware at the time that it would end up in Playboy.

[Mr. Bird]

Answer 2: Nobody was murdered in the Playboy photos

I think you miss my point. Abortion may be murder from a philosophical standpoint, but it's perfectly legal, and it is actually classified as a surgical procedure.

Since your answer to the first question is "Yes", you need not make a distinction between abortion and nude posing. Both are grounds for expulsion. But are you sure the answer is "yes"? I wonder if a student, having been expelled for an abortion, would win a lawsuit?

[wattsmag2]

Damn I miss living in Austin!

Why?

[Mr. Bird]

In the past, Baylor administrators have threatened to expel any student who poses for the magazine.

My question was spurred by this sentence. As the member of a once-banished fraternity, I completely recognize the university's right to reprimand that entity.

[NYCVirago]

QUESTION: legally, would Baylor be allowed to expel someone who had an abortion? If not, where is the difference?

IIRC, Baylor has students sign a "code of conduct" which bans all sorts of behavior, and the school has already expelled students who had babies out of wedlock.