Holy crap.
I had no idea tha the stuff 33girl,AXiDMeesh, and UofMTKE mention was going on.

I feel guilty now for having posted something that brought this about (if it did -- or is it a kind of random thing that isn't directly related to a particular posting, thread or GC site?)

Anyway:

Kevin or a supermod -- if what I posted was at fault for putting info out there that nobody expected to have pop up in that context, feel free to edit or delete.

And please accept my apologies if my ignorance or mistake caused difficulties.

Hijack/

Yep, facebook is Big Brother and stalker and TMI central. I avoid it like the plague.

I feel that way about the Internet in general and don't web search or read articles from every site. I've started using the Internet more on a utility/need something basis. But, GC, "why can't I quit you?"
/hijack

This has nothing to do with anything that you did. Its just that the Miami U paper's website seems to have allowed Facebook to install what seems to be called the 'Facebook social plugin' on to their site. It looks like some others have been installed too.

To be on topic, this is the kind of thing that makes something that might have gone unnoticed years ago, very viable now. The hotel owner released her letter, it went viral and it can never be undone.
http://www.tke-miami.com/graphics/GreekChat/miamiu.jpg

i really don't like that while reading an article on cnn.com i see the like button there. damn.

maybe we should all check out the diaspora* when the nerds finish creating it.

That nerd holding the computer has very nice hands. Just saying is all.

UofM-TKE - you must have a super-puter faster than mine because when I clicked on the "facebook" thing at the bottom where you said your picture showed up, all I got was undulating loading-bars. I didn't see anyone's pictures.

*looks*

yeah...:o

Never thought I'd be on this site, but alas, here I am. This post should be exhibit A on why you shouldn't make judgments without having the full context. Jerry Miller, one man, has done more for greek life at Miami than any collection of 5 individuals you could put together, and it isn't really close. My mother graduated from Miami in the 70s. My brother just graduated from Miami this past weekend, and I will graduate next May. Jerry was helping fraternities back when my mom was there, and I've recently seen the immense amount of counsel and help Jerry has given my own chapter as he mentored one of our young, emerging leaders. Bear in mind he is not an official adviser of my chapter--he is the adviser for another chapter, but he goes above and beyond to help others in any way that he can.

He was recently recognized with some kind of lifelong recognition award for his service to the greek community. Additionally, the "Outstanding Faculty/Staff Member" award given out annually at the greek awards banquet is named in his honor, and rightfully so. I have not had the pleasure of meeting Jerry or thanking him for his service to my chapter and the numerous others, so this isn't a friend of his sticking up for him, just someone who would hate to see a good man's reputation dragged through the mud when he has done so much.

Despite Miami touting its status as the "Mother of Fraternities" and using that as a recruiting tool, what many do not know is the stance the administration has taken towards greek life in recent years. As mentioned in the article above, faculty members are discouraged from serving as advisers to greek organizations, whereas it used to be lauded (and helpful in attaining tenure) in the past. The university's stance on hazing is ludicrous, as under their mandates having pledges participate in any event as a group constitutes 'hazing'. As in, where there used to be a philanthropy basketball tournament between the fraternities pledge classes, this year the tournament had to be opened up to everyone so that it wouldn't be 'hazing'. I'm certainly not suggesting we be allowed to paddle the crap out of our pledges or do some of the stuff that was completely fair game in years past, but lets be reasonable. Instead of being reasonable, the university has looked for every opportunity to hinder greek life in years past rather than addressing the problem chapters and letting those who operate responsibly to continue to do so, free of ridiculous red tape and regulations. Unfortunately, in all likelihood the university will use all the negative publicity just received as the means to attain the end they have wanted for awhile, which is a significantly diminished greek system.

While it may seem in the article above that Jerry is 'gunning' for one particular fraternity, in reality he just wants organizations to operate responsibly. He has put countless hours into making sure houses do succeed, but at the same time he will call a spade a spade when need be. I've been here for 3+ years, which has been more than enough to know that his criticisms of Sigma Chi at Miami are completely justified. In addition to the violations noted in the article, they were found to be violating our dry rush regulations by smoking weed in a back room during rush. They were also supposedly involved in a coke deal gone bad with the football team that left a pledge in the hospital with serious injuries. Despite all this and our IFC's best efforts to have them banished long-term so a culture change could occur, the administration caved to their Alpha status and alumni pressure and gave them a joke of a punishment, only kicking them off for one semester.

It's all politics, as is seen yet again with the recent punishments of Pi Phi and Fuzzie. Take some time to read the letters from the Pi Phi and Fuzzie formals back to back. Tell me which is worse, and if you show me someone who tries to justify Pi Phi (with a history of showing up drunk to the few philanthropies they actually attend) getting 1 year off and Fuzzie (involved on campus, no bad history) getting 2 I'll show you a liar. Our administration thought back to the Princeton Review slamming Miami for a lack of diversity, and decided that they couldn't afford to be seen as giving a slap on the wrist for bad behavior at the Freedom Center. I have been told that this was the first large event held at the Freedom Center, so they didn't know what to expect. While the drinking and trashed bathrooms are certainly not appropriate, they are not really that far outside the realm of expectations for a formal. Obviously the student attempting to pee on a monument is completely unacceptable, but that was a date and the girls certainly didn't condone it.

I would make the argument that while the Fuzzie girls were not well-behaved, the Freedom Center never should have been hosting an event like that in the first place. But they are hard up for cash, as the center has lost money every year since it opened to the best of my knowledge, so they are looking for any possible additional revenue (see: the spokesman suggesting they come back for a tour in the fall). They deserve a punishment, but social probation is more appropriate, not kicking off for 2 years a chapter that contributes on campus.

On the other hand, Pi Phi showed a complete disregard and treated the staff at their formal as if they weren't even human, with one responding to a worker telling her a stall was out of order by saying, "You don't understand..I don't care." The rest of their actions that night reflected that attitude. Pi Phi not getting the 2 year kiss of death is a joke. They earned it. I'm extremely disappointed by the way our administration has handled greek life over the past few years, and the way they have handled these two cases is absolutely despicable. Instead of doing the right thing, they are ruining the sorority experience for a whole chapter (Fuzzie) in an attempt to save face with the African American community. The university was going to take a massive image hit once the Pi Phi letter went public anyway, so throwing Fuzzie under the bus wasn't going to help anything. They deserve a reprimand, but not to have their whole experience ended.

/hijack

This is Facebook's fault, not yours. This new "feature" was added a few weeks ago and also includes plugins to websites such as cnn, people, etc. I, too, was shocked beyond belief to see my picture (and friends' pictures too) on a website that I was visiting for the first time.

Of course FB set the default privacy setting to "allow" for everyone unless we turn it off. Therefore, if you don't like it I encourage everyone to go into their privacy settings-> applications and websites-> instant personalization pilot program. Unclick.

You may still need to "sign out" from the facebook portion of sites that you have visited since FB launched the program. I updated my privacy settings about a week ago, and other than "signing out" in those facebook boxes for about 24 hours I haven't had a problem since.

Again, realize that even if you aren't seeing yourself on certain sites your friends can see if you have read/liked an article on that site.

Annoying beyond belief.

end hijack/

QFP and this is not the place for stereotypes and hearsay. What's done is done and I don't think it's right to tarnish the name of Pi Beta Phi or Alpha Xi Delta by continually bringing this up.

Discussing these incidents on this site is not tarnishing the names of the sororities involved. The sleezoid and drunken members/dates and seeming lack of internal chapter leadership are doing that job.

The Cincinnati Enquirer print edition had the Pi Phi story as a headline in the Local section yesterday, and the AXiD story as a headline in the front section today. Middle aged professionals I work with who know I am greek have initiated conversations about this with me and it has been on local talk radio as well.

It does seem that Pi Phi got off easier than AXiD, but the final chapter of all of this is not yet written, I suspect.

What is with defecating in public? Is this a new fad/trend/status?

I completely agree it's fine to discuss these incidents! I'm just not fond of the few posters who like to share their opinions of the chapters along with the facts. Saying things to the nature of "it's no surprise that it was this chapter" or "they showed up drunk to the few philanthropy events they did attend" is what I have a problem with!!!

If it's firsthand experience though, and not hearsay... then it's not so taboo, IMO. Considering these stories have dominated the local talk radio shows and have been in the top 3 news stories on the local Big 4 news affiliates, plus the newspapers... other MU students saying "I'm not surprised" is the least of worries.

As for the PiPhi's and Alpha Xi's... I read that the PiPhi's have to apply to be released from suspension next year. IMO, Alpha Xi has every right to appeal.

I think MUGreek had a great post, and he's spot on with the logic behind why the Alpha Xi's are being punished more harshly. A lightbulb clicked when he mentioned what he did. Like I said before, I didn't even realize the Freedom Center HELD events like this or even had rental space, and I worked in a building directly across from it for 2 years. It makes sense... a predominately white sorority formal being held at a museum that celebrates black history, with an end result like this? With the Civil Rights baseball game being held in a matter of a few days? The Center IS hurting for money. Cincinnati is an extremely racially divided city as it is, this is just salt in that wound. However, if the Alpha Xi punishment is going to be that harsh for that reason though, then I think the standard has to be the same for all MU greek orgs.

I feel horrible for the girls in both sisterhoods who didn't do anything to deserve this. How the actions of a few (at least half of them dates) can ruin things for so many others is unfathomable to me.

When you put it like that, I can definitely see your point. I guess my thing is that GC always tries to stay far, far away from discussing chapter reputations simply because it makes greek life look bad.

Bottom line- these girls were idiots. They make us all look bad. It is sad that it wasn't the whole chapter's fault, but yours and your dates' actions reflect your chapter and it is so sad when a few ROTTEN apples ruin it for everyone.

Desecrating a Civil Rights museum should be judged more harshly than a lodge. This is a fact of life. It's like speeding in a school zone versus on a regular street. We, as a society, have places that we just hold more sacred than others. If Miami University didn't hold Alpha Xi responsible in a harsh manner for their behavior, then they would be setting a bad example for what is acceptable behavior when visiting a place that many hold sacred. While I am sorry that this may ruin the experience of the Alpha Xi members who behaved themselves, the chapter should have been aware that their behavior at that venue needed to be above reproach. Hell, the DJ was appalled! This would be the equivalent of trashing the Smithsonian, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Vietnam Memorial or any countless places that memorialize our culture, history, etc. You just don't do that. I agree with the Freedom Center, it would be a good thing for these women to tour the center when they return to the school in the fall so they realize what they were desecrating. The least they could do is learn from the experience. In the end, none of this fiasco is about sorority life, it's about alcohol abuse, poor decision making and a lack of respect for others which is pervasive in more schools than just MU.

This. (bolding mine)