UCF takes a subtle potshot at romance

decadence · #1 03-25-2004, 04:18 PM

UCF Police found a fraternity member covered in plastic wrap and tied to a tree behind the Pi Beta Phi sorority house on Sunday night.

Sean Pierce, the plastic-wrapped member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, also was decorated in shaving cream, marshmallows, chocolate syrup and vegetable oil, and had permanent marker writings on his body and face, according to the form that referred the incident to the Student Conduct Board.

Pierce was accompanied by several other members of his fraternity who, according to the referral form, had poured and thrown the materials on him. Pierce told police his fraternity brothers did this to him because he "lavaliered" his girlfriend - gave her a necklace charm bearing the Greek letters of his fraternity - the previous night. Pierce's girlfriend is a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority.

Pierce told police that this treatment was done to all members who lavaliere their girlfriends, according to the form.

Phi Delta Theta President Christopher Merritt said that's not the case.

--- See rest of article at http://www.ucffuture.com/news/2004/0...n-640720.shtml

adpiucf · #2 03-25-2004, 04:29 PM

A very stupid tradition at my university. Lavaliere your girlfriend and then streak down Greek Park and jump into Lake Claire, with a caravan of your brothers cheering you on in pick-up trucks, honking and hooting, and alerting all the sororities on the row to come out and see.... now they've started adding various condiments and plastic wrap to the mix? Kinky.

LXAAlum · #3 03-25-2004, 05:05 PM

This "tradition" is also done at other campuses - but I've never heard of it for dropping/lavaliering - usually this "high honor" is reserved for either pinning or engagements.

Not a local tradition at all...and, some of the variations I've heard being considered - he's lucky he at least got to wear something, even if it was saran wrap....

Speaking of saran wrap - we had a toga party once way back when, and one brother decided that would be his toga material. He was also one of the stunningly brilliant brothers who couldn't figure out why our chapter got closed in 1989...

adpiucf · #4 03-25-2004, 05:22 PM

At UCF, lavaliering is the equivalent of a pinning. From there, you go to promise ring or engagement ring! We don't pin at all. It's funny, because Greeks work in the Greek merchandise shops, and when a guy comes in to buy a lavaliere, the rumors start to fly!!!

Of course, when I was a collegian, we liked to call fraternity lavalieres "the kiss of death." 85% of those couples were broken up within weeks of lavaliering. (And it would take most guys at least 2 years of dating to give the lavaliere away in the first place--- I don't know if it had more to do with the stigma of giving away your letters, or the fear of getting thrown in Lake Claire, the man-made lake at the end of Greek Park.)

Every sorority girl at UCF dreams of being lavaliered, and having the special candlelighting sisterhood celebration from her chapter... Every fraternity man at UCF hems and haws and dreads the day his love for his girlfriend leaves him covered in algae and leaves at the bottom of the lake!

But as I said, that was the scene 3-4 years ago. Now we've graduated to tossing salad dressing and hershey's syrup at the brothers. I'm SO proud of my alma mater.

shadokat · #5 03-25-2004, 06:02 PM

I don't think this is rare. These sorts of rituals exist everywhere in some form or another.

Tom Earp · #6 03-25-2004, 07:04 PM

Well, it is stupid as Hell!

But, if no charges were filed, the local COPs cant do anything about it!

It would be dropped in Court when said Brother said Oh No, I will not press charges for My Brothers being Dim- Friggen- Witts!

Einstein Brains dont make a smart individual!

LXAAlum would I get an Amen From You!??????

On pining adpiusf, I would never give anyone My Badge, I worked to damn hard to get it!

Letters, maybe!

ztabchbum · #7 03-25-2004, 07:25 PM

My mom felt the same way about getting pinned - she still has it, even offered to give it back. She was told that he got another one after he gave her his and he WANTED her to keep it as a momento of their life together. It's a Pi Kapp pin and she married a Sigma Nu.

ZTAngel · #8 03-25-2004, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by adpiucf
A very stupid tradition at my university. Lavaliere your girlfriend and then streak down Greek Park and jump into Lake Claire, with a caravan of your brothers cheering you on in pick-up trucks, honking and hooting, and alerting all the sororities on the row to come out and see.... now they've started adding various condiments and plastic wrap to the mix? Kinky.

They get more creative don't they?

It use to be either jump in Lake Claire (our nasty, polluted lake that is so dear to the UCF Greeks) or streak down greek park with 100's of sorority girls watching. You can even have your girlfriend run beside you if you like! I think my boyfriend opted to be thrown in Lake Claire for lavaliering me. How sweet.

And, adpiucf, I am proud of our alma mater too!!!!! heh heh

James · #9 03-25-2004, 09:35 PM

ITs the least a boy deserves for giving his letters away .. . whipped little saps

tunatartare · #10 03-25-2004, 10:23 PM

This is the first time I've ever heard of people really doing anything like that in terms of tieing a brother up and throwing food at him. I think stories like this do continue to give people a negative vibe about Greek Life. I just find it kind of hypocritical that if this had been done to a pledge, all hell would break loose about hazing, but since this was done to a brother, people just think it's a funny prank. What message are we trying to send out? That we treat our pledges better than we treat our brothers?

James · #11 03-25-2004, 10:34 PM

No No No . . that you really shouldn't give your letters away.

I talked to some odler alums from some big southern chapters once and they told me that this stuff happened and that there was an undercurrent of seriousness to it . . like they really thought the Brother was a Twit and that this was a form of funny punishment.

Quote:

Originally posted by DaisyKLP
This is the first time I've ever heard of people really doing anything like that in terms of tieing a brother up and throwing food at him. I think stories like this do continue to give people a negative vibe about Greek Life. I just find it kind of hypocritical that if this had been done to a pledge, all hell would break loose about hazing, but since this was done to a brother, people just think it's a funny prank. What message are we trying to send out? That we treat our pledges better than we treat our brothers?

preciousjeni · #12 03-25-2004, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DaisyKLP
This is the first time I've ever heard of people really doing anything like that in terms of tieing a brother up and throwing food at him. I think stories like this do continue to give people a negative vibe about Greek Life. I just find it kind of hypocritical that if this had been done to a pledge, all hell would break loose about hazing, but since this was done to a brother, people just think it's a funny prank. What message are we trying to send out? That we treat our pledges better than we treat our brothers?

Hazing does apply to members and potential/new members as well. But, in this case, the brother isn't going to press charges, especially if it is an established tradition. But, if something horrible happened, there might be trouble. I really think hazing laws are getting ridiculous, but I'll still uphold the law because I SURE don't want to get in trouble! LOL!

ETA: James, you are one mean son of a gun!!

Quote:

"Inside every Fat person is a thin person screaming silently and trying to claw their way out"

BaylorBean · #13 03-25-2004, 11:58 PM

This was a common occurance at my alma mater (just ask my poor boyfriend!). Mostly for lavaliers though, pinning never really occured at my school. One fraternity actually had a huge paddle that they tied the guy to and carried them to the sorority dorm in the middle of the night. Typically the girl had to come out and "rescue" her man and then the whole fraternity sang their sweetheart song to her.

DeltAlum · #14 03-26-2004, 01:57 AM

Hey James, be nice.

I lavaliered the then future Mrs. DeltAlum when we were in college, and nothing bad happened to me.

Of course we never got pinned. That could have been ugly.

hoosier · #15 03-26-2004, 06:57 PM

I've helped a lot of chapters publish alumni newsletters, and once saw an issue with a huge and hilarious mis=print.

On the front page was a picture of a nice looking lady, with a caption "Tom just got pinned".

Inside was a picture of a guy tied up and covered with assorted ugly liquids and garbage, with a caption "Welcome to our new housemother."

It's true - wish I could find my copy now.