USC (CA) Alleged "Rooftop" Photos (Kappa Sigma)

[exlurker]

About the USC (CA) photos (allegedly of sex on a rooftop, apparently). The LA Times reports::

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lano...4e8710dd4d970d

Excerpt:

. . . The Daily Trojan quoted a statement released by the president of USC Kappa Sigma acknowledging that the man in the photos was a fraternity member.

"While the actions that were taken did involve a member of our chapter we, in no way, support this kind of behavior, nor do we promote any such actions," Zach Timm was quoted as saying.

Timm said inquiries into the incident had been launched and that the fraternity member seen in the photos had been suspended "for conduct unbecoming of a Kappa Sigma and a gentleman."

Edited to add:

This is making "news" outside Greater Los Angeles; the London (UK) Daily Mail's site is carrying a report:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...=feeds-newsxml

[AnotherKD]

The pic was on tfm, but I don't see it now. It was quite obvious... they weren't exactly laying down...

[dnall]

Originally Posted by AnotherKD

The pic was on tfm, but I don't see it now. It was quite obvious... they weren't exactly laying down...

It's still there:
http://totalfratmove.com/400211#comments

What I heard about this was that the guy was identified as a KappaSig, not specifically that it was THE guy who wrote the cocksman email. I could almost see if it was that specific guy though, as suspended & almost certainly going to be expelled tends to lead to pretty atrocious behavior.

[33girl]

Nice tan lines. TNF.

At least if this was the email writer, they could say "one bad apple" and be done with it.

[SC2013]

The email guy and the rooftop guy are not one and the same.

It's funny though. Kappa Sig in general is a pretty tame house. The email guy apparently transferred in from a rowdier chapter that's gotten in trouble in the past. Generally our chapter--and I can say this lovingly as a friend who's an officer in the house said so himself--is borderline nerdy. It's somewhat amusing that our chapter of Kappa Sig has become the infamously "fratty" house of the west coast, when there are many other frats on the Row which probably more accurately depict the kind of lifestyle the email depicts. I guess the other frats just don't degrade women in public or on the Internet, but it's still definitely there, and much worse.

[Barbie's_Rush]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Nice tan lines. TNF.

I'm impressed by the size of the black box myself.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by aephi alum

Honestly, it's not that difficult to get roof access. I will take my own campus as a prime example. MIT has a long-standing tradition of hacking, which comes in two aspects: the more public aspect of doing stunts like putting campus police cars on top of the Great Dome, and the more private aspect of just plain getting into spaces people aren't supposed to get into (which includes roofs, steam tunnels, abandoned elevator shafts, etc.) Incoming freshmen can participate in "Orange Tours" where they are taken into some of these forbidden areas with the assistance of experienced guides. (And, yes, you can be arrested if found in a forbidden area. MIT CPs aren't just rent-a-cops - they have to serve on the police force of an actual town or city before being hired, and they have the authority to arrest people.)

But I digress.

I would imagine that, after the "cocksman" email, the national officers of the fraternity felt they had to make an example of the brother "doing the deed" in a public place where he and his partner were easily caught on camera and he was so easily identifiable. People do stupid things when they get drunk (has it been established that either or both of them was drunk?). There's a certain thrill in gaining access to somewhere you shouldn't be, and I imagine that having sex in said place would be icing on the cake.

IMO, they also should have expelled (or at least reprimanded) the originator of the "cocksman" email (assuming they are not one and the same). I've read the full text of the email, and it was disgusting, to say the least.

I'm just thinking of Los Angeles being in California with a very active legal system, and that access turning into a law suit or a tort for not preventing (or having a notification system if the door is opened) access to a rooftop. This whole situation is an attractive nuisance in more way than one.

Originally Posted by SC2013

The email guy and the rooftop guy are not one and the same.

It's funny though. Kappa Sig in general is a pretty tame house. The email guy apparently transferred in from a rowdier chapter that's gotten in trouble in the past. Generally our chapter--and I can say this lovingly as a friend who's an officer in the house said so himself--is borderline nerdy. It's somewhat amusing that our chapter of Kappa Sig has become the infamously "fratty" house of the west coast, when there are many other frats on the Row which probably more accurately depict the kind of lifestyle the email depicts. I guess the other frats just don't degrade women in public or on the Internet, but it's still definitely there, and much worse.

Individuals in and out of fraternities do it, they just haven't been caught or it hasn't gone public yet. The unfortunate thing about these incidents is that the back lash is so much worse and often goes too far, punishing people who haven't done this or have handled the one member here or there who is out of line with the rest. I know a lot of people cannot have their minds changed, nor does having a thought police force work, but getting people to check public behavior that exposes a whole system and group of people not involved in the problem is where it needs to start. That may leave chapters with kicking people out as their only option, which can be unfortunate but the best prevention and cure.

[DTD Alum]

Two things:

1. The guy is the same guy who wrote that "cocksman" e-mail that was on every other blog a couple weeks ago. Huge PR disaster for him (although I'm betting he enjoys it) and USC Kappa Sigma.

2. The event unfortunately took place directly after a sorority's philanthropy event on the quad. Although nobody has been able to identify the girl after the photos have passed around (there are some clear shots of her face and this first leaked Saturday night/Sunday morning), and the fact that she was wearing a different shirt than every girl at the philanthropy, the coincidence has of course been noted and the rumors have blown up that it is a sorority member. They have released a statement saying it wasn't one of their members, and frankly I'm not going to mention which house because I think it's clear she would have been found out by now if it's only limited to 200ish girls, so I don't think she was in that house. For what it's worth, the guy was correctly identified within minutes and it's been over three days and nobody has been able to identify her.

Absolute PR disaster for the SC Greek system, I'm sad to say.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DTD Alum

this first leaked Saturday night/Sunday morning

LOL. Pardon my Beavis moment.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Um, am I the only one that thinks this isn't such a big deal?

[excelblue]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Um, am I the only one that thinks this isn't such a big deal?

I think the real issue is one of PR. This is just an example of how fast something can spread in today's online world. It may be a minor violation on behalf of the individual, but things like this get blown up quite quickly.

Furthermore, he managed to damage both the image of his fraternity and those of all USC fraternities through an action that can most likely be attributed to only himself. Not to mention, the sororities took some of the collateral damage.

That said, LOL, and I'm scouring the internet for the photo right now!

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by excelblue

I think the real issue is one of PR. This is just an example of how fast something can spread in today's online world. It may be a minor violation on behalf of the individual, but things like this get blown up quite quickly.

Furthermore, he managed to damage both the image of his fraternity and those of all USC fraternities through an action that can most likely be attributed to only himself. Not to mention, the sororities took some of the collateral damage.

That said, LOL, and I'm scouring the internet for the photo right now!

I work in PR. And yet I think this is no big deal. When I saw this, I said, "Eh, college kids being college kids." Or, "Adults being adults." They just got caught. Secretly, his fraternity is probably getting a lot of fist bumps from others.

[Football Fan]

Latest update:

This is what I understand is the latest news about the unfortunate incident.

The national office has rescinded the membership of the fraternity member.

The female involved is NOT a student at USC. The sorority had the misfortune to have this occur right after their charitable fund raising event. The female was NOT a member of the sorority.

[LatinaAlumna]

Originally Posted by Football Fan

Latest update:
The national office has rescinded the membership of the fraternity member.

If this is the kid's only violation, I would say expulsion is too harsh. What are they going to do now--expel every member who is doing something stupid in a photo? I tend to think this isn't his only misdeed.

BTW, I couldn't believe how some of the local TV and radio stations were reporting this in So. Cal. yesterday--SEX SCANDAL ON CAMPUS! I also liked how they referred to quotes from the IFC e-board members as quotes from "USC officials."

[kddani]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Um, am I the only one that thinks this isn't such a big deal?

No, I read the OP and thought "so what?". Of all of the sex that goes on in a fraternity house, they're going to make a big deal of this?