Sorority Formal Shirt with Racist Image

[naraht]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I hope no one goes overboard in determining consequences.

The chapter president's phrase "Horrified by our oversight" hopefully will go a long way toward helping with this.

Also, having Samford 's University President Andrew Westmoreland's letter on the issue. In order of "blame", he puts the T-shirt issuing company first, only *slightly* behind them the University itself, and then down the list, the women of the Alpha Delta Pi chapter. The advisors and ADPi National were involved pretty early as well.

http://www.wtvm.com/story/31988158/s...fensive-images

Given this, I expect the chapter will have no official punishment from *either* Alpha Delta Pi HQ nor Samford University. I could see the chapter working with the local NPHC for a history discussion or something similar, but nothing that would (for example) lead to them losing their House or penalties to Quota.

[LaneSig]

I understand that different campuses have different processes, but at the campus where I advise t-shirt design approval is between the chapters and the Greek Life office.

Is it common to have the vendor contacting the Greek Life (of Student Activities) office for approval and leaving the chapters out of it?

For the record, I make my guys send me the t-shirt design first for approval before they send it to Greek Life. I have told them that they'd rather have me catch something inappropriate first before the University catches it. It's worked well so far.

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by LaneSig

I understand that different campuses have different processes, but at the campus where I advise t-shirt design approval is between the chapters and the Greek Life office.

Is it common to have the vendor contacting the Greek Life (of Student Activities) office for approval and leaving the chapters out of it?

For the record, I make my guys send me the t-shirt design first for approval before they send it to Greek Life. I have told them that they'd rather have me catch something inappropriate first before the University catches it. It's worked well so far.

I can't imagine that NO ONE at the chapter saw the shirt design before ordering it. Someone had to decide who to order from and give them money. They really didn't check the design before paying for the shirts?

And it's more typical for at least the council and an advisor and maybe the Greek Life office to see the design before it goes out.

Their excuse is awfully implausible.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by LaneSig

I understand that different campuses have different processes, but at the campus where I advise t-shirt design approval is between the chapters and the Greek Life office.

Is it common to have the vendor contacting the Greek Life (of Student Activities) office for approval and leaving the chapters out of it?

For the record, I make my guys send me the t-shirt design first for approval before they send it to Greek Life. I have told them that they'd rather have me catch something inappropriate first before the University catches it. It's worked well so far.

According to the article, one of the ways where the Samford President says that the University fell down is that they basically just sent a note rejecting the shirt to the Printing company and *didn't* contact the chapter to explain why it was bad. (And ADPi's licensing company approved the shirt!)

[naraht]

Originally Posted by KDCat

I can't imagine that NO ONE at the chapter saw the shirt design before ordering it. Someone had to decide who to order from and give them money. They really didn't check the design before paying for the shirts?

And it's more typical for at least the council and an advisor and maybe the Greek Life office to see the design before it goes out.

Their excuse is awfully implausible.

The Greek Life office *did* see the shirt, *rejected* the shirt, told the printing company it was rejected and the printing company mis-entered the shirt into its database as approved. The Greek Life office *didn't* contact the chapter to tell them there was a problem.

Whether or not it is an excuse, the *University* President considers the chapter to be the least at fault out of the University Greek Life Office, the Printer and the ADPi chapter.

[KDCat]

Thank you for clarifying that!

At the same time, how did anyone at the chapter think that shirt was okay? I know part of our mission is to educate our members, but good grief... how naïve are these people?

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by KDCat

Thank you for clarifying that!

At the same time, how did anyone at the chapter think that shirt was okay? I know part of our mission is to educate our members, but good grief... how naïve are these people?

Judging from the links naraht posted earlier in the thread, it is likely that the part of the image in question was just not noticed when viewed on a t-shirt. A regrettable oversight, as the chapter stated, not an endorsement of racially sensitive images as "okay."

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

My kids graduated from Samford and both, plus SIL,said that Kappa chapter were rule followers to a T. They were very surprised that this chapter would risk everything over a T shirt and did not believe that was the case. This makes more sense.

I agree!

[AZTheta]

A statement from Samford University President Andrew Westmoreland, shared on the Alpha Delta Pi website.

Warning: it's several pages long. I have many thoughts about the content. Reader's Digest version: majority of blame is placed on vendor employee error in changing University's disapproval to approval status for t-shirt.

There's more to be said but you can form your own conclusions after reading it (if you choose to do so).

[Hartofsec]

There is no dispute that the image was racially insensitive, and clearly a string of oversights occurred that must be corrected. It is good that the trail of oversights was investigated and formal apologies issued.

On the other hand, the president of Samford also seemed bent on creating unnecessary drama – this is hardly a campus “crisis” that should ruin the experience of all AA students at Samford. If I even wondered about the president’s interest in milking the PR angle, I didn’t when I read this in his letter:

"A couple of weeks ago, an African-American male, a retired executive, sat in my office and cried as he recounted the reception at which he was honored as he received the highest promotion of his career. The reception featured watermelon. None of the white executives noticed, but the moment deprived this black executive, attaining the pinnacle of a lifetime, of the joy of his accomplishments. Years later, the hurt was still deep enough that he could not conceal his emotions."

I have to wonder if Samford will eliminate watermelon from campus, now that it has been identified as a racially insensitive food by the president.

[Cheerio]

Originally Posted by Hartofsec

There is no dispute that the image was racially insensitive, and clearly a string of oversights occurred that must be corrected. It is good that the trail of oversights was investigated and formal apologies issued.

On the other hand, the president of Samford also seemed bent on creating unnecessary drama – this is hardly a campus “crisis” that should ruin the experience of all AA students at Samford. If I even wondered about the president’s interest in milking the PR angle, I didn’t when I read this in his letter:

"A couple of weeks ago, an African-American male, a retired executive, sat in my office and cried as he recounted the reception at which he was honored as he received the highest promotion of his career. The reception featured watermelon. None of the white executives noticed, but the moment deprived this black executive, attaining the pinnacle of a lifetime, of the joy of his accomplishments. Years later, the hurt was still deep enough that he could not conceal his emotions."

I have to wonder if Samford will eliminate watermelon from campus, now that it has been identified as a racially insensitive food by the president.

OMG I used a watermelon stamp on a letter today.

[jolene]

I'm sending my daughter with watermelon slices to a school picnic on Monday. O.o

[FSUZeta]

I know Dr Westmoreland personally and he is a good man. Because I know him, I believe that he is sincere in what he wrote. It doesn't make sense that he would seek publicity in such a debacle-this is a lose/lose scenario all the way around. There is no advantage to having Samford's name associated with this. He did not write the letter to the NY Times or the Birmingham News. He wrote a letter to those affiliated with Samford. Samford is affiliated with the Baptist Church, hence the tone of the letter.

[sigmadiva]

For those who may not fully understand why this t-shirt is a racial issue, here is an article that explains why the image on the ADPi t-shirt is seen as offensive.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/...-trope/383529/


(DrPhil was so much better at explaining issues like this.)

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

I know Dr Westmoreland personally and he is a good man. Because I know him, I believe that he is sincere in what he wrote. It doesn't make sense that he would seek publicity in such a debacle-this is a lose/lose scenario all the way around. There is no advantage to having Samford's name associated with this. He did not write the letter to the NY Times or the Birmingham News. He wrote a letter to those affiliated with Samford. Samford is affiliated with the Baptist Church, hence the tone of the letter.

I should not have assigned a motive to his letter or questioned his sincerity – I apologize as I do not know him.

I appreciate his transparency and explanation of the events, and I don’t think his dramatic letter was intended to fan any flames beneath the Greek community. I see that his very accomplished daughter was in a sorority at Samford.

Though I still regard his letter as unnecessarily dramatic – even approaching silly at points (thinking of his descriptions focused on his feelings in the midst of this “crisis”). The incident was a regrettable, though unintentional, offense -- not a hate crime of campus “crisis” proportion. Those involved have been very apologetic, so hopefully those offended will be forgiving.

The watermelon anecdote was just over the dramatic top IMO. I agree that the t-shirt image was offensive, but following his comments about the larger problem being our overlooking symbols of racism -- should serving watermelon at a reception be so racially offensive and emotionally traumatizing?

Perhaps some of us should be more sensitive and aware of recognizing these symbols, while others of us should be less sensitive and slower to take offense.

Otherwise, I wonder what’s next. Wearing cotton? Seems ridiculous, but wearing cotton could be considered the symbolic equivalent of serving watermelon at a reception.