Greek Week Canceled -- Seton Hall

[exlurker]

Greek Week at Seton Hall was abruptly canceled --

From The Setonian of Seton Hall U.

http://domapp01.shu.edu/depts/affair...8?OpenDocument

A few excerpts:

The Greek Week activities planned for this week were canceled because of an “inundation of e-mails and other reports of incidents including hazing, hazing activities, physical violence, noise violations in the South Orange community and lack of adherence to university policies,” according to Dawn Cassiello, assistant dean of Community Development.

In response to the cancellation, representatives of most of the fraternities and sororities gathered together Tuesday night to discuss how they were going to react. They talked about holding some of the Greek Week events anyway without the university’s help. They also ordered T-shirts with the slogan “They can’t hold us down” on the back.

The decision, made by members of the vice president of Student Affairs office and members of Community Development, came Monday after the department of Community Development met all day to discuss its concern about issues surrounding Greek Life. According to Cassiello, the topic of canceling Greek Week did not come up until later in the meeting.

“The more we talked about canceling Greek Week, the more we thought it would be an appropriate response,” Cassiello said.

Dawn Williams, dean of Community Development, said the department had concerns about things that have been going on in Greek Life.

“We had concerns about organizations whose behavior and actions were inconsistent with the purposes of Greek Week,” she said. “We had to make some changes.”

The decision comes at a time when there are several incidents being investigated. .. . . “The students need to understand that this decision was not based on only one incident,” she explained. “It is beyond that. The decision is based on dozens, literally dozens of reports based on a variety of incidents that have taken place.”


. . . . Scott Fitzgerald, co-chairman of Greek Week said a major reason it was canceled was because Greek Life could not come together and get along.

“It seems like the issues that they’re focusing on, disciplinary problems and isolated incidents of improper educating of new members, have always been a problem at our school and at others,” Fitzgerald said. “But the idea that Greek Life can not come together peacefully is absurd.”

. . . . Sophomore Melanie Torsella, co-chairwoman of Greek Week and Alpha Sigma Tau member, said while she is disappointed with the decision, she could see why it had to happen.

“I will say that for as upset as I am that it was canceled, I can understand why the administration felt the need to come to this decision,” she said.

. . . .
Christopher Dino, senior Phi Kappa Sigma member, said he thought the decision was a rash one.

“I think we should have had Greek Week as planned,” Dino said. “Problems on campus exist, but I don’t think canceling an event that unifies the Greek community helps solve them. I just think it was an unnecessary measure to take to combat a problem with a few groups.” . . .