Phi Kappa Psi at U of Virginia Voluntarily Suspends Activities

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by 1964Alum

Students there are organizing, holding rallies and the like. There are several petitions going around, including one calling for the abolishment of the Greek system. IMO this is a golden opportunity for Greeks to step up to the plate and show leadership on campus.

http://www.cavalierdaily.com/article...sexual-assault

It's a little late for that. Whatever they do is going to be seen as reactive, and rightly so.

[1964Alum]

Originally Posted by KDCat

It's a little late for that. Whatever they do is going to be seen as reactive, and rightly so.

Not if they band together and create some proactive programs. As it is, something ghastly happens, it is exposed, and Nationals step in and close chapters and pull pins. That is a consequence but is not creating protocols for addressing the problem directly and putting into place preventative measures.

I think what we all need to understand is rightly or wrongly the Greek system is seen as a locus of the problems. We need to be part of the solution. And through our actions, not just our words.

Where are chapter advisors addressing the problem of fraternities supplying alcohol to minors in their houses, not to mention date-rape drugs? What protocols are in place for those who know these kinds of things are going on in their houses but say or do nothing to stop it? Where are the sorority chapter advisers insisting on very clear cut guidelines for members to protect themselves? Where is the support for members who have been raped and being fearful of filing charges against the perps?

[33girl]

All those are good ideas. But they can get twisted around. For example:

sorority chapter advisers insisting on very clear cut guidelines for members to protect themselves

Girl is platonic friends with boy, boy calls her upset about this or that, girl goes to his fraternity house to help him talk it out, girl gets terminated because she wasn't accompanied by 5 sisters. Better women learn how to handle themselves and avoid averse situations without being shepherded by sorority rules.

Why were women supporting this fraternity at all?

ETA: One of the Cavalier articles says that it's not for sure that all seven men were fraternity brothers. Is this true?

[exlurker]

Update: Problems with the Selection of Person to deal with Investigation

http://wtvr.com/2014/11/21/mark-fili...investigation/

[dukemama]

I don't believe there's any coincidence that UVA selected a federal judge with ties to Phi Kappa Psi to lead the investigation.

[WCUgirl]

Originally Posted by dukemama

I don't believe there's any coincidence that UVA selected a federal judge with ties to Phi Kappa Psi to lead the investigation.

A few things:

UVA didn't select him, Mark Herring did.

He wasn't selected to lead the fraternity investigation, he was selected to lead the university's policy revision. He was actually a very well-qualified candidate to do this, as his firm's profile page reflects (Kirkland Ellis).

I don't understand how people think a former prosecutor, assistant attorney general, and federal district judge is unable to lead an impartial/unbiased investigation merely because he was a member of the fraternity at issue, despite having been initiated at an entirely different university.

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by WCUgirl

A few things:

UVA didn't select him, Mark Herring did.

He wasn't selected to lead the fraternity investigation, he was selected to lead the university's policy revision. He was actually a very well-qualified candidate to do this, as his firm's profile page reflects (Kirkland Ellis).

I don't understand how people think a former prosecutor, assistant attorney general, and federal district judge is unable to lead an impartial/unbiased investigation merely because he was a member of the fraternity at issue, despite having been initiated at an entirely different university.

While he may very well be capable of being impartial, the allegations in this situation are serious enough that there needs to be no room for doubt in the eyes of the public so that whatever decision is reached is unimpeachable in its integrity. Membership in the fraternity in question is sufficient to cast doubt in the eyes of the public.

[1964Alum]

Originally Posted by exlurker

Update: Problems with the Selection of Person to deal with Investigation

http://wtvr.com/2014/11/21/mark-fili...investigation/

People here in VA are all over this incident and a case of conflict of interest would be quickly pointed out. I know our attorney general Mark Herring (all the candidates love to come to my small city and meet us in small groups) and am pretty confident he will oversee an honest and complete investigation. If he doesn't, he will hear about it very clearly.

[exlurker]

Phi Kappa Psi at UVA released a statement (Washington Post carries it -- below) just after the local police released their statement about their investigation. The police found no evidence to support "Jackie's" story. The police did not (really could not, I think) dismiss the possibility that something may have happened -- just not what "Jackie" said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/...f1c_story.html

For a little more about the police report on their investigation:

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/...raternity-rape

[honorgal]

Originally Posted by exlurker

The police did not (really could not, I think) dismiss the possibility that something may have happened -- just not what "Jackie" said.

Yeah, because...politics. And it's pretty darn impossible to prove the negative.

The WaPost's Eric Wemple had the most accurate and concise headline.

"Charlottesville police make clear that Rolling Stone story is a complete crock"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...omplete-crock/

[exlurker]

Originally Posted by 33girl

. . . s
Why were women supporting this fraternity at all?

. . . . ?

Excellent question, and one that I hope sorority members, advisers, Panhellenics, and so on will seriously ask themselves. It's troubling to know that sororities can feel that it's more important to be able to mix / party with (at least some) fraternities than to support undergrad sisters in cases like this.

For example, see
http://wtvr.com/2014/11/21/uva-stude...-lot-of-power/

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by exlurker

Excellent question, and one that I hope sorority members, advisers, Panhellenics, and so on will seriously ask themselves. It's troubling to know that sororities can feel that it's more important to be able to mix / party with (at least some) fraternities than to support undergrad sisters in cases like this.

For example, see
http://wtvr.com/2014/11/21/uva-stude...-lot-of-power/

Also, it's part of the "cool girl" thing that's such a big deal with the youngsters. A "cool girl" doesn't support other women when they're being attacked by men. A "cool girl" doesn't let that stuff happen to her because a "cool girl" knows how to handle her booze. Ugh.

[1964Alum]

Originally Posted by 33girl

All those are good ideas. But they can get twisted around. For example:



Girl is platonic friends with boy, boy calls her upset about this or that, girl goes to his fraternity house to help him talk it out, girl gets terminated because she wasn't accompanied by 5 sisters. Better women learn how to handle themselves and avoid averse situations without being shepherded by sorority rules.

Why were women supporting this fraternity at all?

Well, back in the dark ages when I was an active, a Chi O at the state's flagship university was abducted, raped, murdered, and then dumped in a field. Our chapter advisers were all over that horrific event. (We, the murdered Chi O and I, had been high school classmates, so it hit even closer to home for me. A male friend from high school was one of the group of young men who found her.) There were no rules, per se, but many firmly stressed guidelines and given over a period of time and often repeated. There was some initial eye-rolling, but we took them seriously. An alternative to meeting an upset young frat friend at his house would be to meet elsewhere or even at the sorority house.

I don't know why young women were supporting this fraternity. I suppose they wanted to be seen as being "cool". In their minds this was considered a "top tier" frat. And also the fear of being blamed by other students. The lack of support for victims among other students is appalling.

[exlurker]

An NBC affiliate posted Phi Kappa Psi's statement.

http://www.nbc29.com/story/27451877/...-stone-article