Phi Kappa Psi at U of Virginia Voluntarily Suspends Activities

[cinder1965]

From reading the RS article, it sounds like the culture of sexually assaulting women is so deep seeded in the fraternities at UVA that it may be best to abolish the Greek system. I was physically ill after a reading it. This has been going on for decades and clearly there are no adults in charge who have any kind of leadership to address this matter. Good grief, how many more women have to be assaulted? I love my sorority but I love humanity more. This sounds like a lost cause.

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by cinder1965

From reading the RS article, it sounds like the culture of sexually assaulting women is so deep seeded in the fraternities at UVA that it may be best to abolish the Greek system. I was physically ill after a reading it. This has been going on for decades and clearly there are no adults in charge who have any kind of leadership to address this matter. Good grief, how many more women have to be assaulted? I love my sorority but I love humanity more. This sounds like a lost cause.

As the Rolling Stone article pointed out, UVa is also the place that ignored incidents between Yeardley Love and her boyfriend until the guy murdered her. The coaches knew about his behavior towards her.

UVa is a place that allows privileged kids to do whatever the hell they want.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Has anyone read "I am Charlotte Simmons"? It's said to be about Duke, but I can't stop thinking about it as I'm reading the UVA stuff play out.

[als463]

Originally Posted by cinder1965

From reading the RS article, it sounds like the culture of sexually assaulting women is so deep seeded in the fraternities at UVA that it may be best to abolish the Greek system. I was physically ill after a reading it. This has been going on for decades and clearly there are no adults in charge who have any kind of leadership to address this matter. Good grief, how many more women have to be assaulted? I love my sorority but I love humanity more. This sounds like a lost cause.

For all this stuff to be going on, I agree that there must not be too much leadership helping out. Don't these chapters on campus have advisors? I know very little about UVA and the campus culture but, I feel like having good advisors who have their fingers on the pulse of Greek Life there would be useful. This whole situation is just sad and I hate to see all of Greek Life get painted like this.

[ShadeTree]

Originally Posted by als463

For all this stuff to be going on, I agree that there must not be too much leadership helping out. Don't these chapters on campus have advisors? I know very little about UVA and the campus culture but, I feel like having good advisors who have their fingers on the pulse of Greek Life there would be useful. This whole situation is just sad and I hate to see all of Greek Life get painted like this.

Ah, the role of advisors. That topic could definitely be its own thread!

Finding and keeping well trained advisors is certainly a challenge for many organizations. And, the Fraternity and Sorority Life staffs at many schools are entry level student affairs professionals who are often inexperienced and unprepared to deal with this issue. I recently called one FSA about a sexual assault case and was told that they didn't really know much because the 'higher ups' were handling it.

[als463]

Originally Posted by ShadeTree

Ah, the role of advisors. That topic could definitely be its own thread!

Finding and keeping well trained advisors is certainly a challenge for many organizations. And, the Fraternity and Sorority Life staffs at many schools are entry level student affairs professionals who are often inexperienced and unprepared to deal with this issue. I recently called one FSA about a sexual assault case and was told that they didn't really know much because the 'higher ups' were handling it.

See, this is the reason that we as organizations need to really push alumni involvement. I always make sure to push that idea to members of my organization because strong alumni volunteers make strong advisors. How can we expect there to be alumni volunteers if we don't promote that Greek Life is more than just four years? I think my organization is doing a great job promoting it but, I'd like to see the NPC overall promote this idea of a lifetime commitment--if possible. The same goes for the other councils.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by cinder1965

From reading the RS article, it sounds like the culture of sexually assaulting women is so deep seeded in the fraternities at UVA that it may be best to abolish the Greek system.

That's not really an option since UVA is a public school. They can refuse to recognize fraternities, but many fraternities are becoming less and less concerned with school recognition.

There's something pervasive in that campus culture though seeing that both Sigma Nu and Pi Kappa Alpha yanked their chapters' charters this year. That was our Beta chapter and Pike's Alpha chapter, so I doubt either HQ did so lightly.

[1964Alum]

YES! to the idea that robust alumni involvement in chapters is absolutely necessary. We didn't have a weekly meeting where an alum was not present. They knew each one of us as we did each of them. And they were very, very aware of what was going on on campus. I can't imagine what has been going on for years at UVA happening back in the day.

Many, many alums of UVA are outraged at what has been going on there. One established a legal defense fund for victims. I wonder how many of them are in GLOs.

[1964Alum]

UVA faculty are now getting involved.

http://www.cavalierdaily.com/article...on-beta-bridge

[exlurker]

Protestors arrested for trespassing at the UVA Phi Kappa Psi house:

http://wina.com/news/064460-protest-...ssing-arrests/

[Nanners52674]

I just want to mention this quote from former UVA President John Casteen following the murder Yeardley Love.

"My hope for Yeardley, and for you," said University of Virginia president John Casteen at a May 6, 2010 candlelight vigil,[24] "is that her dying inspires an anger, a sense of outrage that engenders determination here and wherever Yeardley's name is recognized that no woman, no person in this place, this community, this state, our nation need either fear for her safety or experience violence for any reason."

I'm not really sure what can be done to "fix this" or if some sort of total overhaul is needed. But I find it deeply troubling that the murder of a student didn't generate change, and if that wasn't enough, what will be enough?

Also, what kind of change is needed, it's not just Greek life, something needs to be changed on the campus and in its administration.

[1964Alum]

Today's editorial in our local paper addresses the larger cultural context. Excerpted:

Our young have absorbed these values in a society that continues to glorify violence and objectify the vulnerable.
College administrators and lawmakers are waking up and strengthening policies, but real change will come only when more of us consciously live and speak with the kind of integrity that makes raping, not being raped, the disgrace.
Joking about rape and ostracizing those with the courage to report it must become part of our ugly past. This shift must start at home. With each of us.


http://www.newsleader.com/story/opin...blem/19415149/

[Cheerio]

Originally Posted by Nanners52674

I just want to mention this quote from former UVA President John Casteen following the murder Yeardley Love.




I'm not really sure what can be done to "fix this" or if some sort of total overhaul is needed. But I find it deeply troubling that the murder of a student didn't generate change, and if that wasn't enough, what will be enough?

Also, what kind of change is needed, it's not just Greek life, something needs to be changed on the campus and in its administration.

Would it be appropriate to educate college-bound seniors, while they are still attending high school, regarding expected behaviors while they are enrolled at the college of their choice? Not simply the Human Dignity For All At All Times approach, but truly tying that topic to their upcoming four years at an institution of higher learning.

[1964Alum]

IMO it would be helpful for current GLO members to participate in panel discussions, assemblies and the like while kids are still in high school. They can't identify with us old biddies!

[ZetaPhi708.20]

When did they suspend the sororities also?

According to the headline on www.comcast.net they are suspended also.