Yale: DKE Apologizes for Pledge Chant Incident

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

Yeah, starting a sentence with haha does not implicate thinking rape is funny.
.

I agree with you. Somebody posted the video on facebook. I laughed. Whatever.

ETA: Forced apologies are stupid.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

Yeah, starting a sentence with haha does not implicate thinking rape is funny.

I am not surprised with your illogic.

(it might implicate that I saw the same quote on Old Row and think its funny if those kids read it.)

Actually while I might have implied you thought it was funny, I was talking about the originators of the phrase, not you. Although why it's funny that some kids read that on a blog/forum you also read is probably something best left to someone else to figure out.

But that probably speaks more about the fact that said forum has a thread called "Most Fucked Up You're-Going-Straight-To-Hell, Souless Thing You've Done To Girl."

/says a lot about their grammar too

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Sometimes, I can chuckle at "frat boy antics" that I hear about. This one isn't even remotely funny, though.

This^. I was pretty ambivalent until I reached "No means yes"...rape jokes are, to say the very least really low.

[Lafayette79]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

I saw this on Youtube I think overnight Wednesday. I was wondering if anyone was going to post about it. It's been all over the news here locally.

I saw it too, although my graduation year, '79 dates me, I know of no house that I was familiar with in my era, who would do anything like this. Generally, all the houses thought that 'The Best thing on Earth' was a Sorority Girl, and by extension, all college women who, in our eyes, were potential rushees. In retrospect, my brothers still believe this. This is not to say, that there were not jerks, especially when there were too many drinks, but our intention was to make contact with Sorority Girls, not to scare them away.

[squirrely girl]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

ETA: Forced apologies are stupid.

I tend to agree. Nobody actually learns anything from them. Personally, I think a loss of charter for hazing and harassment could certainly help with that learning process though. A university or greek affairs ban on social activities with organizations with a majority membership of women or a Panhellenic boycott of their fraternity in general are a couple of other ideas.

[tri deezy]

Isn't this Bush's chapter? It's also DKE's founding chapter.

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by tri deezy

Isn't this Bush's chapter? It's also DKE's founding chapter.

More than Bush's chapter, if I recall correctly.

In terms of alumni, I believe it probably has the most powerful alumni of any fraternity chapter period.

Two Presidents, a Prime Minister of China, multiple CEO's of places like IBM, Wrigley, multiple notaries from the Qing dynasty, at least one Supreme Court Justice, etc, etc.

[squirrely girl]

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

In terms of alumni, I believe it probably has the most powerful alumni of any fraternity chapter period.

All the more reason they should hold themselves to a higher moral standard of behavior.

I think the most offensive part of this was the location of the chanting. Truthfully, it shouldn't take a genius to realize that, statistically speaking at least, there would be more than a few survivors of rape living in a women's freshman dorm. How insensitive did they have to be?

Edited to add - I'm curious as to what the official response from their HQ will be... and when they'll be making it.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by squirrely girl

All the more reason they should hold themselves to a higher moral standard of behavior.

I think the most offensive part of this was the location of the chanting. Truthfully, it shouldn't take a genius to realize that, statistically speaking at least, there would be more than a few survivors of rape living in a women's freshman dorm. How insensitive did they have to be?

There's really nothing not offensive about it. There's no appropriate place to chant that and there could easily be survivors of rape in their pledge class.

The campus tolerates it, and it's frankly not surprising that it happens in the 'upper echelons' of education just as it happens in the rest of society.

[exlurker]

The following letter to the Yale community from the Dean of Yale College has been reported:

October 15, 2010

Dear Members of the Yale Community:

I write in response to concern over the DKE incident on Yale's Old Campus Wednesday evening. I speak for the University in expressing my outrage that such words were shouted on this campus.

That said, I repeat the words of the C. Vann Woodward report, official University policy, regarding speech:

We take a chance, as the First Amendment takes a chance, when we commit ourselves to the idea that the results of free expression are to the general benefit in the long run, however unpleasant they may appear at the time. The validity of such a belief cannot be demonstrated conclusively. It is a belief of recent historical development, even within universities, one embodied in American constitutional doctrine but not widely shared outside the academic world, and denied in theory and in practice by much of the world most of the time.

In short, we do not censor speech on our campus but — in order to trust one another and to be confident in our communications — free expression calls for an environment of civility and respect. In this light, consider the official statement on Sexual Harassment of the University:

Sexual harassment is antithetical to academic values and to a work environment free from the fact or appearance of coercion. It is a violation of University policy and may result in serious disciplinary action. Sexual harassment consists of nonconsensual sexual advances, request for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature on or off campus.

So here is the immediate question that many have asked today: what is Yale doing in response? Today, at least 150 students, largely from the Women's Center and DKE met together, a landmark meeting to begin a dialogue that we hope leads to mutual respect. After a public session, the students met in small groups with dialogue facilitators. Thus begins a long process.

But others will ask as well, what more is Yale doing in response? Is someone being punished? What will be known, ultimately, about any disciplinary response to the DKE shouting on the Old Campus of October 13, 2010?

Any and all disciplinary processes are confidential at Yale, from their inception through their conclusion as required under federal law and University policy.

In short, the process is not designed to provide satisfaction to those who might feel aggrieved as members of the larger community in which the offense has occurred.

But what matters most here is that the larger community has addressed the particular fraternity, DKE, and held them responsible and accountable for their actions. What is important to recognize is that DKE has accepted responsibility, opening a new level of discourse on the issue of sexual harassment. This is an opportunity to seize.

Yours truly,

Mary Miller

Dean of Yale College

[Senusret I]

^^ That is why Yale>

[exlurker]

Edited to add Oct 20: Update: New statement by Yale's president (and the dean of the College)) , as reported in the student paper:

http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/20...-dke-incident/

~end of edit~

From DKE HQ web site:

http://www.dke.org/

Statement from Board of Directors Regarding Incident at Yale

Delta Kappa Epsilon International Fraternity Board of Directors strongly condemns the actions taken by some members of our Yale Chapter last week. The sentiments expressed during the new member activity are deeply offensive, and do not adhere to the standards of morals and behavior that we expect of all DKE members.**DKE has instructed the Yale Chapter to discontinue all new member activities until further notice.*
*
The chapter’s decision to participate in an open forum on campus last Friday was a good step in acknowledging the seriousness of this incident, and we believe the chapter members have become aware that their behavior is wrong not only because of the effect it can have on other people, but also because they as individuals should not hold or express these sentiments in any respect or manner.
*
Our Executive Director will be visiting with the chapter next weekend to review this incident and set forth a plan of action for the chapter.*


See also the Yalie Daily's coverage in its Oct. 18 online issue

http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/20...e-reprimanded/

[exlurker]

Yale asks DKE to keep DKE on probation; see the following
letter to campus, from Yale dean Miller:

Oct 25, 2010 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) --
On the evening of October 13, 2010, a group of Delta Kappa Epsilon ("DKE") fraternity pledges shouted offensive words across the Yale campus. They were captured on video on the Old Campus, in a blindfolded rant of sexual aggression.

Last week, President Levin and I denounced their words and called on the fraternity to chart a different course for its future (http://www.dailybulletin.yale.edu/article.aspx?id=7915 ). Today I met with the national executive director of DKE, Mr. Douglas Lanpher, and I have asked him to keep the organization on probation indefinitely, as that new course and program take shape, not only this year, but beyond. Although DKE is not a registered Yale undergraduate organization, I have acted on behalf of the Yale community in urging Mr. Lanpher to take this action.

Where do we go next? How do we move forward to repair the damage inflicted on our community? How do we prevent sexual violence on campus? Last week, Dean Marichal Gentry requested that the Executive Committee of Yale College

investigate the full course of events that evening, in order that questions of hazing, threat, and intimidation all be evaluated. That process, unlike the 24 hour news cycle, is not instantaneous. But while that process unfolds what do we learn from this event?

To start with, the Yale College Dean's Office, the Inter-cultural Affairs Council, and the Yale College Council will host a panel on Tuesday evening, 8-9:30 p.m., in Sudler Hall, titled Deconstructing the "DKE Incident": How, Why, and What Next? Among the faculty who will speak are Professors Richard Bribiescas and Inderpal Grewal, chairs of Anthropology and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. We hope that you will attend, and we hope that you will bring your questions and comments to the panel.

Second, I write to bring to your attention the events that the Women's Center has scheduled as part of Intimate Partner Violence Awareness Week. Because one in three teens will experience some kind of abuse from an intimate partner, this educational program is particularly important for undergraduate men and women. A list of the scheduled events themselves follows at the end of this email.

Third, as a community we need to look more deeply into the culture of initiations of new members of undergraduate organizations of all kinds. To that end, I've asked Judith Krauss, Master of Silliman College and Chair of the Faculty Committee on Athletics, to chair a committee that will look into such practices across organizations, from musical groups to athletic teams, and including those that are not registered organizations. This committee will be comprised of students, faculty, coaches, and staff, and will conduct its work in the spring term this year.

Fourth, I will also appoint a short-term task force to evaluate the many recommendations I have received in the past ten days regarding sexual violence on campus. I will ask this group to explore training practices, along with the feasibility of reaching those students whose behavior and words may abet sexual violence, among peer educators and Yale Health Services educators.

Finally, on a related matter: the Report from the Sexual Misconduct Committee, appointed by the Provost and chaired by Professor Michael Della Rocca report, is now available to the Yale community at http://provost.yale.edu/news-announc...duct-committee. The report endorses a new, consistent, and more transparent process for dealing with sexual misconduct across the University. I applaud the changes proposed, and I believe they will benefit our entire community. I urge you to read the report, as well as the Yale Daily News's article about it published last week.

The outcry and calls to action over the past ten days attest to the core values of the Yale community: dignity, personal and community responsibility, and trust. We must use this incident to educate, to listen and learn, and to grow in respect for one another.
Yours truly,
Mary Miller . . . .

See also the following article in the Yale student paper:

http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/20...-dke-director/

[FSUZeta]

Today, at least 150 students, largely from the Women's Center and DKE met together, a landmark meeting to begin a dialogue that we hope leads to mutual respect. After a public session, the students met in small groups with dialogue facilitators. Thus begins a long process.

ooooh...a dialogue, with dialogue facilitators. that's rough!

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

Today, at least 150 students, largely from the Women's Center and DKE met together, a landmark meeting to begin a dialogue that we hope leads to mutual respect. After a public session, the students met in small groups with dialogue facilitators. Thus begins a long process.

ooooh...a dialogue, with dialogue facilitators. that's rough!

God, that's just miserable.