The scandel that shook greek week, i mean games week!

[PiKA2001]

Allegations made and falsified documents found
By Martha Wood
and Anna Bialk
News Editors

A member of Wayne State University's Lambda Theta Alpha Latina Sorority filed a grievance alleging racism against the groups participating in this year's NPC/IFC Games Week, held the second week in April. In the past, Games Week was formally known as Greek Week.

Jennifer Rincones, a member of the Lambda Theta Alpha Latina Sorority, made a complaint to David Strauss, Dean of Students. Rincones said the mainstream Greek organizations did not invite WSU's historically and predominantly African-American and Latina groups. She said Strauss made comments to her in the past about the tension feeling somewhat racist.

Strauss said he didn't recall making any comments like that. But he said, "If she says I said it, I did." He said he doesn't think it's racism or ethnicity, but just, "resistance to change."

Strauss said he told the president of Wayne State's chapter of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), Erin Moore, that if they wanted to call the event Greek Week, they must extend an invitation to all the Greek organizations on campus.

Rincones said Moore approached her in January on Student Organization Day and got her e-mail address.

"We didn't get one e-mail. She never contacted us," Rincones said.

Three Latina sororities and nine National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) sororities were not invited to this year's Greek Week. Only six mainstream sororities and fraternities participated.

When Moore filled out the Event Planning Form on behalf of the NPC, she listed the event as "NPC/IFC Games Week." The word "Greek" was initially written in the events slot on the form. "Greek" was scribbled out and "Games" was written above it. T-shirts made for the event also said "Greek Week."

"They were just looking for a way to get around the system," Strauss said. "I told them they cannot call it "Greek Week" unless they invite all the Greeks. I was adamant to them."

Last year was the first time Greek Week integrated all Greek groups on campus, but Rincones said the week was not productive.

"We felt unwanted," she said.

The groups were given a mediator, Ken Harris, an academic service officer II.

"He was there to steer communications," Strauss said.

But Rincones said there was tension and fighting between the groups. She added that she felt there were racist undertones.

"I think it's them being prejudiced," she said.

Moore was contacted by The South End for comment but did not return the calls. Members from Kappa Delta and Alpha Epsilon Phi were also contacted and were unavailable for comment.

Strauss said he confronted Moore about the shirts during Games Week, which was the first time he was aware of the situation. The next week, she stepped down from her presidency of the NPC.

Carol Warren, area advisor for the NPC, said she had no knowledge of the situation. "This is an issue between the campus and the student," she said.

Strauss said he has filed charges with Rick Earnest, assistant provost in charge of the Student Judicial Affairs Office. The charges are failure to comply with a university official's direction and falsifying university documents.

The NPC falsified documents by including Interfraternal Council (IFC) as a sponsor of the event. Identifying the organization as IFC was false because WSU fraternities do not have a local IFC.

The charge of failure to comply with a university official's direction is due to Strauss' direct order not to call the week "Greek Week" unless all Greeks were invited. Earnest will meet with the accused group and determine guilt or innocence.

Strauss said the possible punishments range from no action being taken, probationary notice or withdrawing recognition of the groups involved as official WSU student organizations. Earnest will determine the punishment.

Rincones said when she complained to Strauss, she felt as if he was only telling her what she wanted to hear, that he wouldn't do anything about it.

But Strauss said, "I'm doing it, aren't I." He also said he is in the process of writing letters to the six national offices of the organizations that participated in Games Week.

"I'm outraged. I'm disappointed. I'm going to do something about it," he said.

[sairose]

Definately not cool.

[Taualumna]

Firstly, this wasn't cool. Secondly, "nine National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) sororities"?? I think they mean "nine National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) sororities and FRATERNITIES"

[PM_Mama00]

UHHHH for one, I heard that the NPC President resigned because of another issue. None of this was mentioned. This came from the mouth of an NPC WSU alumni.

And two... I attended one of those events last year, and from what I could see everyone got along great! And if it's a case of racism, then why the hell do both Sigma Pi and Pi Kappa Alpha have plenty of minority members?

We had this problem last year. Not because of race, but the student org advisor wanted all clubs and orgs to be allowed to participate in Greek Week. Hey dipshits! It's called Greek Week for a reason! So those in charge or the week invited Alpha Phi Alpha, and Alpha Kappa Alpha.... neither of which is even based on our campus. AKA said no, and Alpha Phi Alpha said yes and came to the meetings, but when the week came they were a no-show. They were invited again this year, and again it was just us "mainstream" Greeks.

.

[texas*princess]

Originally posted by PiKA2001
The NPC falsified documents by including Interfraternal Council (IFC) as a sponsor of the event. Identifying the organization as IFC was false because WSU fraternities do not have a local IFC.

They were charged with falsifing documents because the person who filled out the form wrote "IFC" and there is no local IFC????

In a way that sort of makes sense, and I'm sure the person at the school knew there was no local IFC, but do you think she could have wrote "IFC" since the fraternities (I'm assuming) are nationally affiliated IFC fraternities instead of having to write down each and every single fraternity chapter?

I just find it odd?

[James]

College administrators should have to take half cuts in pay for being silly.

Those who can do, do.

Those that can't do, teach.

Those that can't teach, administer.

In this situation, if thats a state school and a non-funded activity they can invite call it panty week if they want. They need to get a lawyer to represent them because that is just stupid.

Also they are calling it formally Games Week, there t-shirts can say what theyw ant them to say, especially if no school funding is coming down.

And did the LTA member contact them about wanting to play? There is a difference beween not being invited and being excluded.

Usually, on the campuses I am familiar with, many of the non-mainstream groups didn't participate becase of the relative group sizes. For example, we had a latin sorority with 3 members, That makes it really hard to field a team.

[PM_Mama00]

I shoulda added in my post that, like James said, a few of the orgs didn't participate because of numbers. To be eligible to play you have to be a student at the school and present a schedule (some of the fraternity guys and members of the local KOX on campus go to different schools) so I think that had something to do with Alpha Phi Alpha not competing.