Suspension Appealed (Hazing), Newspapers Stolen (Chapel Hill - Sigma Chi)

[exlurker]

The Sigma Chi chapter at Chapel Hill is appealing its suspension. When the story of the suspension was printed in the student paper, several thousand copies of the paper were stolen, Sigma Chi has admitted to the thefts and has reportedly agreed to make a payment to the paper:

http://rdu.news14.com/content/headli...=95345&SecID=2

As in similar cases at other schools around the country, the theft of the papers virtually guarantees wide coverage of the whole story. In this particular situation, too, the fame and high reputation of the university just add to the likelihood that the story will get heavy play in the news.

http://media.www.dailytarheel.com/me...epublisher.com

The News and Observer in North Carolina reports that Sigma Chi IHQ is looking into the hazing allegations:

The international Sigma Chi fraternity will look into the hazing in the next couple of weeks, said Mark Anderson, president of the Evanston, Ill.-based organization. "We have a zero tolerance of hazing," Anderson said.

http://www.newsobserver.com/161/story/516158.html

[twotimestalia]

Double trouble

[LaneSig]

Technically, if the papers are free, how can they be stolen?

[tunatartare]

Didn't the same thing happen with a ZTA chapter a little while ago?

[LaneSig]

And 2 years ago, my home chapter of Sigma Chi at Arkansas State University had the same thing. Hmm, maybe my guys told their guys at Workshop this summer....

Originally Posted by KLPDaisy

Didn't the same thing happen with a ZTA chapter a little while ago?

It was a ZTA at Stetson

[PhrozenGod01]

Originally Posted by LaneSig

Technically, if the papers are free, how can they be stolen?

The distribution is set up so that one person can get one paper during that day or week. There is kind of an honor system if people were getting two or three papers instead of one, but most free newspapers have a legal disclaimer stating that anyone removing papers in bulk will be prosecuted. I used to work at the Onion and learned a little about the importance of that law. Most free papers have to make money also. If no one sees the advertisements because a few knuckleheads decided to take 90% of them, major revenue is lost.

Originally Posted by PhrozenGod01

The distribution is set up so that one person can get one paper during that day or week. There is kind of an honor system if people were getting two or three papers instead of one, but most free newspapers have a legal disclaimer stating that anyone removing papers in bulk will be prosecuted. I used to work at the Onion and learned a little about the importance of that law. Most free papers have to make money also. If no one sees the advertisements because a few knuckleheads decided to take 90% of them, major revenue is lost.

Would newspaper theft be considered a form of censorship because technically the thief is denying others access to the press?

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by PhrozenGod01

The distribution is set up so that one person can get one paper during that day or week. There is kind of an honor system if people were getting two or three papers instead of one, but most free newspapers have a legal disclaimer stating that anyone removing papers in bulk will be prosecuted. I used to work at the Onion and learned a little about the importance of that law. Most free papers have to make money also. If no one sees the advertisements because a few knuckleheads decided to take 90% of them, major revenue is lost.

I know and understand. I was being ironic.

But, I am sure that if a lawyer wanted to argue that the papers are free and the boys took 'extra' he could. Probably all the way to the state Supreme Court.

My question: Did the paper try and contact the chapter president or advisor to ask for comments or their perspective? I know that in the case at ASU, the paper printed false information (they were unaware). When the chapter found out, they asked the editors to correct the information and received a "Well, that's the way we heard it." reply. That's what made a couple of our guys angry enough to go and try to remove the papers.

[PhrozenGod01]

Originally Posted by OTW

Would newspaper theft be considered a form of censorship because technically the thief is denying others access to the press?

Probably in some Orwellian/grassroots way. I don't know. I always thought authority figures did the censoring, while potential readers chose to not take in the information. This is more complex than I thought after reading the first post.

Originally Posted by LaneSig

I know and understand. I was being ironic.

But, I am sure that if a lawyer wanted to argue that the papers are free and the boys took 'extra' he could. Probably all the way to the state Supreme Court.

My question: Did the paper try and contact the chapter president or advisor to ask for comments or their perspective? I know that in the case at ASU, the paper printed false information (they were unaware). When the chapter found out, they asked the editors to correct the information and received a "Well, that's the way we heard it." reply. That's what made a couple of our guys angry enough to go and try to remove the papers.

I never thought about that. Probably, if every brother involved got an equal amount of envelopes and stamps and claimed they were going to mail the their fraternity's "press release" to their brothers and family, they could technically just be sharing their "good news" with people. They just have thousands of family members for some reason. I've taken a plethora of campus newspapers when my brothers and I have been mentioned in it, but really only for good reasons. If the paper was to slander us in any way, I know I would "accidentally" spill my coffee all over a few newspaper racks.

Originally Posted by LaneSig

But, I am sure that if a lawyer wanted to argue that the papers are free and the boys took 'extra' he could. Probably all the way to the state Supreme Court.

I could see the guys taking a few "extra" if the issue contained an article about campus parking.

However, the issue contained a story about the Sigma Chi suspension and the content was enough reason for these members to take more than just extra.

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by PhrozenGod01

Probably in some Orwellian/grassroots way. I don't know. I always thought authority figures did the censoring, while potential readers chose to not take in the information. This is more complex than I thought after reading the first post.




I never thought about that. Probably, if every brother involved got an equal amount of envelopes and stamps and claimed they were going to mail the their fraternity's "press release" to their brothers and family, they could technically just be sharing their "good news" with people. They just have thousands of family members for some reason. I've taken a plethora of campus newspapers when my brothers and I have been mentioned in it, but really only for good reasons. If the paper was to slander us in any way, I know I would "accidentally" spill my coffee all over a few newspaper racks.

Now we're thinking alike!

[Sailboat Sis]

Originally Posted by LaneSig

My question: Did the paper try and contact the chapter president or advisor to ask for comments or their perspective? I know that in the case at ASU, the paper printed false information (they were unaware). When the chapter found out, they asked the editors to correct the information and received a "Well, that's the way we heard it." reply. That's what made a couple of our guys angry enough to go and try to remove the papers.

The information the paper used had been posted on our Greek Affairs website the night before the article came out. Thus, the article was rewritten. I'm not sure what the first article was originally about since the court findings had not been released to the public.

Nevertheless, I believe they were trying to save face by stealing all of the papers. Obviously, the plan was not thought out very well.

[shinerbock]

Who cares.

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by Sailboat Sis

The information the paper used had been posted on our Greek Affairs website the night before the article came out. Thus, the article was rewritten. I'm not sure what the first article was originally about since the court findings had not been released to the public.

Nevertheless, I believe they were trying to save face by stealing all of the papers. Obviously, the plan was not thought out very well.

The case I was bringing up involved the Arkansas State chapter of Sigma Chi. My question still stands: Did the paper try to ask the chapter president or a chapter advisor for their perspective.

Understand, I think it was a stupid thing to do. I thought it was stupid when my home chapter pulled this stunt and now. No, the plan was not thought out at all.