On Aug. 18, the University of South Carolina suspended fraternity rush following alcohol violations by six of 18 fraternities on campus. The idea of completely suspending fraternity rush at any southern university seems extreme, absurd or outright ridiculous, but USC administrators made the tough – and ultimately correct – decision to come down hard on fraternities for rampant alcohol violations.
With this in mind, The Crimson White reported on Aug. 31 that a former pledge of Pi Kappa Alpha filed a lawsuit against the fraternity and 10 of its members, claiming he suffered serious harm in an incident of hazing. The incident, as described by the plaintiff, includes providing alcohol to a minor, pressure to binge drink and obscene disregard for an unconscious individual.
When contacted for comment, UA director of media relations Cathy Andreen, acting as a mouthpiece for the University, had the gall to state, “UA is not part of this lawsuit and we have no comment on it.”
Ladies and gentlemen, if there was ever a theory that The University of Alabama viewed each and every student as a paycheck, I give you Exhibit A.
The idea that a student organization, particularly one that is a part of a larger body that in many regards makes up a portion of the public face of the Capstone, can so openly flout the anti-hazing policy without the University even batting an eye is disgusting.
I’d like to take the time to remind everyone that the anti-hazing policy is called “The University of Alabama Hazing Policy.” Not the “Fraternity Hazing Policy.” Not the “Greek Life Hazing Policy.” No, it is “The University of Alabama Hazing Policy,” and when an organization’s president, vice president, and advisor sign it, their signatures “attest that our organization follows and adheres to all University, local, state and federal laws.”
So why exactly isn’t the University taking an immediate interest in this incident? If administrators are involved, why are they being so tight-lipped about it (again)? Could it be because so many of them are products of the very same student organizations that continue to systematically ignore policies in a manner that would make Jim Tressel blush?
No, that couldn’t be it.
Whereas Jerry Brewer, the University of South Carolina’s vice president of student affairs, openly discusses the matter of recruitment suspension with the media, the University of Alabama would rather hide behind doors and, at most, give a stern finger wagging (if that) to the guy who’s going to be SGA president next year.
Brewer said in an interview with the Washington Post, “We have no leadership coming out of the fraternity system right now.”
Sound familiar?
To put things in perspective, in the three years I have attended The University of Alabama, I have seen Kappa Sigma lose its national charter due to alcohol violations, I have heard horrifying accounts of a pledge suffering third-degree burns from sitting on a metal chair heated by a blow torch, and I myself was served and consumed alcohol inside multiple fraternity houses at the ripe old age of 18.
Hell, that was the reason we went to fraternity parties in the first place.
What makes me laugh the most regarding the USC situation is that most fraternity members aren’t mad because they’re being punished for alcohol violations. No, it’s that they’re confused as to why the crackdown is happening now when this has been going on for years. But surely this is only an isolated incident at one of those other SEC schools. Right?
Right?
Maybe the University’s “No comment” is all the comment we need. As far as I’m concerned, by not doing more and/or not doing it in a more public fashion, the University is condoning acts of hazing despite any posturing that would suggest otherwise.
Many students are at a point where they openly don’t trust that the administration is moving forward with their best interest in mind, and this tight-lipped secrecy is a big reason why.
John Davis is a senior majoring in telecommunication and film. His column runs on Mondays.
