In the one and a half years I have been the editor-in-chief of The Crimson White, I have never run a news article about Theta Nu Epsilon, more commonly known as the Machine, until today. When I took over the newspaper, I perceived that reporting on the Machine in a way that was fair and accurate would require an incredible dedication of time and resources that would detract from our ability to focus on other topics. Instead we turned our attention to more concrete issues that affect students’ lives—racial tensions and campus crowding last year, and block seating, the segregated greek system and misconduct in the Student Government Association this year.
However, as we delved deeper into these topics, we discovered that many of them can trace their way back to the Machine—either through the direct maneuverings of the group to control SGA elections or the implicit sexism and racism it engenders throughout the greek system and the University as a whole. Many others have noticed the connection between this group and the social issues on our campus, and there is a building pressure to see substantial and dramatic change.
That is what compels us to act now. Individuals from all sides are working to fundamentally shake this organization. Such a change should not be allowed to happen in secret to a group that affects every student on this campus and, in many ways, every individual in this state.
It is not The Crimson White’s place to attack or destroy the Machine through news coverage. As with any other story, our role is to provide information. However, when dealing with an organization that is powered by its secrecy, it is difficult to report in a traditional manner. Going forward, you may see names and facts attributed to the Machine that come from anonymous sources. We know that is asking for an incredible amount of trust from our readership, and we take that commitment seriously. We have raised our standards for accuracy beyond our regular articles. Any facts concerning the Machine will be confirmed by multiple sources with first-hand knowledge of the situation. Individuals whose names are revealed will be given ample time to defend themselves.
I wish we could tell this story the easy way—the normal way—but as our staff learned during our coverage of the tornado, there comes a time when official statements from presidents and administrators cannot tell the whole story, and journalists must act to inform and strengthen their own community. Our struggles to confirm student deaths after the tornado taught us valuable skills about how to operate when there is a vacuum of information, and we will apply those lessons to tell this story.
Know that there is not a single voice driving these stories, but rather a broad number of players. Though the story of the Machine has been told in bits and pieces throughout The CW’s history, it has never been the story that exists today. Ultimately this is our University, our greek system and our Machine, and for all the legacy and mystery and intimidation of the past, we will define the narrative of the present.
This is not the story of The Crimson White attempting to tear apart an organization. This is the story of individual students and administrators making important choices when, for the first time in the history of this University, they are given all of the facts. If you can help us tell that story, we welcome your aid.
Victor Luckerson is the editor-in-chief of The Crimson White. He can be reached at [email protected].
