Chronicle of Higher Education - web daily - November 7, 2001
Auburn U. Considers Expelling 2 Fraternities After Party With Mock Lynching, Blackface By ALEX P. KELLOGG
Auburn University has temporarily suspended and may expel two fraternities -- Delta Sigma Phi and Beta Theta Pi -- for throwing parties in late October at which members dressed in Ku Klux Klan robes or wore blackface while mocking a black fraternity on the campus.
University officials say the parties -- photographs of which became public this week -- are an apparent violation of the university's written policy on harassment and discrimination, and that serious action is likely, including the possible suspension or expulsion of fraternity members themselves once a three-day investigation concludes. The university's interim president, William F. Walker, announced the investigation on Monday.
"These images are shocking and outrageous, and they are unacceptable," Mr. Walker said. "On behalf of the faculty, staff, and students, I apologize deeply for the hurt that has been caused for so many by the insensitive acts of a few students."
The university was alerted to the pictures by a number of black students on the campus, including members of Omega Psi Phi, a historically black fraternity mocked in many of the photos. In some of the pictures, students in blackface can be seen wearing copies of Omega Psi Phi's T-shirts -- as well as fake Afros -- while mimicking gang signs. In other shots, several students carrying rifles or wearing Ku Klux Klan robes hold a noose around the neck of a colleague in blackface and a baseball cap. Some of the photos are posed in front of a Confederate battle flag.
"We've made a lot of improvements in minority recruitment and minority enrollment, and we don't want to see it undone by this," said Bob Lowry, a spokesman for the university. Mr. Lowry noted that minority enrollment was up 24 percent this fall, and said the increase was part of a broad effort to diversify the campus. According to Mr. Lowry, this was the first racial incident involving a fraternity on campus in recent memory.
The national offices of both fraternities are probing the two incidents and say that disassociation of the local chapters is a strong possibility.
"We're taking this extremely seriously, and we will act," said Jon C. Hockman, executive director of Delta Sigma Phi.
Calls made to the fraternity houses were not answered.
The parties, which took place in late October, were photographed by a local Web company hired to post them online. The photos have since been removed.
Officials say that neither fraternity will be allowed to participate in any social activities until the university's investigation is completed. Any of the 185 fraternity members who live in the two houses will be allowed to remain on campus for now.
Pictures from the party are available online at the Web site of the Southern Poverty Law Center. The advocacy group, based in Montgomery, Ala., has begun its own investigation into the matter.