We recognize the pain and anguish this word causes for African American members of our community. I did Attempts to dissolve Greek Life from within have also been largely unsuccessful. This deferential tone towards an issue that deeply impacts the Vanderbilt community echoes years of passive policies toward the vices of Greek Row. In fact, the U.S. Constitution, students freedom of association, thereby protecting fraternities from most regulations and sweeping bans. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Vanderbilt University or its official representatives. Vanderbilt alumna Emma Dwyer (BA ‘18) was a member of Pi Phi and the sorority’s representative on the Panhellenic Diversity and Inclusion Task Force in 2015. In an email addressed to students on July 7, Dean of Students Mark Bandas. Just this summer, Harvard reversed its sanctions on members of same-sex organizations after an unrelated Supreme Court ruling on federal civil rights law indicated that the university could lose a legal battle over the policy. Short of a hunger-strike or protest, like the one at Swarthmore College in 2019, it seems that students’ demands will continue to fall on deaf ears. “Because we skipped over a few of the steps required to remove a member from the Chapter, their membership is still valid, until we take the appropriate steps. While some people (not myself) have complaints about greek life dominating the party scene, it's very rare for Greek life to impede on anyone's ability to make friends/have a tight friend group. She recalls how the Task Force’s repeated efforts to reform Greek Life were met with red tape and inaction. PLEASE! A look at Vanderbilt’s IT department, Madeleine Albright, Colin Powell to take Zoom stage for first CLS event Nov. 16, The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University, © 2021 The Hustler is not operated by Vanderbilt University. The video was taken March 2, over spring break in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Before being Editor in Chief, Immanual was a deputy news editor. Although the Abolish Vanderbilt IFC and Panhellenic movement has amassed close to 4,000 followers on Instagram and received nearly a dozen endorsements, it has yet to fulfill its promise of eliminating the Greek system at Vanderbilt. Director of Greek Life Kristin Torrey declined to comment. NBC News has not independently confirmed the numbers of students who have left Greek life at Vanderbilt “Nearly 200 is the official number who have left their organizations, but the true number is much higher,” Emma Pinto, a more often and in larger amounts to their alma mater than unaffiliated students, making abolishment a financial issue as well. The hustler should do better. After receiving multiple reports regarding the incident, Dean of Students Mark Bandas said that the Title IX and Student Discrimination office have been notified and are actively investigating, per a. Vanderbilt is committed to fostering a safe and welcoming community for all. Vanderbilt® and the Vanderbilt logos are registered trademarks of The Vanderbilt University. Thompson said that she hopes the Vanderbilt community will stop prioritizing social life over the emotional safety and well-being of its peers. I attended mandatory events for Greek members under the umbrella of “Diversity and Inclusion” and presumed that it meant Vanderbilt, and more specifically Greek life at Vanderbilt, was a developed and accepting community. The Abolish Greek Life Movement has made a compelling case for the end of Greek Life, but Vanderbilt won’t abolish. In that letter, the NAACP called for the absolute abolition of Greek organizations within the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and the Panhellenic Council. Even if you assume that every signature is from a current student, less than a fifth of Vanderbilt’s undergraduate student body has formally committed to its mission. Even Chancellor Diermeier avoided making concrete commitments to regulating or abolishing Greek Life when asked about the issue in an interview with The Hustler. This complacent attitude towards Greek Life should come as no surprise. Still, it is clear the harmful culture that Greek Life perpetuates has no place on Vanderbilt’s campus. To date, their official petition to the Vanderbilt administration has gathered just over 1,300 signatures. The other female Vanderbilt student from the video’s attorney gave the following statement. (Hustler Multimedia/Alex Venero), On July 3, a video of a Greek Life member using racial slurs at a gathering in March. Greek Life alumni also. © 2019 Vanderbilt University • Advertise • FLEX WordPress Theme by SNO • Log in, widely circulated Instagram video (The link no longer works as the user is now a private user). The Office of Greek Life has worked with these organizations, which has resulted in student-driven approaches to address these problems and enact change and reform. Using anonymity to bring other people down. that their membership numbers have “remained healthy” and are unlikely to disband any time soon. The university will conduct arrival testing Jan. 20 to 24 and hold a ‘quiet’ period from Jan. 25 to Feb. 3. Their stories of substance abuse, sexual assault, racism, sexism and homophobia are a testament to the abuse of power that is ingrained in the Greek system. Attempts to dissolve Greek Life from within have also been largely unsuccessful. Director of Greek Life Kristin Torrey declined to comment. According to the Office of Greek Life, approximately one in three Vanderbilt students is a member of a Greek organization. I've experienced a lot of microaggressions here at Vanderbilt, but it definitely isn't as bad as what most people think when they think "rural south". Other colleges that have had little success regulating Greek Life, with unregulated, off-campus organizations, Although the Abolish Vanderbilt IFC and Panhellenic movement has, close to 4,000 followers on Instagram and, nearly a dozen endorsements, it has yet to fulfill its promise of eliminating the Greek system at Vanderbilt. This would pit the administration against thousands of current and former members if they choose to make drastic changes to the current system. The word used by the student is one that has been employed for over a century to belittle and mock African Americans, and should never be uttered, period,” the email states. The video was taken March 2 in Gulf Shores, Alabama. “Vanderbilt is committed to fostering a safe and welcoming community for all. The home of Vanderbilt Greek Life on YouTube. “If the video had reached me, then it had reached other people and in [turn] harmed others,” Thompson said. “Do not even talk to your fellow Alpha Etas about this. “The racial slur was 100% the misconduct of the person who filmed her from across the pool.”. Inoke Breckterfield spent the last six seasons as Wisconsin's defensive line coach. Vanderbilt Swimming competed in three fall meets to kick off its 2020-21 season. Community reacts to Spring 2021 reading days on social media, university denies removing negative comments, VUMC shuts down Oxford Barber Shop after 60 years of operation, Meet the committee behind Spring 2021’s four extra reading days, Administration announces updates to COVID-19 testing and quarantine protocol for Spring 2021, Dr. Mark Denison speaks on COVID-19 treatment advancements, Barry, Bechtel, Bloom, Taylor and Vaughan to be inducted into VSC Hall of Fame, Administration announces four additional reading days throughout Spring 2021 semester, VSG push for optional pass/fail grading meets resistance from administration, Jon Meacham speaks about contributions to Biden’s acceptance speech with U.S. With this in mind, it has become increasingly clear that Vanderbilt’s administration will be unwilling to make changes on its own. Kappa Alpha Theta President Eliza Parker did not respond to request for comment. “That video was atrocious, and I am upset that I am in it. Recently, a video was posted of a white Vanderbilt sorority member wearing a durag, laughing while a white fraternity member exclaimed racial slurs. In other words, the movement lacks the popular support it needs to compel action. However, Vanderbilt is first and foremost an academic institution, so if you're interested in finding people similar to you outside of greek life, you'll find it. Instead, it will be up to the students to drive change on campus. Eventually, they disaffiliated after “apathy and preference for the status quo destroyed [their] belief in a future where IFCPH could be a force for good.”, Even disaffiliation is unlikely to compel action. The 185 that students have, less than ten percent of Greek membership, the most recent statistics. In that letter, the NAACP called for the absolute abolition of Greek organizations within the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and the Panhellenic Council. Yet to abolish Greek Life seems no more likely than it did before. “Nearly 200 is the official number who have left … Vanderbilt is an unlikely place for an anti-Greek life movement. Other students cited the same number in a recent presentation they created on reasons for abolishing Interfraternity Council fraternities and Panhellenic Greek life, NBC News reports. The Instagram video was posted by rising senior Taylor Thompson. Financial and social incentives aside, Vanderbilt could also face legal challenges if it tries to regulate Greek Life in a meaningful way. Kirkland Hall houses Vanderbilt administration. We think Greek life plays a major, major role into this as over 30 percent of our students are a part of [Greek life]. Why We Want To Abolish: IFCPH organizations were founded on white supremacy and stand to perpetuate racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, ableism, and the gender binary. The Vanderbilt Hustler • Copyright 2021 • FLEX WordPress Theme by SNO • Log in, The Delta Tau Delta fraternity house on Greek Row. In other words, the office tasked with overseeing the Greek system has delegated reform to the very students that benefit from the lack of it. NGUYEN: Why has Vanderbilt sacrificed student wellbeing for traditional learning? It’s about time. Racism in Greek life The admin of the Instagram page @blackatamericanuniversity said they weren’t surprised by the amount of submissions that included Greek life organizations, and they have experienced racism through Greek life themselves. But at some campuses, the number of students quitting Greek life is striking. In a message to The Hustler, Thompson said that she felt obligated to post the video. Vanderbilt football hires Casey Stangel as director of football operations, Report: Vanderbilt football hires Barton Simmons as ‘general manager,’ per 247 Sports, Report: Vanderbilt football hires Norval McKenzie as running backs coach. Immanual John Milton (2022) is from Minneapolis, MN. Elections class on Nov. 10, Vanderbilt to restrict gatherings to 8 people in accordance with Nashville order, Debrief with Diermeier: Destination Vanderbilt, community in the face of COVID-19, football and more, Vanderbilt School of Nursing Dean to step down, What the tech? Many students shared their reasons for leaving their organizations on their instagram accounts or on at abolishvandyifcandpanhellenic an account an … Vanderbilt’s Greek life has been historically popular —with nearly a third of students participating in the Greek system—but that popularity began to … This has hardly had an impact on fraternities and sororities who claim that their membership numbers have “remained healthy” and are unlikely to disband any time soon. He can be reached at [email protected]. A Vanderbilt student was heard on a widely circulated Instagram video (The link no longer works as the user is now a private user), posted July 3, using the “n-word” twice; the student using the racial slur was not visible on the video. Instead, he reasserted Vanderbilt’s support for students’ freedom to participate in organizations of their choice. We recognize the pain and anguish this word causes for African American members of our community. Eat the Rich: How an 18th Century Phrase has Made a Comeback, Reports: Vanderbilt football hires Inoke Breckterfield as defensive line coach, Swimming: Recapping Vanderbilt’s fall season. Over the years, fraternities and sororities have become such an integral part of the college experience that it would be sacrilegious to even suggest abolishing them. I’ve known about the negative (and mostly incorrect) stereotypes of partying, bad grades and even worse--hookups…but racism felt so far away from what I envisioned Greek Life to be. In other words, the movement lacks the popular support it needs to compel action. Instead, he reasserted Vanderbilt’s support for students’ freedom to participate in organizations of their choice. Like Emma, dozens of Vanderbilt students and alumni have come forward to share their own experiences with Greek Life. While abolishing IFC/PH Greek Life may not completely fix the issues of classism, racism, sexism, etc. Financial and social incentives aside, Vanderbilt could also face legal challenges if it tries to regulate Greek Life in a meaningful way. In a post on the abolishvandyifcandpanhellenic Instagram page she wrote, “We quickly learned that our purpose was simply to exist, to prove that Panhellenic cared about diversity and inclusion.”. just over 1,300 signatures. Barton Simmons was previously the director of scouting for 247 Sports. Zip your lips on these topics!”. I do not at all. "Racism on campus has been progressing and it is incredibly troubling. The university has little incentive to get rid of a system that is popular amongst students, donors and potential applicants. Like Emma, dozens of Vanderbilt students and alumni have come forward to share their own experiences with Greek Life. 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