Meanwhile at UCLA, Sig Ep and Alpha Phi do Kanye & Kardashians

[NinjaPoodle]

http://dailybruin.com/2015/10/07/stu...-themed-party/

"Sig Ep and Alpha Phi draw criticism after ‘Kanye Western’ themed raid
BY JILLIAN FRANKEL
Posted: October 7, 2015 5:10 pm

This post and headline were updated on Oct. 7 at 8:22 p.m.

Several UCLA student groups are asking the university to respond after the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and Alpha Phi sorority held a “Kanye Western” themed raid Tuesday night, for which guests dressed in baggy clothes, plumped lips and padded bottoms, or as “Kardashians.”

Kelsee Thomas, a third-year fine arts student and member of the Afrikan Student Union, said other ASU members said they saw partygoers with those costumes. Photos from the raid also show attendees with their foreheads covered in charcoal.

The presidents of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and the Alpha Phi sorority did not respond to several calls for comment. Student leaders of the Afrikan Student Union have asked the group’s general members not to comment until they meet as a group and release a collective statement Wednesday evening."

*click link to read the rest*

[3StringedLyre]

I had to check the calendar to make sure I knew what year it was. Why do people think this is okay?

[ChioLu]

It's all over the local LA news.
http://ktla.com/2015/10/07/ucla-frat...ial-overtones/

[BlueOwl]

Ugh! Didn't like waking up to this at all. I have close ties to this chapter of Alpha Phi and I am so disappointed by this situation. First, UCLA greeks are big on playing dress-up for their parties and exchanges. A Kanye/Kardashian themed event isn't the problem. Girls or guys dressing up in baggy sweats and t-shirt (Kanye at the MTV awards) and girls padding their rear ends, wearing puffy lips, padded bras (yup, Kardashians), even the reference to the K girls being "gold diggers " isn't offensive. The problem is that some event goers got spray tanned to the extent that they looked not caucasian and others rubbed black stuff on their faces in mocking reference to being African American. Black face is disrespectful on every level. Where the hell was the leadership in these two very prominent UCLA chapters?? How and why could the older members and leadership of these chapters not anticipate what the ramifications would be? Did the social chairs of sig ep and alpha phi not set down ground rules (i.e.: no Blackface!!) . I don't blame the UCLA community for being completely outraged. Sig Ep and Alpha Phi better use this as a major major humbling learning opportunity--and they better do it quickly.

[NWguy]

I agree BlueOwl. This was a year after the ASU-Black Party incident; did neither chapter hear of that before deciding to paint their faces black? Poor leadership from the elected house members and upperclassmen - somebody should've pulled the brakes before the event took place.

[PKT4LIFE]

Don't chapters have to submit social events to their alumni board for approval? I am the head of our alumni board for one of our CA chapters and all social events must be reviewed and approved in advance.

[ChioLu]

Originally Posted by PKT4LIFE

Don't chapters have to submit social events to their alumni board for approval? I am the head of our alumni board for one of our CA chapters and all social events must be reviewed and approved in advance.

At UCLA, they are supposed to. (I approved them for my chapter for 5 years as Social Advisor at UCLA.) But I've heard of chapters getting them approved (by Advisors and the Greek Life office) then CHANGING the theme to something they knew would NOT be approved.
Example: We had a date party with a prohibition theme, where guys would dress up as gangsters and girls in flapper dresses.
The day before the party, I got copied on an email (probably by accident) that since people were having trouble finding costumes, that the theme would be changed to "Anything Illegal".
My prompt response was if attendees dressed up as anything besides gangsters and molls, they would not be allowed to get on the bus. There was not going to be someone dressed up in all green to be "Weed" or someone dressed in all white to be "Cocaine".
That squashed many alternative costumes.

[PKT4LIFE]

In reality, any type of theme party runs the risk of inappropriate costumes. Hard to control. I say do the ol' BBQ with picnic games.

[Sciencewoman]

Our events have to be pre-approved and our operations manual lists appropriate and inappropriate themes, but no list is exhaustive and I agree that theme parties can be risky when carried out by undergraduates. Like knight_shadow said, because "undergraduates, abdandon your national policies and do what you want is sure to work out well" (paraphrasing).

[BlueOwl]

Standing by my original comments, but now am concerned that protests are getting out of hand at UCLA. If anyone is interested, google the Los Angeles Times. You can read about protests on campus today and see some pics. I also recommend pulling up the ucla sig ep fb page. They posted a very appropriate apology and explanation regarding the theme of the party. The many posts on their fb page are interesting too. Reflecting both sides of the story. No formal statement from APhi yet. Perhaps their Nationals is working on it? Sadly, individuals in Alpha Phi have received threats. The sorority house had protestors out front and girls were fearful to leave the house to walk to class. There is a police presence at the house tonight to keep the girls safe. The vast majority of the costumes were a pun on the Kardashian women--big butt's, big lips, big boobs-- so what? Big deal. some girls dressed like Kanye in his baggy sweats and they smudged Kanye's bead/goatee on their lower faces-- it was NOT blackface. Other girls dressed up as "golddigers" and smudged "dirt" on parts of their faces. However, there may indeed have been some students in blackface. There are no pictures of that that I can find.

[NWguy]

Unfortunately, some people are looking for any reason to turn something like this into a hostile situation.

On a side note, hasn't this been a bad year for Alpha Phi? The video at Alabama, the song/chant at Iowa, and now this at UCLA? They're going to have an interesting annual convention.

[BAckbOwlsgIrl]

I am sure that Armenian Student Association will be protesting as well.
After all, the Kardashians are Armenian.

All of those islander parties, are very offensive to those who come from islands; Hawaii, Fiji, the Caribbean. How dare people stereotype the island and tropical cultures with lays, flower, palm trees and grass skirts.

The Westerner theme parties have got to go too. Countless ranch hands, herders feel offended. What do a bunch of young college kids with cowboy boots know about The West? Senseless stereotyping.

80s parties?
I grew up in the 80s. So did several of you GCers. Who are party goers to mock my formative years? Yep, I am offended. Okay, as much as I loved my formative years, I am just so over the 80s.

Those gangsters parties that you speak of...well, as someone who had family way back then, well, I am offended. My family wasn't in the East Coast or where ever they were. But, I had family alive back then, so, I am offended. No. Not really.

[jolene]

I'm not cool with blackface, but I'm ALL for making fun of any Kardashian. And Kanye does need to be made fun of, too. It's not a race thing, but a he's-a-tool thing.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Oh, good another thread where white people make excuses for racist behavior.

[joliebelle]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Oh, good another thread where white people make excuses for racist behavior.

I was just going to say...

Yes, there were people in blackface