Acacia at Ohio U Sings Offensive Song, Gets Suspended

[Kevin]

A group of men linked to the Acacia fraternity at Ohio University was filmed shouting sexually explicit requests outside of a sorority house.

The university is investigating the incident, an OU spokeswoman told The Huffington Post. The chapter is currently on an interim suspension of all "organizational activity," meaning they cannot participate in recruitment, or hold any events or meetings.

Olivia Hitchcock, a staff member of OU student newspaper The Post, first tweeted a video of the incident on Wednesday night. The video shows men standing on the front porch of the Alpha Delta Pi house and shouting "send nudes" repeatedly.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/...b00aa54a4e94a3

The article then goes on to explain to its dear readers that Acacia has been accused by the student government of having a propensity to drug and rape female students.

Several issues here:

1) The First Amendment-- Someone lay out for me how the Administration has placed Acacia on suspension, meaning they are no longer allowed to meet, pending an investigation without violating Acacia's free speech rights? If the Courts have held that you can stand outside of a dead soldier's funeral and let them know that "God hates fags," how in the hell does a school administrator reasonably believe she can punish an organization for singing a song?

2) Doesn't investigating and suspending Acacia for this conduct have the effect of disempowering ADPi from acting collectively or as individuals in such a way that they are in control of their response? They have been collectively labeled as victims here when I doubt many of them would tell you they were victimized. The reporter was a not member of ADPi, but some cub reporter clandestinely taking video of a fraternity as it made its serenade rounds.

3) Does anyone have a problem with the school's student government apparently being allowed to use school money to publish a pamphlet labeling a fraternity as known rapists? How is that not the worst thing happening to anyone int his article? How is no one being sued for libel?

[jolene]

It's the PC Police gone wild. I'm sure the ADPi sisters rolled their eyes and chuckled a little at the silly boys and life went on as usual for them. I doubt any of them actually sent nude photos. lol

[amIblue?]

Depending on who the guys were singing this song, my reaction as a college student would have varied anywhere from "ew, gross" to a giggle.

[honeychile]

Frankly, I was more ticked off by the article referring to the sisters of ADP, instead of ADPi. That tells me that they didn't bother to check their facts.

[Gdimom1]

As an attorney with a deep interest in the first amendment it makes me crazy when public universities do this. Student need to fight back and say that they can't be suspended or they will sue.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Kevin

2) Doesn't investigating and suspending Acacia for this conduct have the effect of disempowering ADPi from acting collectively or as individuals in such a way that they are in control of their response? They have been collectively labeled as victims here when I doubt many of them would tell you they were victimized. The reporter was a member of ADPi, but some cub reporter clandestinely taking video of a fraternity as it made its serenade rounds.

Oh Kevin, you silly goose, these poor dears are so brainwashed by the patriarchy that they don't even realize they're being harassed. Thank God the PC police is here to tell them how awful their lives are and what to be offended by! They certainly couldn't figure it out on their own!!

[jolene]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Oh Kevin, you silly goose, these poor dears are so brainwashed by the patriarchy that they don't even realize they're being harassed. Thank God the PC police is here to tell them how awful their lives are and what to be offended by! They certainly couldn't figure it out on their own!!

I love you. <3 My college-aged self would have rolled my eyes and giggled about those poor idiots with my sisters. It would make for a funny haha moment later on at alumnae meetings. "Remember when those fools sang that song to us?"

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by Gdimom1

As an attorney with a deep interest in the first amendment it makes me crazy when public universities do this. Student need to fight back and say that they can't be suspended or they will sue.

And these students / student groups will need to be sure to have a copy of the university's code of student conduct and code of student ethics in their hands when they speak to an attorney and want to sue.

Student groups operate as a guest on college campuses. Just like you would want someone out of your personal home if you felt they disobeyed your house rules, same thought applies to college campuses.

Originally Posted by jolene

I love you. <3 My college-aged self would have rolled my eyes and giggled about those poor idiots with my sisters. It would make for a funny haha moment later on at alumnae meetings. "Remember when those fools sang that song to us?"

The difference between "remember when" (back in the old days) and now, is that with cell phone videos and the internet, an incident will always be fresh. Memories fade and can become sweeter over time. Videos posted on the internet do not.

Over the past decade or so, colleges and universities have really turned into for-profit businesses. It can be really bad PR for a university to have students not represent the school in a positive light. As research funding from the government has become increasingly harder to attain, some schools have had to turn to the private / business sector for support. Universities need to show they have a squeaky clean image.

[navane]

We had a fraternity come serenade our girls one night with a vulgar song which ended with them mooning the chapter. There were alumnae members in attendance who witnessed the whole she-bang.

The girls in this chapter are not prissy by any means; but, the fraternity's song and behavior was vulgar enough that the collegiate members were not amused. (Note: Maybe not so much "offended" as, "Uhm...ew. No.") Instead of filing a complaint with the university, they discussed the matter with the fraternity chapter directly, asking them to maybe think over their song choices next time and to please not expose themselves.

That fraternity really lost their respect. For a number of weeks after, whenever that fraternity's name was brought up, the girls would cringe or roll their eyes.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

The difference between "remember when" (back in the old days) and now, is that with cell phone videos and the internet, an incident will always be fresh. Memories fade and can become sweeter over time. Videos posted on the internet do not.

And there's no rule that you have to record every blessed thing you do, let alone post it. I feel sorry for these kids who are seeing everything through a screen, instead of being truly present in their lives.

[AGDee]

I ran this past my college age daughter and she said "That's sexual harassment- that should fall under Title IX"

[Gdimom1]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

And these students / student groups will need to be sure to have a copy of the university's code of student conduct and code of student ethics in their hands when they speak to an attorney and want to sue.

Student groups operate as a guest on college campuses. Just like you would want someone out of your personal home if you felt they disobeyed your house rules, same thought applies to college campuses.




e.

No no and no. It's a little depressing how few people understand the first amendment. A PUBLIC University cannot decide Who is allowed to be a "guest in their home" based on the content of the speech. This is basic fundamental first amendment law. It's really sad that so few people understand their rights

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I ran this past my college age daughter and she said "That's sexual harassment- that should fall under Title IX"

It sounded to me like the girls were singing back to them (call and response) so I really don't think title IX would work here.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

And these students / student groups will need to be sure to have a copy of the university's code of student conduct and code of student ethics in their hands when they speak to an attorney and want to sue.

Attorney here. Your student Code of Conduct does not trump the United States Constitution and probably the State Constitution which physically owns the University.

http://ballotpedia.org/Article_I,_Ohio_Constitution

And if you care, there it is in black and white, the Constitution of the State which owns this University. And therein, both protections for speech and peaceful assembly. But the U.S. Constitution already has those, so at this point, this is just spiking the 'ol football.

The difference between "remember when" (back in the old days) and now, is that with cell phone videos and the internet, an incident will always be fresh. Memories fade and can become sweeter over time. Videos posted on the internet do not.

Videos lack context. This is what.. 7 seconds recorded by some cub reporter from the campus newspaper?

Over the past decade or so, colleges and universities have really turned into for-profit businesses. It can be really bad PR for a university to have students not represent the school in a positive light. As research funding from the government has become increasingly harder to attain, some schools have had to turn to the private / business sector for support. Universities need to show they have a squeaky clean image.

That's completely absurd.

Dear University, you were turned down for this grant because you failed to adequately punish the Acacia Fraternity members for their lewd serenade of the ADPis.

--I don't think that's how those things work.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by 33girl

It sounded to me like the girls were singing back to them (call and response) so I really don't think title IX would work here.

Is there another article/video that shows that? The Huff Post one didn't say anything about that.