Delta Zeta UConn Sorority Suspended While Hazing Allegation Is Investigated

[SOM]

A letter to the Delta Zeta sorority from Kimberly Hill, UConn's associate director of community standards, dated last Friday, said the organization has been placed under an interim suspension "until this student conduct matter is resolved." According to the letter, members of Delta Zeta have been accused of forcing men involved with a school fraternity to consume alcohol, eat dog treats, paint their bodies, wear women's thong underwear and take shots of alcohol off each others bodies, among other things. The incident allegedly took place March 7 at the Mansfield Apartments, a university residence hall....
http://www.courant.com/community/man...,6869624.story

[carnation]

How on earth are sorority members forcing fraternity pledges to do this stuff?

[Sciencewoman]

Linking this to the previous situation at UConn this year, there seems to be some wider issue of cross-group hazing at mixed gender parties?

[sigmagirl2000]

This makes me sad. I'd love to see greek life continue to grow in my home state. However, UConn seems to have many issues coming to light currently. I wish the best for whichever group comes on in the midst of these situations and hope that their support for a new colony is prepared to work with the culture there....

[Xidelt]

I wonder if it is even a wise decision to bring a new group on with this culture of hazing.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by carnation

How on earth are sorority members forcing fraternity pledges to do this stuff?

The fraternity sends their pledges to the sorority house telling them they have to do everything the sorority sisters tell them to do. The sorority reports back to the fraternity. It's not rocket science.

[AZTheta]

Every time something negative hits the news, about ANY GLO, I say "there but for the grace of God". We all get hit. Every one of us. What irritates me is that the positive events don't get the same amount of coverage that the negative events do.

Examples: Tri Delta raises $15 million for St. Jude's. Thon at Penn State (multiple GLOs involved). DG Anchor Splash. Alpha Phi's Red Dress. Alpha Xi's support for autism. PIKE firefighters. Sigma Chi Derby Days. The Divine Nine's lifelong focus on service, thinking specifically of what Delta Sigma Theta has done (because I have some close friends who are Deltas here in Tucson). Blah blah blah blah. I could go on and on. You get the picture. All the good that is done is overshadowed by a very few stupid acts. Really.

/end of rant for the time being.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by 33girl

It's not rocket science.

Indeed.

I would take any uproar about hazing and pledging more seriously if people were aware of different GLOs practices. That includes NPC and IFC GLO chapters with practices that span beyond what many people attribute to NPC and IFC GLOs.

LOL @ AZTheta. Wellllll...some of us are surrounded by the positive things GLOs accomplish. Some of us are also surrounded by GLO traditions that do not automatically constitute hazing (or banned pledging). People who feel stories of the cons far outweigh stories of the pros need to span their media/news and social circles.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Indeed.

I would take any uproar about hazing and pledging more seriously if people were aware of different GLOs practices. That includes NPC and IFC GLO chapters with practices that span beyond what many people attribute to NPC and IFC GLOs.

LOL @ AZTheta. Wellllll...some of us are surrounded by the positive things GLOs accomplish. Some of us are also surrounded by GLO traditions that do not automatically constitute hazing (or banned pledging). People who feel stories of the cons far outweigh stories of the pros need to span their media/news and social circles.

Point well taken to be sure!!!! Oh and explained very well!

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Indeed.

LOL @ AZTheta. Wellllll...some of us are surrounded by the positive things GLOs accomplish. Some of us are also surrounded by GLO traditions that do not automatically constitute hazing (or banned pledging). People who feel stories of the cons far outweigh stories of the pros need to span their media/news and social circles.

Is that an invitation? YAY!

[exlurker]

Originally Posted by SOM

A letter to the Delta Zeta sorority from Kimberly Hill, UConn's associate director of community standards, dated last Friday, said the organization has been placed under an interim suspension "until this student conduct matter is resolved." According to the letter, members of Delta Zeta have been accused of forcing men involved with a school fraternity to consume alcohol, eat dog treats, paint their bodies, wear women's thong underwear and take shots of alcohol off each others bodies, among other things. The incident allegedly took place March 7 at the Mansfield Apartments, a university residence hall....
http://www.courant.com/community/man...,6869624.story

A copy of the letter from a UConn administrator to the DZ chapter, and a story with much the same info as ^^ , are at:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.1752310

[carnation]

Originally Posted by 33girl

The fraternity sends their pledges to the sorority house telling them they have to do everything the sorority sisters tell them to do. The sorority reports back to the fraternity. It's not rocket science.

I get that. What I don't get is why the fraternity pledges go along with it. No fraternity I know would have done that and no pledges would've gone along with it, it's just bizarre.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by carnation

I get that. What I don't get is why the fraternity pledges go along with it. No fraternity I know would have done that and no pledges would've gone along with it, it's just bizarre.

Another venue where men can assert their dominance as men over women, perceived or actual, under the guise of the bonds of brother/sisterhood? You betcha.

Cross-pledging is not something I'm a fan of (how a fraternity can add to my becoming a member of a sorority, unknown), but I can see how it would regular practice amongst brother-sister orgs:

• Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta (constitutionally)
• Omega Psi Phi/Delta Sigma Theta, Alpha Phi Alpha/AKA, KAPsi/SGRho, unofficially (and somewhat regional/local)

And to dig into the NALFO/NMCG side... (Don't know if there are any Asian interest orgs with such relationship)

• Sigma Lambda Gamma/Sigma Lambda Beta
• Lambda Theta Phi/Lambda Theta Alpha
• Mu Sigma Upsilon/Lambda Sigma Upsilon (I think they're connected - same colors/similar letters/founded at same university around the same time)

I don't recall any NPC/IFC with nationally/historically recognized bonds, but I also don't know their histories. I vaguely recall a sorority being founded on being little sisters to Alpha Phi Delta.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by carnation

I get that. What I don't get is why the fraternity pledges go along with it. No fraternity I know would have done that and no pledges would've gone along with it, it's just bizarre.

Then you don't know many fraternity chapters.

I know IFC chapters that cross-pledged with NPC chapters and NPHC sorority chapters.

Cross-pledging is not uncommon for many collegiate and alumnae/graduate/alumni chapters of some NPHC GLOs and GLOs of other councils/conferences.

I don't consider it the least bit bizarre. There is variation in what cross-pledging entails. There is also variation of opinions as to whether (for the people familiar with this terminology) a fraternity member can "make" a sorority member and whether a sorority member can "make" a fraternity member.

[pinksequins]

Wasn't there another incident like this recently, but the fraternity hazing the sorority, at Trinity in Connecticut? The SUNYs have had issues too, particularly Binghamton, as did Union (NY). There does seem to be a bit of a regional aspect to this.