The Guilfordian
April 10, 2015 | 7
OPINION
WWW.GUILFORDIAN.COM/OPINION
GUlLFORDIAN@GUILFORD.EDU
NC State frat encouraged discrimination
The fraternity
BY ZACHARY
LINDSEY
Staff Writer
The Tau chapter of the Pi Kappa Phi
fraternity at N.C. State University is officially
disbanded.
was suspended because
of a pledge book that
was found at a Raleigh
restaurant which
contained racially
' sexually offensive
comments.
The members of Pi
Kappa Phi were told to
immediately vacate the
fraternity house.
“The fraternity can
apply to return to campus
with new membership in
2018,” said writer B.J.
Drye in an article for the
Stanly News & Press.
Chancellor of NCSU Randy Woodson
remarked that there has been an ongoing
investigatioii into the-pledge book according
to The Technician, a student newspaper of
NCSU. V,: . •
“I hope today’s action makes it clear
that there is no place for intolerance, sexism
and racism at N.C. State,” said Woodson,
according to NC State News.
Greek life poses endangerment to students
and encourages discrimination.
No institution should permit sexism and
discrimination towards any demographic at
any university.
According to the New Jersey Institute of
Technology, over 800 campuses in North
America participate in Greek life, with over 9
million Greek life members nationally. Greek
N.C. State University suspended the chapter of Pi Kappa Phi due to content found in their pledge book until it can reapply in 2018 with new members.
life is also the largest network of volunteer
service in the United SUtes, with 850,000
members nationally. However, Greek life has
substandard ways going about initiation and
group camaraderie. . ;
“NCSU did a good job with liow^thfey
handled the situation,” said senior tesley
Manuh. “I’m pleased to see that they’re
upholding strong values and being assertive
with not tolerating racism and sexual
discrimination.”
During their review, university police also
released a “Wolf Alert” about a reported
sexual assault that happened at the house
in early March. Moreover, the organization
is currently under investigation by the
University regarding allegations that one
or more of the fraternity’s members were
deahng drugs according to Katherine Kehoe,
news editor for The Technician.
“A school should expect its students to
act with integrity and to reflect the shared
values of their community,” said Residence
Li%/^ellness Coordinator Kristie Wyatt ‘08
in email interview. “If they are unable
itci>mieet this standard, whether from racists
or sexually abusive language or drug use, I
don’t think it is inappropriate for them to be
denied housing privileges.”
First-year Elhe Pershing commented on
the event that took place at NCSU.
“I think that fraternities and sororities
receive a bad reputation because of events
such as these,” said Pershing. “The fact that
NCSU shut down the fraternity is good
for the rest of the houses under Greek life
because not all Greek houses do such things.”
Actions that NCSU took will better
maintain the reputation of fraternities and
sororities across the country.
Unlike NCSU, Guilford has theme houses
instead of Greek life. The theme houses
act as a space for groups of students with
common interests to live together. Similar
to fraternities, theme houses serve the
community through fundraisers and provide
a space for community engagement.
Sophomore Ro Lutenbacher shared her
thoughts on NCSU seeking justice for the
actions of the fraternity members.
“I think they could have (taken steps)
to make it a little bit more of a learning
experience,” said Lutenbacher. ' “For
example, take classes about racism and
discrimination. However, I understand the
precautions that they took in order to deal
with the incident.”
Staff Editorial
Don’t let CCE be lost
in the budget cuts
Distress has spread across the campus concerning the status of the
CCE department. CCE students, and many traditional students are
concerned about signs that CCE may be in danger. Recendy, all Saturday
classes and some night classes and summer classes have been cut. Rumors
claim that the Office of Advancement and Communications will move
into Hendricks Hall, displacing CCE students, although no decisions
have officially been made.
While the class cuts have been made in response to decreasing
enrollment, they make it a lot harder for many CCE students to get a
degree.
Both these changes and the ones that are rumored have made many
CCE students feel undervalued. We want to stand in solidarity with them
and let them know that the Guilford community cares.
Besides, CCE students play an important role in a Guilford education.
At the College there is a wide range of ages, from high schoolers to adults,
offering all of the community a unique experience. As an institution,
we claim to value diversity as a core value. And the different ages and
experiences of our students is a major source of this diversity.
Additionally, CCE students contribute greatly to racial and
socioeconomic diversity in our community. 43 percent of CCE students
are people of color, compared to 28 percent of traditional students. 55
percent of CCE are eligible for Pell Grants, which are based on financial
need. Cuts made to the CCE department detract from these kinds
of diversity, and thus could be considered racially and economically
prejudiced.
We are not just concerned about losing these students. The way the
school is making these decisions is not consistent with what we were
originally told. ^X^e we were told that cuts would be made across the
board, this feels more like a concentrated effort to demolish a major part
of our community.
We continue to encourage those making decisions about cuts to reaUy
put everything on the table, including the salaries of the highest-paid
employees. We want to puU together during this crisis, not divide the
campus or make some members feel less valuable than others.
The lack of information about changes to CCE that was shared with
students is also problematic. We were blindsided by this information, as
were the many CCE students who were already heavily afrected by cuts
and will be more so if more cuts come to pass.
We hope that administrators take this into consideration as they
continue to make cuts. We understand that cuts are necessary to
ensure the future of our school, but we do not want to lose part of our
community along the way.
Reflecting Guilford College's core Quaker values, the topics
AND CONTENT OF Staff Editorials are chosen through consensus
OF ALL 14 EDITORS AND ONE FACULTY ADVISER OF ThE GuILFORDIAN's
Editorial Board.
LEUER IS editor
Throughout the budget cuts,
remember Guilford's cohesion
A few weeks ago when the student body was invited
to come and “plea” their clubs, organizations, causes,
and interests, to the board of trustees, I received an
invite from many different groups I have been and am
a part of to come and speak on their behalf I chose
not to come and speak on any of their behalfs because
I could not choose just one to represent. I regret not
coming to speak to the board of trustees that night
because I think I could have had something valuable
to contribute, even if it were not on behalf of any
one group. So, I’m going to address the board here.
Dear Board and Jane Fernandes,
My name is Gia Henry and I am a senior getting
my degree in Peace and Conflict Studies. I am a CCE
student, and I love my school. In my almost three years
at Guilford College I have been a PPS scholar, a Bonner,
a facilitator and coordinator for the Conflict Resolution
Resource Center, a Friend to Friend mentor with the
CCE population, a member on the DAC accessibility
subcommittee, a student and an advocate fighting for
the heart and soul of Guilford College putting my time,
my life and my energy on the line. I use the phrase “I
have been” only because I do not know where all of those
organizations, or my future, stand as of right now as you
said they are all on the chopping block. We have been
told that everything is being examined and all staff faculty
and students must put our school ahead of our interests,
projects and organizations. Let me tell you because I have
nothing but my beloved Guilford on my mind that I fight
for all of these organizations and then some, as they are all
the heart and soul of a school I love. These organizations
are the lifeline, the soul, the essence of what Guilford is.
So to tell me to put the interest of the school ahead of
individual groups, projects and my own personal interests
is to tell me to give up on what I love about Guilford.
Guilford is a remarkable school that stands out from the
rest because of its core values: community, diversity,
equality, excellence, integrity, justice and stewardship. We
sell these values to future students and the community, but
are these enduring values really the basis of the College’s
mission? With the definitive changes that have already
been decided for the fall 2015 semester, and the rumors
that abound because we have litde to no information to
go on, my answer to that question is a resounding “no.”
Let me tell you who I am. I am Guilford strong. I love
my fellow students no matter if they are tackling on the
football field, singing on a stage, studying in the library,
stressing over grades or in conflict with each other. I love
my fellow students because they too are Guilford strong.
We are Guilford College. Without us this place is merely
a compound of buildings without a soul and without a
heart. When you make decisions with the consideration
of the compoimd of buildings as your top priority, and
not the heart and soul of its content, you take away the
essence of what Guilford has been, what Guilford is and
what it can be. Without us, there are no organizations or
groups or interests to chop.
With utmost respect, I ask that you please not view the
pieces of our school as separate, non-interdependent parts
that any one piece can be chopped off without affecting
the other. Any one element is dependent on the other to
make the whole. When one part is chopped off, it affects
another. I am not a business major. I do not and cannot
pretend I know anything about how to run a business.
Being millions of dollars in debt is something that cannot
be ignored. However, when you take care of business at
the expense of interests (i.e., the students), you are not
taking care of business, you are instead nullifying our
community. Picking apart each piece in an attempt to see
what and who is worthy and who isn’t shreds and destroys
any chance of a unified community, thereby losing its
integrity and excellence. The compound of buildings you
are trying to protect is worthless without the community
of its inhabitants.
Sincerely,
Gia Henry, CCE senior
Letter to the Editor:
Join the Fight for $15!
Read this letter at
WWW. GUILFORDIAN. COM!
BY CHELSEA YARBOROUGH ^15