Before the previous Director of Fraternity and Sorority life was hired, I enjoyed five years working with fraternity presidents as Dean of Residential and Campus Life. I feel like I understand some of the tensions on campus, and I also feel the Greeks can contribute greatly to Union. As one of the decision makers in this case, I would like to share my thoughts.
Last year a very serious incident occurred at the Tri Delta House and the sorority nearly lost its house and recognition. The same three deans who recently heard the DKE case, now in question, heard the DDD case.
The leaders of Tri Delta told us that what happened at their House was not isolated to their organization. Rather, they said, we should consider that ‘the entire Greek system was seriously broken’ and needed strong guidance and leadership from the administration. After spending some time speaking with them, we made the decision that, rather than strip DDD of their housing privilege and derecognize them, that we would partner with them in helping ‘reform from within.’
In the Spring Term, Dean of Students Steve Leavitt spent many hours with the leaders of Greek Life to work on ways that would make the system safer, healthier, and also more accountable. A plan was put in place for the Fall Term and a meeting of deans and Greek leaders was held at the beginning of this term so that there was a mutual understanding of the new policies.
When we three deans heard the DKE case, it was clear that DKE blatantly ignored the policies that were put in place for 2012-13. The current controversy could have been avoided had they abided by the rules that the administration worked out with their fellow Greeks.
Speaking for myself, I felt that the wise choice was to deliver a sanction. One that would help prevent the Greeks from regressing to the kind of system that DDD leaders and others suggested strongly needed major reform through tougher administration.
I am happy to speak with anyone about the challenges facing student life at Union.
Tom McEvoy
Associate Dean of Students and Director of Minerva Programs
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So, instead of the administration lets blame delta. They are the reason Psi U and DKE lost there houses. #bitchezz
*their
Dean McEvoy: This is an egregious punishment that is unfairly sanctioned against one house. Even though it was determined BY YOUR PANEL that a student from ANOTHER house assaulted a DKE brother and sent him to the hospital. Their house was not closed down!?! Why not? Another house was found with 7 kegs! Their house was not closed down. My son was penalized for trying to do the job that security is clearly hired to do. He didn’t call them because they were ALREADY there and left it to him to do their job. He was punished for trying to do the right thing and hold on to the culprit who assaulted him, while bleeding from his nose and eyelid. The sanctions against one house are clearly unfair if you think ALL of Greek life is broken. The examples of upstanding young men and women that come out of your school and the Greek system speak to the contrary. Parties are a given and need to be handled as responsibly as possible. While some sanctions may have been deserved against DKE, the other house with the “bad apple” should have been the one that was closed. This was not resolved judiciously and needs to be revisited by the deans. The parent of a proud upstanding DKE brother.
This is very childish defense. You’re simply trying to pit us against each other by bringing Tri-Delt into this, making it seem like they’re also to blame for the harsh ruling when that is simply not the case. This is just another instance of the Deans trying to abolish the aspect of Union that is second only to academics.
We are a united not only as Greeks, but as an entire student body, so don’t think for a second that you can take some blame off yourself and try to put it on Delta. Yes the Greek system has some flaws, of which Delta spoke, but not to the extent of which you portray their quote or to where it is necessary to take away housing.
Union college founded modern Greek life and it’s about Goddamn time the administration is as proud of that as the students.
snap snap. I hear you sister/brother!
Way to put the blame on a house who was simply trying to work with you to better the system. I dont see you accounting for those 4 extra points that were given to dke. Since clearly tridelta is the whole reason behind this sanction, maybe you should have them run things going forward.
Greeks must stand together in this instance. For DKE to fall like this with such a small problem speaks greatly of what the new regime will be. Tri-delta did not lose their house for the incident that took place last year even though they are technically a dry sorority. How can it be acceptable to punish DKE equally as harsh for 2 kegs. If a precedent is set here the deans must stick by it no matter who this happens to next. If any leniency is given to any organization, no matter if t is Greek or not then I implore all Greeks currently on campus to take action. Greek life is not about drinking, however as a recent DKE graduate to see my house and history being taken away over 2 kegs is absurd. There was no judicial process that took place. These sanctions are extremely harsh and just trying to push Greek life to the brink of extinction on campus.
Quick! Everyone hatefully respond! It’s all a conspiracy.
No. The reason Dean McEvoy pointed out Delta is because it was a success and was carried out as a warning to other Greek organizations. By allowing Delta to stay on campus and “reforming from within,” it sent a pretty clear message to other groups on campus. Like he said, DKE was obviously aware of the repercussions of their actions and still chose to ignore the rules. Now they’re paying the price and are angry. Did you think every time something like this happened after Delta, the administration was going to keep letting it slide in hopes of reform? No, now they were forced into sanctioning them because the groups on campus don’t seem to take the situation seriously.
And the other four points come from the fact that they did not register (which is incredibly easy and takes minimal effort) and because they didn’t comply with campus safety by refusing to provide ID and provided false information.
The point assignments are pretty textbook. But let’s go and cry and moan and revolt against the school because we got our hands slapped.
Your facts on the case are inaccurate and you need to do your homework. You honestly believe that having 2 kegs is worthy of losing the right to your common space; and that it’s only a slap on the wrist?? You’re clearly delusional. You say the points were textbook… How about the fact that no student ever reviewed the case and no investigation was every conducted!? Or that IFC never even heard about the case until after the sanctions were given!? Or that Sunni decided to dictate 9 points and screw the DKE brothers into a meeting to fight for their house!? That’s not textbook. Read the rules, get your facts right, and come back when you can provide some substance behind your words.
^ This guy gets it. “Classic” clearly does not.
Yes, clearly I do not.
The student handbook states that when points pass a certain level, the decision becomes that of the deans. The same policy applies to student conduct. For instance, if a student were to be found with hard drugs in a dorm, that would be beyond the student conduct committee and ResLife. That’s a deans decision. Don’t call me misinformed because I actually know the policies that govern student discipline and it’s an inconvenient truth. There was no expectation to go to the Judicial Board because the points in question were so large. And before you freak out stating that that isn’t fair, well guess who passed those rules? YOU DID. THE STUDENTS YOU ELECTED created and voted upon these rules. If you have a problem with them, RUN FOR STUDENT OFFICE. Make the change you want to see! Everyone looks like children flipping out about rules that were passed as they sat idly by now only caring because it actually affects them.
Classic,
who are you, dean leavitt? Just defend the administration against every comment why don’t you? And by yhe way, ypur citation of the handbook is right… a case goes directly to the deans AFTER a certain # of points, not before. although can’t say I’m surprised… innocent until proven guilty left Union when Tim Dunn left.
I doubt even Dean Leavitt would be so grossly misinformed, although he may well be just as self-righteous.
THE PROCESS IN WHICH DKE RECEIVED THE 9 POINTS IS WHERE THE PROBLEM IS!! Student’s should have allocated the points and that never happened. There’s not problem with the process’ after that. I am a student elected official, and I’ve been elected 3 years in a row. I’ll come out of anonymity. I’m Chris Sainato, Freshman Class President, Sophomore Class Vice President, Junior Class Vice President and proud DKE. Now who are you “Classic”…..Man-up
For the individual that stated we did not comply, I was the recent graduate from above and was at this “party”. It consisted of 25 individual more than 75 percent of which were brothers and grads. You know nothing about the situation. You must not be Greek because you would know that registering ha to take place the Monday before the weekend. If there was no scheduled party and a bunch of grads just showed up who are you tell them no. You are completely blind in this situation and your insight is moot. The situation with delta and DKE are two completely different ones that are offering an equally harsh punishment. Now tell me how we had 4 individuals transported an then I will agree with you. Lastly every step was taken to comply with campus safety as I was one of the individuals who was there. If you weren’t there I highly doubt you have any idea what you are talking about.
It’s funny that you’re attacking me for saying these things when I’m only repeating the words that came out of your very brothers’ mouths. Perhaps you should make sure that everyone in your house has their story straight before spewing things out to anyone who will listen.
Also, any intelligent Greek knows that you register when you have even the slightest doubt that there may be an impromptu party. Albeit, the brothers of DKE aren’t the most intelligent on campus so it’s not entirely surprising they overlooked the fact that a party might crop up on the second weekend back on campus.
When trolls use their time on the Concordy, you know the internet has to step it up
Wow! This Classic guy is definitely either:
A) Trolling (In which case you should stop, because it’s not entertaining to read)
B) An Idiot (In which case you have my deepest sympathies)
Why have I reached this conclusion?
Because he’s calling the DKE brothers unintelligent for not registering a party on a weekend when no parties COULD be registered.
Judging from the responses your posts have garnered on the other articles today, I’d gather the general populace agrees with my assessment.
That dude just got told!
DKE has the second highest GPA for fraternities so why don’t you shut your mouth about stuff you know nothing about
McEvoy is just looking for an scapegoat so the deans aren’t taking the brunt of this, which is bullshit. This unreasonable punishment is all on them. I’m sorry but letting this happen to DKE for 2 kegs, but letting tridelt go with having people transported is wrong. This is inconsistency in the administration that they apparently want to stick so strongly too. The fact of the matter is that a judicial process did not exist in this case and IFC was never contacted. Therefore DKE is getting screwed because the administration feels like not being fair and giving them a fair trial.
A reform of Greek life cannot take place if the deans refuse to truly work with students. There is no reason why they should not have had a hearing. Greek life has always been the scapegoat for the administration who does not know the facts about how Greek life and parties and alcohol consumption work at this school. If they refuse to learn the facts and work with students, they are in for a rude awakening.
If I were given the choice of losing my house and charter, or take the ofter to “partner with them in helping ‘reform from within.’” I would take the obvious choice and say that the problem is with the greek system, not with my own house. If you take a step back, it is clear to see that Delta was given the choice of spewing the propaganda of the administration, or death.
What would you chose? Would you blame the system that is already falling down around you to survive for another couple of years? In this case, absolutely. It is just a matter of time before the entire greek system is eliminated, if the administration gets its way. In the recent case of DKE is is clear that the administration does not believe in a fair trail or equality. It has become apparent that the administration has a short term agenda to once again, just as in the Hull reign of lies, deceit, and false promises, wage genocide against the greek system. They will not rest until they see the last of our illustrious organizations put to death.
Once upon a time, Union College was proud to be on the forefront of greek society. The Union Triad was founded between 1826 and 1827. Within 4 years the importance of greek life became clear and the wealth of knowledge foraged at Union Collage spread to Hamilton College in 1831. Through out the years Union College prospered with a strong greek community. Now that we have reached 2012, does Union College really want to set the precedent that liberal arts schools are only a business? That education is only about taking money from students while putting on a smile? That the administration cares nothing about the lives and needs of the students? Tim Dunn had faith and trust in the greek system. A trust that was built over several years. A trust where his word ment something to students. A trust that as a greek member, you knew that Tim Dunn was sitting in his office campaigning for your rights not only as a greek, but as a student. By eliminating Tim Dunn, removing trail by peers, and passing judgment without precedent, the administration has usurped the power of judge, jury, and executioner.
It has become clear that the administration is pushing a Minerva agenda. I hate to break it to the world, but it has been 10 years and there is no over whelming sense of community in minerva life. Have you ever met someone that is proud to be a member of a minerva other than someone who is on the council? Council members should be proud, they run a home on a $25,000 budget with no over sight. That is an amazing thing to be a part of, but it is only 8 people per house. 32 total on campus. The minerva program has failed, and in an attempt to revive it, the administration is killing off the competition.
It is time for the greeks of Union College to unite and stand tall against this oppressive administration. There is no justice, no equality, and no mercy. Any slip up will result in the loss of your home. Not because you endangered somebody, not because you deserve it, but because the administration wants to bring death down upon the greeks. Do not give them that opportunity. Fight the become closer to your brothers, fight to become closer to your sisters, and fight to unite as a member of the greek community. Get to know your neighbors. Support greek events even if your fraternity or sorority is not sponsoring them.
The greek community, both up campus and down, on campus and off, must unite or face certain death.
While I was at Union, I got the opportunity to know Tom relatively well and have always known him to be a pretty straight shooter. However, his statement does come across a little as though “DKE died for DDD’s sins.” By no means is DKE a martyr here. The brothers made a foolish decision to tempt fate which resulted in an unfavorable result. That being said, Union’s administrators do seem bent on making an example out of them. The ambiguous motivations driving the severity of DKE’s punishment is what is fueling most of the backlash, not the punishment itself.
Let’s just be open about what the issue is here, underage and excessive drinking. It’s become a social norm across campuses nationwide and is not isolated to Union. At Union, administrators focus on the Greek system as an instigator of this culture and use them as a scapegoat. I agree that they are an easy target and often can facilitate the act, but they aren’t the heart of the problem. Use Bowdoin College as an example to the contrary. They demolished Greek life with a swift hand over a decade ago and created a social house system, arguably the model for the Minerva system which Union instituted years later. Having experienced Bowdoin’s social house system firsthand, it’s not much different than my experience in Union Greek life. There is still underage drinking. There is still binge drinking. The parties that they throw may be a little more tame, but in my experience that has been due to a lack of trust between house members to hold themselves accountable for the well being of the house. As a result, the more excessive parties are thrown at off campus houses.
If Union were to eliminate fraternity houses, they would create a vacuum within the social environment at Union. With their restrictions on off-campus house, unlike Bowdoin, what would end up filling the vacuum may be something much less predictable and therefore less controllable. “Better the evil you know, than the evil you don’t.” I can’t forecast what the new rage would be. I certainly don’t believe dorm rooms, Schenectady Bars, rogue off campus houses, are safer options.
If Union wants to tackle the issue of irresponsible alcohol consumption, I applaud that effort. What I’m concerned about is what arises from the ashes of Greek life should Union continue their crackdown. I hope the administrators have fashioned a well vetted and realistic long term plan and encourage them to share it with us. All I’ve seen are spastic, and in my opinion ineffective, short term responses that could end up creating a much more dangerous atmosphere.
Spoken like a true Greek, I was never in the council and I loved my Minerva, I helped out whenever I can, I made amazing friends there and continued to go even when I did not live there anymore so please don´t speak for everyone some of us (especially those of use who don´t have 1k a yr to pay people to be friends) love Minervas and felt a huge sense of community there.
You sound like you’re fat.
So, basically what he’s saying is that they should’ve punished Delta when they had the chance. I concur! Those ….. have completely escaped punishment. Did they lose their house? No. Did the lose their ability to accept pledges? No. Are they hazing their pledges? Of course. Yes, maybe all Greeks drink a little but not all greek houses send four member to the hospital on bid night. Has delta really done much community service since then?
DKE was have some beer (in a more environmentally safe way than endless cans) with their alum and suddenly they get slapped with these sanctions?
Seriously, who have the tri-delts slept with to get away with this?
It’s posts like this that give the administration reasons to try and tear down Greek life. That was c ompletely inappropriate and is the last thing we need at this time. Oh, and check your facts
Wow ….. Did you know that Tri-Delt raised like 25 grand last year through philanthropy? Everyone makes mistakes and they certainly fucked up one night, but their record since then has been outstanding and an excellent example of what Greeks can accomplish. As a member of a different sorority I’m ashamed of your harsh attack on another Greek organization, especially at such a crucial time. Stand together Greeks!
whoever DKE>delta is, it shoudl be clear that the person is not affiliated with DKE and is just causing trouble. It is post like these that are meant to divide us greeks against each other. We need to stand together as one!
I am a Union alumn who never pleged or wanted to, but I did room with two tridelts one a good friend the other someone I never got along with. However, your comment is disgusting and is the reason why so many of us hate Greek life. Because it encourages sexism. Why if girls manage something it has to be about who they slept with and not because maybe they were better negotiators, smarter or simply acted better? It is bad enough NY still has a horrible law that says that any house with only women on it that serves alcohol is considered a whore house, I myself lived in a theme house where we were forced to accept a guy so that we were not more than 20 girls alone because obviously serving a beer and prostituting myself are the same thing. I have great friends who are DKE alumni and thus will omit to make comments about how the Greek system made you such a chauvenistic pig because not all frat brothers are like you, however I do believe the Greeks do promote gender roles that might not be healthy starting from the fact that they bring even more divisions and are based on the whole idea of “sisters” and “brothers” and thus I hope one day those divisions get taken away. I hope Union stops admiting idiots like you or please next semester take professor Chilcoat’s class, you could use with a lesson!
Totally uncalled for “DKE > Delta”
Have you need read the comments about how we need to band together?
Don’t feed into the deans attempt at creating a split within the greek community.
Nice to see the dean are as dumb as ever. McEvoy, why don’t you try coming down off your pedestal and join the rest of us in actual conversation. You messed up. Yes DKE had kegs and that was wrong, but it is clearly not worth destroying their house by taking away their common space. You’re really going to let a keg undo all the community service DKE has done? Get your head out of your ass.
We can’t blame delta. Although it seems like blame is being shifted their direction, it is still the administration we have to be angry with. We have to be sure to be an entire greek community going into the coming months. We have to work together more than usual, and step up our game in making sure potential security risks are addressed. We have to work to keep out of trouble as best we can, while creating our argument against the administration. Basically, we need to try to stay off the radar while we are trying to argue to the school that we don’t need these sanctions.
We have to work together. Help your brothers and sisters stay out of trouble, and we will all fight to get rid of this newfound authoritarian greek administration.
While I understand the frustration communicated by the above poster, it is exactly this kind of attitude that the Greek community, and greater student/alumni body must avoid. Dean McEvoy is clearly using the statements of Tri-Delt as a (weak) defense for the egregious breach of due process, and likely in an attempt to deflect heat from the deans, to the among the students. We must not allow these petty tactics to divide us during a moment when a unified front is the only thing standing between the administration and the complete annihilation of Greek life at Union. Am I upset that my house has become the unfortunate target of the administration’s anti-Greek campaign? Of course. Does it upset me that the more severe infractions of other houses incurred the same (if not less-so) penalties? Of course. But none of that is relevant when taking a step back and viewing the greater threat at hand. DKE may have been the first casualty of this crusade, but if the students don’t make their voices heard here and now, and instead succumb to in-fighting and petty squabbles, it certainly will not be the last.
To clarify, this was directed at the DKE>Delta post, which was… less than appropriate, and far from constructive.
DKE may have broken the rules in regards to having 2 kegs, but getting 9 points, and having their common space taken away are completely unfair punishments. Because of 2 kegs. What happened to the DDD’s when they had to get their new members transported? They got their housing AND pledging back. Either show the same kind of leniency for the DKE brothers, or give the same punishment to the DDD’s who actually only got a slap on the wrist with letting something worse happen. Deans and administrators should be fair when it comes to giving out sanctions, and we all know that they are out to get us. Greek life unites the school as a whole, and we will no longer be able to act as a close student body with the administration trying to shut down Greek life. Not to mention the alums who will sever their ties with the school.
Yes! Great Post!
While DKE>Delta obviously was crude, I think that’s what s/he was trying to say. If the administration wants to go hard on the greek’s that’s their right (though I think it’s bad policy for donations), but they must be fair.
Dean McEvoy,
Why did the administration supersede the IFC, the actual bureaucracy meant to deal with these type of issues, and instead throw the sanctioning power to, among others, the Director of Minerva Affairs? What’s the point of rules if you aren’t going to follow them? The whole administration needs to be more transparent and less heavy-handed.
Every time crap like this happens, I’m reminded how annoying it is that I paid 52,000 dollars a year so idiots like you could run Union in the poorest fashion possible. Union’s administration takes up way too much of tuition money every year so that departments and deans can exist simply to exist. There needs to be a push back from current students to remove the bloated bureaucracy that Union engenders and spend more of that money on anything else. You could even put it towards Ultimate Frisbee for all I care.
As for trying to put the blame on the shoulders of Delta, man up and take responsibility for your actions.
Sorry to break it to you Dean McEvoy, but you are in charge of a failed Minerva system – well-intentioned but tragically ineffective – that gives our school’s beautiful symbol of that goddess a bad name. I’m sure at the time it seemed like a great idea to pump tens of thousands of our tuition dollars into a council of a few students running these gigantic mansions and tell them to “go nuts.” Of course they organize some interesting events – but not interesting enough to draw more than a few students that care about it more than the boxes of pizza that outnumber the attendees. The one good thing that came out of the Minervas? Excellent places for sophomores to live while most of them are PLEDGING.
It is come time to replace the Dean of Students. I can think of none better for the job than Timothy Dunn. And, it time for the student body to send an unambiguous message to President Ainlay and the Board of Trustees, as we celebrate homecoming.
Thanks for the housing Dean McEvoy.
This is an incredibly weak and degrading defense of an argument. The entire administration should be ashamed.
Greeks should stand together. Delta is not throwing other greeks under the bus, as DKE should not either. Delta fought for what they got, they earned their rights back. Just for a suggestion, although what DKE is going through is unfair, try to work WITH the administrative, as DDD has done, instead of yelling at them. It will work, but as DDD did, go through with what you say, and stick with eachother!
From,
A Sorority Girl
While I am sorry that this has happened I can not in the least say that I am surprised. While this is one of the most current scenarios of a conflict that has been on going for many years. When they decided to pursue a Theme House program to “Help” give more students other than just the Greeks social life opportunities and prime housing on campus they did so in a manner that was more akin to reducing these very things they sought to improve to a least common denominator status. They took many of the houses of the Greeks to create the new system and named some of them in honor of Alumni that give large sums of cash. Has this had the hoped for impact that they had wanted? It appears not in the least. While it looks good in big glossy photos and is a great talking point for recruitment, both of which are pointed to the same end cash, in reality it appears to be a huge failure which they can not own up to and seem to have no way to back away from with all the spin and hype that they have given it for so long.
I have been approached time and time again to give money to the college after they decided to take away the house that I had lived in during my years at Union. My response has been the same. My checkbook will open when the college changes the systematic destruction of one of its most historic institutions. Greeks across the country learn about the history of the Greek system and the role that Union College played in the way of the Union Triad. What a great legacy there is on campus and what a powerhouse of support the school could have it if would learn to harness the great things that Greek Life offers to its students. Sadly this will not happen when the Greeks continue to have to worry constantly about their continued existence on campus. How can one expect a partnership when the level of mistrust is so high.
I acknowledge that times have changed and that the issues of student life regrading alcohol must be addressed both for a safety concern as well as for a legal concern. It is apparent that the school, given the past situation on campus with students being transported as well as increased issues nationwide, is taking a hard line stance. Now is not the time to test these limits as it has been shown that the school take this as just one more reason to continue its attack on Greek life. As others have stated now is a time for Greeks to unite and support one another. It is also a time to reach out and get Greek alumni involved and informed of the current situation on campus. When enough of the cash-flow becomes threatened by Alumni voicing their disapproval of the handling and attacking of Greek life then and only then do I believe that the college will start to amend its relationship with their most significant asset, a long and historic Greek presence.
I think that the adminestration should not be alloud to do these kinds of things to the greek community. They should have to go through a student council and do it the way Tim Dunn would have handled it! And this “Clasic” person is really not a student. Clearly he/she is part of the adminestration.
Kegs? Really?
Of course getting in trouble for kegs is absurd when there’s coke here for years.
You know, you guys talking shit about the administration is not helping your case. They won’t fucking reason with you if you are already jumping the gun and fucking being unreasonable.
Grow up, assholes.
I think all the comments directed at President Ainley, Dean Leavitt, and Sunni are warranted but there is one more important cog in the machine who ha flown user the radar. Dean Williams may be the most involved in arguably the most controversial thing to happen to Union/ Greek life since roger hull forced Greek houses out of their homes. Dean Williams is the Senior Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student Conduct. She is a person who pulls a lot of strings behind the scenes. Sunni asses points and recommends a sanction but Williams is the one who makes the final decision on the sanctions and notifies the accused of their sanctions. She has final review of this decision. She could have said this was too harsh but she did not. DKE was given 9 points for keg, noncompliance, and a unregistered event. Kegs are 5 points, noncompliance is 1-2, and a illegal social event is 4 points. DKE should have technically be given 11 points and been disbanded. However, I believe Sunni have them 2 in order to avoid that. However, Dean Williams did not think it was harsh enough and so delivered the sanction of de-housing DKE. Dean Williams has been flying under the radar and I want people to be aware that she should not be absolved from any of the blame given to the other deans. She is not fully responsible but attacking the face is sufficient to fully understanding who is responsible for this terrible situation. All parties should be accounted for. Dean Williams needs to also be addressed in order for this situation to be fully discussed.
This is very true
The frats and sororities are such a benefit for the school…..they attract money from alumni and when kids come and enjoy themselves during visits by going to frat and sorority events they apply to school and pay tuition to come here..sure there are risks but that happens everywhere, the positives for the school outweigh the risks…people need to realize that this is a benefit for Union especially from a financial standpoint and many alumni still believe we are the “mother of fraternities” and how important frats and sororities reign in graduate’s lives and how they have influenced them in all their endeavors and post college experiences. Gotta keep this system going strong because it is greatly helping our reputation along with all the academic success we have had.
I do not know much about the current politics in Greek life as I am not involved. It does however seem to me that administration has really overstepped their bounds but that is not why I have taken the time to comment on a system that I am not a part of our have much interaction with. Even so I have become deeply interested by the DKE situation, the various articles/responses, and most of all the comments. It is these comments that I think really has had the greatest impact for someone who is on the outside looking in. Never could I have imagined such outright, public, bad blood between the student body and administration. I plead to the administration, staff, faculty, trustees and President Ainley to really understand the point I’m making. There are Greeks and independents that have expressed their displeasure (putting it nicely) with what has occurred. All I say that something has to happen unless President Ainley and this school is comfortable with a student body that does not trust or respect its administrators.
Reading through this article and comments, and being a Union student, I just wanted to put in my two cents.
Yes, it is unfair that DKE lost its’ house. Yes, it is inconsistent. And yes, it seems as if they are being made an example out of. But I think Dean McEvoy brought up Delta, not to put the blame on them, but to explain their thinking.
I think the deans thought they could use the Delta incidence as a way to work through the “greek problem” (excessive drinking, fights, etc which happen more not at greeks but they are the easiest to point fingers at), but despite the best efforts of Delta, in the deans mind, it has not worked. So maybe they regret having them stay (although I am glad they got to stay).
And IFC and Greeks agreed to the no parties rule for the first few weeks and obviously no kegs (and I know by our students’ status 40 people or so is not a party but the school has decided it is). But obviously if you’re caught you’re going to have to pay the consequences. And it was not brought to a judicial board because the amount of points in question would have caused the case to go to the deans anyway.
I think the administration is upset that things haven’t changed much in the last year as far as the “greek problem” and are now deciding to crack down hard, no tolerance for breaking the rules.
And if anything comes out of this, I know the DKE brothers, and hopefully the campus at large, will really think long before breaking a rule (no matter how minor or dumb it is). And this is a good thing because out in the real world, A LOT worse things happen for breaking laws than losing your fraternity house or not being able to have parties.
P.S. I haven’t gone and fact-checked every sentence so I may be wrong on details but just putting out my opinion and take on this.
Even though countless people have already commented about how absurd these sanctions are, or how the administration is “out to get greek life,” or how absurd it is to place blame on Delta Delta Delta for these new policies I feel that as a recent greek alumni, I must also voice my distaste of this article and of this entire situation. Dean McEvoy, I’ve worked with you as well as Ben Foster and countless other faculty and staff members as the Beuth House President. I have always held you in the highest regards and I’ve always felt that you were a fair, caring, and thoughtful person. I have to say that it is very upsetting to find you writing an article like this one, calling out Delta Delta Delta for a mistake that they made and making it seem as if it is their fault for all of the trouble the greek system is in today.
Let me point out a few things:
1. You say, “before the previous Director of Fraternity and Sorority life was hired, I enjoyed five years working with fraternity presidents as Dean of Residential and Campus Life. I feel like I understand some of the tensions on campus.” I must add that of my three years apart of my fraternity, in which I was vice-president along with several other leadership positions, I never once heard your name come up in any sort of greek related way.
2. You say, “when we three deans heard the DKE case, it was clear that DKE blatantly ignored the policies that were put in place for 2012-13. The current controversy could have been avoided had they abided by the rules that the administration worked out with their fellow Greeks.” I believe DKE is owning up to their actions. From the other articles that I’ve read it really seems that DKE understands there was a keg in there house and they were having an unregistered party. I believe the real “controversy” that is going on is the way this situation was handled. When I was a student, if a fraternity or sorority ever got in trouble they were judged by a committee of students who made the final decision on the matter. It seems like you and these other deans have completely passed on this option, taking matters into your own hands. This reflects negatively upon the administration towards the students, it shows the lack in trust the administration has for the system in place.
3. You say, “the leaders of Tri Delta told us that what happened at their House was not isolated to their organization. Rather, they said, we should consider that ‘the entire Greek system was seriously broken’ and needed strong guidance and leadership from the administration. After spending some time speaking with them, we made the decision that, rather than strip DDD of their housing privilege and derecognize them, that we would partner with them in helping ‘reform from within.’” This goes back to my second comment. You say that you teamed with Delta to “reform from within,” but what you’ve just done is exactly not that. You, along with these other deans, have gone around the greek system.
Dean McEvoy, I have to say that I’m very saddened to hear what you and these other deans have done and are doing to a greek life at Union College. Its very disappointing to hear about all of these new probations, rules and restrictions that are being put into affect. Let me say that one thing greek life has taught me is brotherhood. Brotherhood is what this is all about. And when you throw us into a corner and when you hit us with heavy sanctions, you can expect us to band together, to stand up and to voice our distaste for such actions of yourself and of your peers. I’m very happy to see greeks and non-greeks commenting against the actions of you, Dean Levitt and the new greek administrator, Sunni. I hope you understand that you cannot just simply apply pressure to this situation and not expect a recoil.
I hope you think about what you’ve said in your article, and I hope the next time you publicly voice your opinion you take a few moments to understand how the students feel. Lastly, I hope you understand that throwing a greek organization under the bus, like the way you have done here with Delta, will not pin greek life against them. It will only cause more us to stick together.
Hold on, guys. Consider this.
Has anyone ever been so far as decided to use even go want to do look more like?
The answer is that I have in fact been further even more decided to use even go need to do look more as anyone can. Can you really be far even as decided half as much to use go wish for that? My guess is that when one really been far even as decided once to use even go want, it is then that he has really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like. It’s just common sense. Obviously as you can see now with that in mind, Dean McEvoy (if that’s even his real name) deserves to step on Lego pieces barefoot for the rest of his mortal existence and Classic is a bad troll. 2/10 bro, you got me to respond.
That was utterly incoherent. Union, please refocus on your efforts on teaching grammar else I’m better off boasting my high school diploma than Bachelor’s degree.
hahahhha!! just keep rambling Union haha, too funny!
I think it would be worthwhile for everyone to take a look at Tim Dunn’s recent reaction post to DKE’s sanctioning because he makes an excellent point –
This is the prime time for Union students and particularly Union Greek to STAND TOGETHER.
The DKE-Delta war is childish and must come to an end immediately if we wish to have any hope of reckoning this abysmal charge. While reading McEvoy’s post, it really just appeared to me that he was employing Delta as a poor and overt scapegoat for his own controversial decisions. He goes on and on about what occurred last year regarding Delta’s transports and the consequential processes that followed, but puts little to no effort into addressing the handling of the actual issue at hand: DKE! Certainly Delta’s own mistakes last year have contributed to the increased pressure and penalties placed upon Greek life now, but that does NOT in any way put Delta at fault. If anything, it simply makes clear the fact that DKE was made an example of for other on-campus houses.
I will admit up-front that I am not up to par on the exact issues and facts at hand, but I will say this:
Regardless of how much the rules have changed this year, 9 points and the loss of a common space for 2 kegs and a supposed “unregistered party” appears an unreasonable and overly-severe punishment for any frat, particularly DKE. This is ESPECIALLY true if there was no trial held allowing DKE to defend their case.
It is really a shame that Union administration feels the need to focus so intently upon penalizing a fraternity like DKE for such a minor infraction, as opposed to tackling greater Greek issues at hand. From what I have personally experienced, DKE is not a problematic frat. The brothers and pledges are all legitimately good kids with good intentions. Punishing DKE in this manner will do nothing to address one of the greater underlying issues within Union Greek, a problem that lies more so with the mentality of some brothers than it does with some frats. Perhaps we should put a little more emphasis upon encouraging fraternities to condemn the belief (and brothers who hold the belief) that Greek life is really just all about date rape, hard drugs, and generally disgusting and offensive behavior. I am tired of seeing truly decent fraternities face unnecessary punishment while brothers who cast a bad name for Greek life across campus are let off with a slap on the wrist.
If students fail to stand together on this issue, I wouldn’t be surprised if AEPi and SigPhi were next.