<p>[University</a> of Alabama on sorority discrimination allegations: ‘Time to do the right thing’ | al.com](<a href=“http://blog.al.com/tuscaloosa/2013/09/university_of_alabama_responds_1.html]University”>University of Alabama on sorority discrimination allegations: 'Time to do the right thing' - al.com)</p>
<p>I am heartened by the timely response, but don’t think it goes far enough. What do yall think? Please keep calling and emailing UA admin.</p>
<p>I don’t think they’re yet prepared to come up with policies and repercussions. These things probably take a few days.</p>
<p>Alums will be exposed, and this will end.</p>
<p>While I appreciate that UA is officially acknowledging this, the statement does not go far enough. The University does support these organizations financially and must not allow this to continue.</p>
<p>Not enough.</p>
<p>It cannot end simply with these Alums exposed. These four houses cannot be presumed to be the only sources of the problem, just because the Crimson White was able to get quotes from them. The university must take it more seriously than that for the public to believe in real concern for change.</p>
<p>The Inter/National HQ’s should take it pretty darn seriously too. They have turned a blind eye to alumnae abuses for years at many campuses. Plus they should enforce their national policies and not just give lip service to non-discrimination.</p>
<p>That is a “punt” if I have ever seen one. Booooo</p>
<p>Not so. HQ’s are responsible for the process of member selection and the fact that the process is so easily manipulated by alumnae.</p>
<p>Does not take one iota of responsibility off the shoulders of UA administration, just recognizing that there are more players in this game.</p>
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<p>And a shanked one at that. </p>
<p>Disappointing. We’ll see how this develops.</p>
<p>I sure hope Crimson White got its facts right, and they are not turned into a pariah over this. The slightest misinterpretation and/or misrepresentation may get twisted so far that the focus will shift away from the issue at hand, which would be unfortunate.</p>
<p>It’s a start. I understand that right now UA needs to choose their words carefully. That is to be expected. It is a little premature to expect them to come out and say they are going to do X, Y and Z to combat the issue. This is not an issue to take lightly and just throw out a quick judgement and solution. There is no easy solution. You can’t punish the students when they did not do the wrongdoing. The alum need to be exposed and agree with the gov on this one.</p>
<p>It’s a start. I understand that right now UA needs to choose their words carefully. That is to be expected. It is a little premature to expect them to come out and say they are going to do X, Y and Z to combat the issue. This is not an issue to take lightly and just throw out a quick judgement and solution</p>
<p>Exactly. Some of you may not have a lot of experience dealing with very large entities. But, when stuff like this happens, the first words aren’t usually “solutions” because they’re still investigating and determining exactly what can be done and what will give them the results that they want. They also have to make sure that the solutions don’t cause any worse unintended consequences…which does sometimes happen when “quick solutions” are attempted.</p>
<p>The first statements are usually vague without any real sense of what exactly is going to happen…because the Plan of Action is yet to be determined.</p>
<p>I don’t think Bama financially supports these Greek Houses in any way except by providing low cost leased land for the Houses. While some may think that means Bama can control all their doings, it doesn’t. </p>
<p>Bama also provides low cost leased lands to the Houses of Worship on campus land. Bama can’t really control what goes on in those places, either. For example: It’s not going to tell the Catholic church that it must start giving Communion to non-Catholics…just because the church sits on cheaply leased Bama property. </p>
<p>Therefore, Bama must proceed in a logical and legal fashion to figure out how far it can go with these orgns…and that does take some time.</p>
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Can’t say I agree. (Full disclosure … the next items are guesses on my part - but the point is clear). Does the University allow the Greeks to use University facilities during rush (the stadium, dorms, dining halls, etc). Are the greeks reserved spots at sporting events like football games? Does Alabama have intramural leagues that include Greek teams/divisions? Etc, etc.</p>
<p>Alabama allows the Greeks to use it’s facilities multiple ways … they have a ton of leverage over the Greeks … up to this point they have chosen to not use the leverage … the administration have allowed the Greeks to go on their merry way while using University resources. </p>
<p>BTW, the arguments about the AA Greek organizations and self-selection also ring hollow. All the other schools with Greek life have the AA Greek organizations and self selection on campus. Alabama needs to take a serious look at itself to understand what is happening at Alabama why Greek integration has not occurred.</p>
<p>I was referring to financial support.</p>
<p>I agree that some benefits could be withdrawn from Houses that don’t behave…loss of football seating (which various groups enjoy), loss of use of the stadium for Bid Day (don’t know if they pay for that or what), etc. I don’t know if they use the dorms or dining halls for any activities. I don’t know of any. </p>
<p>I would hit them where it hurts. I would charge uncooperative Houses a LOT of money for their leased land. If their silly alums want to cough up $500k per year for leasing their land so that they can remain as they are, then Bama can put that money to good use exposing those Houses and hurting their recruitments…a double whammy.</p>
<p>I am going to 100% agree with 3togo on this one.</p>
<p>Despite their claims to the contrary the Greek organizations are NOT private organizations. They are most definitely affiliated with the campus.</p>
<p>Their houses are located on campus, they recruit exclusively from the student population, they use campus resources, the university promotes and hosts their events…</p>
<p>There are many student established groups that are affiliated with campus - the gaming club, the running club, and many others that recruit members at each semesters Get on Board day. They were not established and are not run by the university, but as affiliated groups are most definitely expected to follow university rules. If any of these clubs discriminated in membership, I don’t believe the response would simply be “It’s a private organization and as such are allowed to select their own members”</p>
<p>If the GLOs were truly private organizations, the university would have no control over their activities. Who cancelled rush activities last year??? Who cancelled the swaps last night??? If someone is found drinking underage in one of the houses, who enforces the rules??? The university demonstrates that they do indeed set rules for these organizations and have the power to enforce them when they choose.</p>
<p>The Universities here in the midwest routinely review the charter of Greek Houses and even expel them from campus if there are issues with hazing or extreme problems caused by drinking.</p>
<p>The reason that it matters that the GLOs are affiliated with the university is because it holds them accountable to following our nation’s Constitution. The Supreme Court determined more than a few decades ago that SEPARATE IS NOT EQUAL (Brown v Board of Education). For a truly private organization, they can discriminate (it’s still not right, but is their choice to make…the KKK (which was just distributing flyers near my house last week??? does not have to accept minority members)), but as a public university, The University of Alabama and all of its affiliated organizations can not discriminate based on race (or many other factors). </p>
<p>They can continue to argue that these are private organizations and they are allowed to select their own membership, but if it does evolve into a legal battle and prospective members can show that race was the only reason they were rejected, the close ties between the university and the GLOs that demonstrates the relationsihp between the organizations is going to put them on the losing side.</p>
<p>The Universities here in the midwest routinely review the charter of Greek Houses and even expel them from campus if there are issues with hazing or extreme problems caused by drinking.</p>
<p>the midwest isn’t unique to this. Bama and other schools kick Houses out as well.</p>
<p>Most schools have event budgets and student organizations. Students pay fees and these fees are used for things like concerts, fairs, etc. </p>
<p>I would imagine the Greeks get money from this fund at UA.</p>
<p>They can continue to argue that these are private organizations and they are allowed to select their own membership, but if it does evolve into a legal battle and prospective members can show that race was the only reason they were rejected, the close ties between the university and the GLOs that demonstrates the relationship between the organizations is going to put them on the losing side.</p>
<p>This. This is what I was trying so inadequately to say in my post above.</p>
<p>That statement doesn’t go far enough. There should have been a strong denouncement of the conduct that has been alleged and a statement that such conduct would not be tolerated, especially from alumni. Should have said any alumni that behave in the manner alleged are no longer welcome on campus or at any UA event.</p>
<p>would imagine the Greeks get money from this fund at UA.</p>
<p>This is what I’m not sure about. I’ve never heard that each House gets money. If they do, then the misbehaving houses shouldnt get any. when I was in college, we got NO money from the school. We did use the campus for Bid Day and other functions, but the Houses weren’t given any budget money.</p>
<p>That said, I don’t know if IFC, Panhellenic, Pan-Hellenic, etc are given free office space on campus.</p>