The general headquarters of both Kappa Alpha Order and Zeta Psi Fraternity yesterday indefinitely suspended their respective local chapters at the University following the discovery of alleged racially offensive pictures posted on the Web site partypics.com, according to Aaron Laushway, assistant dean of students and director of fraternity and sorority life.
The pictures, taken at an Oct. 31 Halloween party cosponsored by both fraternities at the Zeta Psi house, depicted several costumed students with their faces painted black.
The photographs pictured one individual dressed as Uncle Sam with his face painted black. Two other students painted their faces brown and dressed as tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams.
"I find such representations hardly fun Halloween costumes, but rather despicable displays of ignorance, intolerance and jocular folly," Laushway said.
Patricia Lampkin, vice president of student affairs, voiced a similar position.
"This is not reflective of what the University stands for," Lampkin said. "Anything that makes any statement against another race is absolutely abhorrent."
Upon learning about the pictures, Laushway subsequently spoke with both chapter presidents involved and with representatives from the general headquarters.
Larry Wiese, executive director of Kappa Alpha national organization, then contacted the owner of the Party Pics Web site to remove the offensive pictures.
"This behavior is offensive and wrong, and it certainly violated our laws and customs," Wiese said.
The pending investigation to be conducted by Kappa Alpha's national organization is an attempt "to gather facts so we can make a credible decision about what, if anything, needs to be done," he said. "The allegations that have been made are serious, and we're taking them seriously."
In addition to each national organization conducting investigations of their respective chapters, the Inter-Fraternity Council also will conduct its own investigation, Laushway said.
In an official statement issued by the IFC, President Phil Trout said "the IFC does not in any way condone or tolerate this type of behavior and is taking action to address this problem."
The IFC Judiciary Committee also has temporarily suspended the two chapters from the IFC under the IFC-JC by-laws until the pending IFC-JC investigation is completed, according to the statement.
A similar incident occurred at Auburn University last fall, where local chapters of Beta Theta Pi and Delta Sigma Phi were suspended because their members attended fraternity-sponsored Halloween parties in which they dressed up in Ku Klux Klan robes and painted their faces black. Some fraternity members were photographed pretending to lynch a guest in blackface.
The Auburn controversy attracted national media attention, and, just as in the University's alleged incident, officials found evidence of the costumes on a Web site that featured pictures from the party.
The temporary suspension by the general headquarters of both Kappa Alpha and Zeta Psi places limits on the activities of both fraternities.
Kappa Alpha is completely unable to function as a chapter, according to Todd Shelton, director of communications for Kappa Alpha.
Zeta Psi is on social probation, meaning they are allowed to participate in community service, but they can have no alcohol, Laushway said.
"For the purpose of the community [the suspensions] are the best thing for the time being until both the University and the national organizations have the chance to sort things out and get to the bottom of what's really going on," said Michael Dunkley, co-chairman of the Black Fraternal Council.
Zeta Psi President Blake Campbell declined to comment on the matter.
Kappa Alpha President Tyler Brown decided against adding on to comments already made by Wiese.
Both students and faculty alike have expressed concern over the implications of the pictures.
"At any institution of higher learning, we value our free expression," Laushway said. "But at the same time we need to be acutely aware of how some actions, even those deemed by some as harmless or prankish, are deeply offensive to a large number of members of our community, both student and faculty."
BFC Vice Chairman Okem Nwogu said he saw this incident as an opportunity to set an example.
"I want this to set an example for any type of Greek organization that thinks this is appropriate behavior, so that organizations that condone such actions will think twice," he said.
Despite the incident, he said he still views IFC/BFC relations optimistically.
"I don't think this is indicative of the general nature of the IFC, but just one case," he said.
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