Syracuse University expelled one fraternity and promised a review of the Greek system after a video of a racist, hate-laced sketch went viral.
The president of Syracuse University permanently expelled one fraternity and promised a «top-to-bottom» review of the Greek system across the sprawling campus after video of a crude, racist sketch performed by fraternity members went viral.
University President Kent Syverud announced the expulsion Saturday, just days after school officials first viewed what he described as a «racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, ableist and sexist» video. He said disciplinary charges against students involved in the video could be recommended within days.
Students could face suspension or expulsion from the school, he said.
«We have a lot of work to do,» Syverud said. «We know this issue extends beyond one fraternity and one video.»
The video shows new members of Theta Tau swearing «hatred in my heart» for blacks, Italians and Jews, using disparaging terms for each. The video is laced with crude sexual humor, and a second video shows fraternity members mimicking sexual assault on a disabled person.
The videos drew outrage and prompted demonstrations on campus, some directed at Syverud. The hashtag #whereskent was promoted by protesters demanding that he stand firmly behind them.
On Thursday, Syverud suspended the fraternity and ordered bias training for members of all Greek organizations. On Friday, he attended a student protest. On Saturday, he said he supported all those who stood up and «emphatically rejected bigotry and hatred.»
«I want to thank everyone who cares about Syracuse University and who have spoken up and acted for our values in the last few days,» he said.
The fraternity, in an apologetic statement issued last week, described the sketch as satire that it said targeted fraternity brothers.
«One of these brothers is a conservative Republican, and the new members roasted him by playing the part of a racist conservative character,» the statement said. «It was a satirical sketch of an uneducated, racist, homophobic, misogynist, sexist, ableist and intolerant person.»
The statement stressed that the sketch did not represent the beliefs of any members of the engineering fraternity.
«Hopefully, understanding the circumstances of the video — as well as our initial response — will help ease some of the pain caused by the horrible words that this video contains,» the statement said.
It added that many of the brothers were uncomfortable with the language, and that the new members were counseled not to use such language in the future, even in jest.
«Anyone of color or of any marginalized group,» the statement said, «has every right to be angry and upset with the despicable contents of that video.»
