Fraternity And Sorority Political Action Committee Calls Out Rolling Stone, Asks For Fraternities To Be Reinstated At UVA
When Rolling Stone decided to publish its article, “A Rape on Campus: A Brutal Assault and Struggle for Justice at UVA,” they set off a serious chain of events that damaged the reputations of not only Greek members at UVA, but also of those across the nation. Phi Psi had its house vandalized and UVA suspended all Greek life until January.
As of last week, many people began digging into the story, vocalizing that it seemed a little out there. Due to the surfacing evidence against the article, Rolling Stone issued an apology.
The Fraternity and Sorority Political Action Committee released a statement sharing its thoughts on the matter and took a few digs at Rolling Stone in the process:
The Fraternity and Sorority Political Action Committee (FSPAC), the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) and the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) believes recent events show the need for a comprehensive reevaluation of many issues related to students and sexual assault on campus. We are saddened at the lack of journalistic integrity Rolling Stone demonstrated in publishing its article on campus rape at the University of Virginia. The reporter and magazine’s reckless actions have many negative impacts on higher education that cannot be fixed with a simple apology.
First and foremost, this article sets back the fight against rape and sexual assault, marginalizing and discouraging true victims from stepping forward. Fraternities and sororities will continue to educate students about how to intervene and prevent sexual assault, and how to support all victims of campus sexual violence. We believe anyone who has committed sexual assault should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. We will not allow the Rolling Stone article to undermine our intent to be leaders in solving the problem of sexual assault.
Second, the reckless Rolling Stone article set off a chain of events that led the University of Virginia to suspend operations of all fraternities and sororities for the remainder of the school term. This decision was made before an investigation into all of the facts alleged in the story was completed and it was not consistent with the law or university policies. The school’s decision to suspend hurt the reputation of thousands of outstanding student leaders in our organizations who had nothing to do with the alleged events described in the article. As a result, the University’s rush to judgment has caused great harm and emotional distress to the members of Phi Kappa Psi and many in the fraternal community. We believe universities must demonstrate more respect for the fundamental rights to due process and freedom of association for students and student organizations when allegations of misconduct are lodged. A rush to judgment on campus all too often turns out to be wrong, especially when applied at the organizational level.
Third, we call on Congress and state legislatures to look seriously at the complex issue of how to handle sexual assault on campus. We believe any crime that involves bodily harm – which automatically encompasses any sexual assault – should be handled primarily in the criminal justice system, regardless of the accused’s status as a student. Congress should examine whether the public interest is being served by forcing sexual assault cases into a campus judicial process. We believe campus processes lack the necessary skill sets, resources and capability needed to reach the right decision and many who work with these issues contend campus conduct bodies will always lack this expertise despite the best of intentions of those who work with Title IX and sexual violence on campuses.
Finally, we call on the University of Virginia to immediately reinstate operations for all fraternity and sorority organizations on campus, to issue an apology for its actions of the last two weeks, to publicly explain and release all records for the basis of its decision to suspend our organizations, and outline what steps it will take to restore the reputation of our groups and students at UVA.
I couldn’t have said it any better myself..
[via FSPAC]
Image via Twitter
I find it highly disappointing that the PAC representing Greek life isn’t called the “Frat PAC” but everything else about their statement is beautifully fucking put.
11 years ago at 7:25 pmThose of us in DC, and the people that work there for that matter, colloquially refer to it as Frat PAC
11 years ago at 7:48 pmThis is why a school should stand by their students until they conduct a full and thorough investigation. THEN punish the offenders once you find out what really went down. Schools everywhere seem to be more concerned, as of lately, with covering their asses than they are with supporting their students.
11 years ago at 7:34 pmStudent athletes commit more sexual assaults than fraternities. I’ve seen and heard how they act especially at fraternity parties. But of course the school is not gonna fully investigate an attempted by a 6’7 200 lb african american male with an athletic build, at a party multiple members of the basketball team was at.
11 years ago at 7:37 pmIf your 6’7″ athlete weighs 200 pounds, you should probably stop recruiting in sub-Saharan Africa. Starved peasants don’t make good athletes.
11 years ago at 9:42 pmThis man doesn’t have time to worry about the precise weight of these degenerates.
11 years ago at 11:20 pmShots fired.
11 years ago at 8:25 pmLet this Rolling Stone article be remembered as the moment when feminism finally jumped the shark.
11 years ago at 8:33 pmYet another instance proving that Liberal ideals in this country are insanely against Greek life. It’s annoying knowing that just because you decided to dedicate yourself to an organization where, statistically speaking, you will be made a better person that there are countless persons/organizations that will jump at any chance to defame or slander you. Ridiculous.
11 years ago at 10:11 pmIt aint right.
11 years ago at 1:23 amSo sick of the whole “girl who cried rape” situations that arise. He probably just didn’t call her the next day.
11 years ago at 7:51 amStill ridiculous to me that we are just saying it’s okay. Like as Greeks I thought you would all stand against something this terrible. Yet time after time we shrug off sexual assault. UVA should lose federal funding for hiding sexual assault for 20 years. You can say all you want about this story being false, but in my opinion telling this girl she is a liar is a complete disgrace. It saddens me to see how many Greeks on here would stand against that poor girl said. The first thing we’re taught at my school, at orientation is how to handle sexual assault. After fearing of belief for 3 years, then finally coming out about it, and the fucking Washington post say she’s lying is why this world is fucked up. Not a single person should have said that she was wrong. Innocent till proven guilty can be commented all you want, but telling someone she wasn’t raped it’s the last thing you’re supposed to do. Just take a step back and realize that yeah the rape may not be real, but her depression after this is going to be. Greek life at UVA may have never raped that girl, but they and the rest of the United States may have just killed this girl.
11 years ago at 8:25 amYou must have been under a rock for the past two weeks.
11 years ago at 9:08 amHave you read up on this at all, bud? Even the Rolling Stone admitted there’s something fishy about the girls story… “In the face of new information, there now appear to be discrepancies in Jackie’s account, and we have come to the conclusion that our trust in her was misplaced.”
Don’t jump down the throats of people sticking up for Greek Life without doing your homework.
11 years ago at 10:19 amI take it you haven’t been following the story for the past week, because it turns out the whole thing was a hoax.
11 years ago at 2:01 pmThe whole thing did not turn out to be a hoax, the specifics in one part of the story have been unverifiable. That is way different than proven to be a hoax. As for the rape culture at UVA, faculty and students are coming out and saying that it is definitely a problem. Take a look at this interview with a faculty member and the pictures of a mural that the university put up in one of its buildings. http://www.wdbj7.com/news/local/uva-professor-says-mural-sums-up-schools-cultural-issues/30143564
11 years ago at 4:26 pmSource: Phi Kappa Psi Facebook page
Official Statement from the Virginia Alpha Chapter at University of Virginia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Over the past two weeks the Virginia Alpha Chapter of Phi Kappa Psi has been working tirelessly and openly with the Charlottesville Police Department as they investigate the allegations detailed in the November 19, 2014 Rolling Stone article. We continue to be shocked by the allegations and saddened by this story. We have no knowledge of these alleged acts being committed at our house or by our members. Anyone who commits any form of sexual assault, wherever or whenever, should be identified and brought to justice.
In tandem with the Charlottesville Police Department’s investigation, the Chapter’s undergraduate members have made efforts to contribute with internal fact-finding. Our initial doubts as to the accuracy of the article have only been strengthened as alumni and undergraduate members have delved deeper. Given the ongoing nature of the criminal investigation, which we fully support, we do not feel it would be appropriate at this time to provide more than the following:
First, the 2012 roster of employees at the Aquatic and Fitness Center does not list a Phi Kappa Psi as a lifeguard. As far as we have determined, no member of our fraternity worked there in any capacity during this time period.
Second, the Chapter did not have a date function or a social event during the weekend of September 28th, 2012.
Third, our Chapter’s pledging and initiation periods, as required by the University and Inter-Fraternity Council, take place solely in the spring semester and not in the fall semester. We document the initiation of new members at the end of each spring. Moreover, no ritualized sexual assault is part of our pledging or initiation process. This notion is vile, and we vehemently refute this claim.
It is our hope that this information will encourage people who may know anything relevant to this case to contact the Charlottesville Police Department as soon as possible. In the meantime, we will continue to assist investigators in whatever way we can.
11 years ago at 12:52 pm