Eric Barron, president of the Pennsylvania State University, said in a statement on Wednesday that the time might have come for universities nation-wide to reconsider the fraternity system, after a scandal erupted earlier this week regarding nude photos of women in fraternity house being posted on Facebook.
Penn State’s president also said that the university is considering its option regarding this, while also working out with the national chapter of the involved fraternity – Kappa Delta Rho – terms on which it may be allowed to activate within its campuses in the future. He pinpointed excessive alcohol consumption, hazing and sexual assaults as realities within college fraternities that need to be addressed.
Members of the Pennsylvania chapter of Kappa Delta Rho are under investigation by the police after a private Facebook page allegedly administrated by them posted indecent photos of nude women, allegedly taken inside a fraternity house. Apparently, at least some of the pictures were posted without consent and involved passed out or sleeping nude women.
The university is working with local police to identify the members involved in taking and posting the photographs, with them risking to be expelled and even face criminal charges, in some cases. The Kappa Delta Rho fraternity has already suspended its Pennsylvania chapter for one year due to involvement in the incident. The fraternity’s national or local chapters have not issued any comments revolving the incident, and no charges were filed by the police to date.
The incident led to a demonstration earlier today in which over 100 Penn State students condemned the fraternity’s action outside the university’s main administration building, despite having to face a snowstorm. The protesters asked the Penn State leadership to completely sever ties with Kappa Delta Rho and to put any students involved with the Facebook page on temporary suspension.
According to a 2012 USA Today article, over nine million US college students belong to a Greek organization, be it a fraternity or sorority. These kind of student organizations have mostly been trying to repair the hedonistic image that surrounded them at one point, with deaths or injuries related to hazing being widespread, and reports of sexual assault under the effect of alcohol within fraternity houses not that uncommon.
Image Source: tommairs.com
Tara Hamilton
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