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AKA Chapter Accused of Hazing

www.philco4u.com Alpha Kappa Alpha material on display at an online Greek shop.

By J. Samuel Cook
Black College Wire

The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. chapter at Alcorn State University in Mississippi, once referred to as "Gangster Phi" for its brutal hazing rituals, is under fire for allegedly engaging in underground hazing activities.

The Gamma Phi chapter postponed a scheduled Feb. 25 "interest meeting" and suspended intake pending an investigation.

The allegations came in an e-mail sent to the national organization, claiming that illegal hazing activities had taken place. The e-mail was sent under an assumed name.

However, a sophomore who asked not to be identified told the Alcorn Campus Chronicle that she and other prospective members were made to meet members of the sorority in their dorm rooms, perform calisthenics and purchase food and other amenities for the "big sisters." Aspirants were not allowed to look members of the sorority directly in the eyes, she said.

"They would call us around 1 or 2 in the morning and make us come to their dorm room," the sophomore said. "Once we were there, they would make us recite history, founders and other information. We would have to do push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks when we got answers wrong or weren't in sync." The sophomore said she had not sent the e-mail making the allegations.

Patricia A. Owens, assistant director of membership for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.'s national headquarters, said calisthenics and other physical activities constitute acts of hazing and that the organization mails copies of the organization's anti-hazing policy to each college or university annually.

The sorority, founded in 1908 at Howard University, is a social service organization. Its stated focus includes health resources management, economic growth for black families and entrepreneurship. According to the sorority, there are 49,015 active members worldwide.

The Gamma Phi chapter has conducted such community service projects as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a Buckle Up for Safety Campaign, a freshmen women's forum, a forum for economic empowerment for African American males, and Go Red for Women, a health and wellness awareness forum for African American women, in conjunction with the Alcorn alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

The organization enacted a strict anti-hazing policy in 1999 that defines hazing stringently: a variety of prohibited practices, including but not limited to, "underground hazing, financial hazing, pre-pledging, post-pledging or post-initiation pledging," according to the organization's Web site. The sorority was forced to suspend intake for all chapters in 2002 after Kristin High and Kenitha Saafir were drowned during alleged underground hazing activities at California State University at Los Angeles.

Linda M. White, supreme basileus for AKA, insisted in a 2002 letter posted on the organization's Web site that the chapter at Cal State Los Angeles was "suspended . . . over minor pledging Infractions" more than two years prior to the girls' deaths. An alphabetical listing of suspended and expelled members, as well as chapters, is posted on the organization's Web site.

Felisha Robinson, vice-basileus for the chapter, said she was "not sure" where allegations of hazing came from and that she "has no knowledge of it whatsoever." Robinson also remarked that "anything concerning AKA's interest meeting is AKA business and AKA business only."

Apparently this is not the first time such allegations have surfaced. Jennifer Graham, the current chapter basileus, asserted that "people have been saying they've been getting hazed by Gamma Phi for years." The chapter was under investigation in 2005 for hazing. Several members were suspended from the sorority, but the chapter remained intact.

Alcorn State University also has a strict anti-hazing policy that is outlined in the university handbook. Penalties for hazing include suspension, expulsion, fines and civil prosecution. In Mississippi, any person violating anti-hazing laws is to receive a penalty of not more than $2,000, imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six months, or both.

Shundera Perteet, who became graduate adviser for the Gamma Phi chapter in August 2005, said in a Feb.23 memo addressed to Sherylynn Byrd, who chairs Alcorn's Department of Mass Communication, that she "cannot confirm any allegations . . . from an unauthorized source" and that "such information should be dismissed as campus gossip." Perteet also said the cancellation was an administrative decision and that "regardless of the reason," all decisions are made in the best interest of the chapter.

The memo asserts that the Gamma Phi chapter is active and that all chapter operations are continuing. Perteet completed the memo by reiterating that she "does not owe anyone outside of [the] sorority an explanation for the cancellation."

The interest meeting for the chapter was tentatively rescheduled for March 8.

Hazing at Alcorn State University has become an increasing problem.

• Most recently, the Eta chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. expelled five members for inappropriate conduct and alleged hazing activities. The expelled members appeared before the Disciplinary Committee at Alcorn State on Feb. 22 on charges that they continued to represent themselves as members of Omega Psi Phi both on and off campus. The Disciplinary Committee has not yet made a determination regarding the five students.

• The Delta Epsilon chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. was suspended from the university in 1998. The organization was reinstated in 2004 and has since conducted a membership intake and is in good standing with the university.

• The Delta Kappa chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. was suspended in 2003 for alleged hazing activities. A lawsuit was brought against the fraternity and the university; however, a settlement was reached in December. Rickey Thigpen, Area Four director and chairman of College Brothers Affairs for Alpha Phi Alpha, said no determination has been made on when the chapter's suspension will be lifted and that there are to be no chapter activities and no on-campus presence for the organization.

• The Alpha Zeta chapter of Phi Beta Sigma was under membership intake suspension for the fall 2006 semester; however, the organization will have intake for the spring semester.

• The Gamma Pi chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. was also suspended in 2005 by the university. That suspension has been lifted and membership intake will be held for the spring semester.

Alcorn State's interim president, Malvin Williams Sr., reiterated the university's position on hazing at a joint informational session on Feb. 21. "If you are afraid to talk to an adviser, you can come talk to me," he said.

J. Samuel Cook, a student at Alcorn State University, is interim editor-in-chief of the Campus Chronicle. He is a member of the Eta chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. To comment, e-mail [email protected]

Posted March 7, 2007

Keep Greek Business In-House

To the editor:

I am a member of Omega Psi Phi. I pledged the Eta Tau chapter in spring '98. Greeks need to keep their business in their own house. I don't want to know what other Greeks are doing. Omegas need to use some discretion when dealing with Omega business. Keep your business to yourself. J. Samuel Cook needs to start putting his line name and number on his e-mails if he going to claim Omega Psi Phi, so that the brothers will know who they are talking to.

Reggie Martin
Freakalicious
Da Freaky Ace
Port Gibson, Miss.
March 8, 2007

"Getting Caught Happens to the Other Guy?"

To the editor:

"Push-ups, jumping jacks, sit-ups, purchasing food and amenities, don't-look-sorority-members-directly-in-the-eye" — those are their "brutal hazing rituals"? Surely they did not earn the "Gangster Phi" moniker for just that (although I would be leery of any chapter of an African American sorority referred to as "Gangster." My beautiful Black sisters, please reclaim your femininity!).

I don't want to make light of the seriousness of actual hazing, but given that we are in an era where obesity and obesity-related illnesses are skyrocketing among our youth, I suppose making people get off their lazy behinds and engage in actual physical exercise does constitute "brutality" in some people's politically correct minds. (How else can you explain someone sending an e-mail to a sorority's national office over jumping jacks and push-ups? Please tell me there's more to it that this.)

When you really take a good look at the state of African American health today, I would submit that an exercise/calisthenics program needs to be incorporated into every Black Greek Letter Organization's intake process!

What is more troubling is the high rate of suspensions of the Greek-letter organizations on that campus over the last eight-nine years. Either these organizations are being foolhardy with their intake process (both in candidate selection and intake implementation), or Alcorn's anti-hazing policy is actually that strict. So, given the stern anti-hazing policy on the campus, is every Greek-letter organization operating on the yard with the criminal mindset that says "getting caught happens to the other guy and not to us”?

I mean, come on! That's quite a few organizations getting kicked off the yard in such a short span of time. What's the deal? Wisdom would dictate that we look at the negative consequences and take steps to ensure that same experience never happens to us. While experience can be a good teacher, the tuition is expensive!

Deone Wilhite
Member, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Austin, Texas
March 8, 2007

Greeks, Be Careful

To the editor:

I pledged Delta Sigma Theta at Alcorn State University in the early '90s. Even then, the anti-hazing policy, both of our national chapter and at Alcorn, was strict. Many, however, chose not to adhere to it. This is obvious by the information given about all the organizations that have been suspended at one time or another on the Yard.

I know that some read this article and say "Exercise, push-ups? Big deal!" I understand this mind-set, but we do have to realize that these activities fall under the guidelines of hazing. If a person is being forced to do something other than learn his or her history and participate in community service activities approved by the sorority/fraternity and University, it's hazing.

Some people have no problem with certain aspects of intake and view it as part of the process. They want the "full experience of pledging." For those who don't, my advice would be, don't, but if you haven't been hurt, don't take the experience away from those who want it! For those who are already members of Greek letter organizations, be careful. Don't do anything that might hurt anyone.

I feel very ashamed that the organizations at Alcorn have been in so much trouble and hope that they will all exercise more caution in the future.

As for the person who said the writer of the article should sign his line name/number, etc., it's a news story, not a letter to the 'bruhs'. There's no need for that. This being a letter, I will sign mine:

Joscelyn Walls Buford #35 Spr. '93
Delta Epsilon Chapter— Alcorn State University
Member, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Vicksburg, Miss.
March 10, 2007

Write About Something Important

To the editor:

I am not a member of any sorority, but to find this article on this Web site is silly. It sounds like campus gossip that turned into a national article.

When I attended Jackson State University back in the '80s, yes, you heard of hazing going on, but push-ups? Come on. Are you serious? I believe if you truly want something (in your heart), you will go at any cost to become a AKA, DST or whatever. This article is very juvenile and the president of this chapter as well as the president of Alcorn State needs to put a stop to this young man. This makes the school as well as the organization look extremely bad.

Young man, you cannot tell me honestly that when you were on line for Omega that you didn't get hazed in some shape, form or fashion. If not, then you are not a true Omega Man. Or maybe it wasn't as newsworthy as push-ups.

Can you write about something important, such as a relief fund for the Katrina victims, our troops in Iraq or helping the homeless? You have your mind in the wrong place. This is what the white community needs as another stereotype for us.

Nicole Denson
Carthage, Miss.
March 12, 2007