Posted on 03/29/2008 12:35:24 PM PDT by RogerFGay
The Gamma Phi Beta sorority at University of North Dakota has been put on temporary social probation while the university investigates complaints stemming from a November party during which sorority members and their guests donned mock Indian garb and red face and body paint.
The temporary probation was issued by both the UND Dean of Student’s Office, which will investigate the complaints, and by the Gamma Phi Beta International office in Centennial, Colo.
The probation means Gamma Phi won’t be allowed to host or participate in social activities with other sororities and fraternities or other student groups, either on or off campus, during the investigation, UND Dean of Students Lillian Elsinga said.
Photos from the November party show sorority members in “Indian maiden”-style dresses and feather headdresses. Some male guests are dressed in makeshift loincloths and smeared with red paint.
Elsinga wouldn’t speculate on what, if any, penalty her office will recommend once the investigation is complete, but said, as dean of students, she did not condone the behavior be-ing described.
In a brief statement released late today, UND President Charles Kupchella gave his support to the investigation and said “appropriate action will be taken at the conclusion of the review.”
Gamma Phi’s central office also issued a statement today.
“Gamma Phi Beta International Sorority sincerely regrets the recently-reported actions involving chapter members at the University of North Dakota. We realize that the actions of the chapter demonstrate the need for greater chapter education about diversity and personal dignity.”
The Gamma Phi party first came to public attention late last week after Margaret Scott, an American Indian student who frequents UND’s American Indian Student Services house, found photos of the party on the Facebook site of Anastasia Ginda, the sorority’s current president.
The American Indian Student Services House is next door to the Gamma Phi house.
Scott copied the photos onto her photobucket.com site and forwarded that link to an anti-nickname campus e-mail list.
The Herald also linked to Scott’s photobucket site in its early coverage of the Gamma Phi party. Many of those photos have since been removed from the site and replaced with a note that they violated the site’s user agreement.
About 10 American Indian students wrote an official discrimination complaint about the Gamma Phi party late last week, and that form was delivered to Elsinga this morning.
Between 50 and 60 discrimination or harassment complaints are filed at UND every year, covering a broad range of issues, Page said. Elsinga said it has been several years since a complaint was filed against a fraternity or sorority.
Calls made to Ginda and the sorority house since Friday have not been returned.
Lots of "Scots Irish", do however. There much intermarrying, both ways, in the early 1800s, particularly in the South. Many "Indians", even reservation Indians have Scots Irish ancestors as well.
None of you mentioned the real kicker. the mascot at the University of North Dakota is “The fighting Sioux.’
http://www.fightingsioux.com/HomePage.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13500&KEY=
Ok, you have to share the premise of complaining about Little Mary Sunshine.
What would happen if a black fraternity or sorority dressed up in business suits and whiteface? Would the university issue an apology to the white race?
What’s wrong with Little Mary Sunshine? That’s my daughter’s nickname. Am I going to be sued if I call to her in public? More info needed.
In the play the Indians kidnap Mary.There is a threat of rape before she is rescued. Thee were also complaints that the play portrayed Indians as other than modern people. The protrayal of Indians as anything other than peace-loving, wise, kind, etc was “racist”.
It was the HS play that year and was banned from the HS stage after the demonstrations. A community group bailed them out and it was performed on a private stage in a restored movie theater.
There isn’t that much left up on the web, but here is a google search page:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Little+Mary+Sunshine+protested+Viroqua&btnG=Google+Search
Thee=There
This is without a doubt one of the most ignorant things I have ever seen!
PCness seems to be running amok, considering the school mascot!
What is next, Cowboys, Steel Workers, Meat Packers, Oil Workers, ETC?
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