UVM FRATERNITY APOLOGIZES TO DEAN, MINORITY STUDENT
Acacia says hazing incident not racially motivated
Burlington Free Press, December 2, 1997
by Matt Sutkoski
Members of Acacia, a University of Vermont fraternity, apologized to the victim of a hazing incident last month, saying the event was a misunderstanding and had no racial intent.

University authorities said they also received a letter of apology from the fraternity last week, but still plan to pursue discipli nary hearings against Acacia. A ban on meetings, pledge events and social activities UVM imposed on Acacia on Nov. 21 remains in effect. Vice President of Student Affairs Dean Batt took the action after a minority student told Batt that Acacia pledges had him pose for an insulting photograph Nov. 19.

The fraternity´s one-page letter to the student said the pledges had meant no harm, but regretted offending the student.

"We are sorry that we set in motion events that caused you pain. Although our intentions were not maliciously intended to cause harm to you or anyone else, we realize that our actions had a negative effect on you," read the letter to the student. It and the letter to Batt were signed "The Brothers of Acacia Fraternity."

In a four-page letter to Batt, fraternity members tried to explain what happened Nov. 19. As part of a scavenger hunt, pledges were asked to spoof tensions between Iraq and the United States by photographing a pledge giving an obscene gesture to a person from Iraq.

Fraternity members said in the letter to Batt they assumed the pledges would hold a magazine or stand near a television. Instead, a group of pledges called the minor ity student, whom they knew, to ask him to pose for a photograph.

The fraternity said the student was ashek before the picture was taken if it would bother him and he said no.

The student could not be reached for comment Monday.

"Our intention was in no way racially motivated," fraternity members wrote. "Although our intentions were not to harass or demean any individuals, the actions obviously did."

Batt said a golf club in the photograph was raised as if to threaten the student, but the fraternity said the club was only meant as a prop for a subsequent photograph in the scavenger hunt.

Peter McDougall, an Acacia member, said the fraternity plans to invite cultural affairs experts to Acacia to discuss racial sensitivity.

Batt said he hoped UVM would conduct closed-door hearings on the hazing incident before Christmas. Punishment will depend on the evidence at the hearing.

-end-