Theta Chi Pledge Injured in Altercation at Cannon Byjj3remy WANGIVERSON Tion He Can Pursue
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,, .. ... ,. ,. .~......,. ...,, ........,...(.l. , .,......,..,. .... THE TUFTSDAILY , E.reYou Read It First Wednesday, Marchl5,2000 Volume XL, Number 36 1 Theta Chi pledge injured in altercation at cannon byJJ3REMY WANGIVERSON tion he can pursue. Daily Editorial Board “It may bethatthe ThetaChi pledge has an individual A Theta Chi pledge’s nose was broken by a Tufts complaintagainsttheSigEpbrother,withouttheinvolve- junior wielding a paint can after a verbal altercation ment ofthe fraternities,”Acting Dean of Students Bruce escalated into a physical fight at the cannon. The Reitman wrote in an e-mail tothe Daily. “Ifthe response fight occured just before 6 a.m. last Friday morning, implicates a fi-aternity, the case would go to the Inter- accordingto the Tufts University Police Department Greek Council (1GC)judiciary instead.” (TUPD), who forwarded the case to the Dean of If the pledge chooses to file a complaint against the Students office after the freshman pledge decided individual,the junior could receive a punishment ranging not to press criminal charges at the scene. from a semester-long suspension to expulsion, should The Theta Chi pledges were guarding the cannon the attack be considered assault with a deadly weapon as partofa pledgeactivity when the incident occurred. resultinginphysicalharm,accordingtotheTuftsStudent . Whilethejunior,who is amemberofSigmaPhi Epsilon Disciplinary System booklet. (Sig Ep) and was accompanied by his twin brother, Sig Ep President Eric Feigenbaum and Theta Chi WhoattendsBentley College, andafieshmanpledging President Matt Pawloski both agreed that the incident Sig Ep the three had no intentions of painting the was not an inter-fraternity conflict. cannon for Sig Ep and were acting completely inde- “We feel really bad. Wedon’t denythatthebrother’s Photo by JacOO Smemerg pendently of the fraternity. act was pretty stupid, but it was independent of Sig Ep,” Theta Chi pledges were guarding the cannon last Thursday “It was not intentional whatsoever,” the junior said, Feigenbaum emphasized. night. An altercation ensued when three students approached referring to the pledge’s injury. “One person’s actions can reflectthe house-that’s with paint. A freshman pledge’s nose was broken by a flailing The Theta Chi pledge, who had no official comment not what we want. This person’s actions reflect nothing paint can. on the incident, has spoken with the administration, the house stands for, nor was it a fraternity event,” which outlined the different courses of disciplinary ac- Feigenbaum said. Community discussion will take place in early April to plan program choosessuppa whatevertotake. “It’stotallvuDto action .,the~pledge him by BENJAMIN GEDAN posium, Teichman has coordi- -he got hit, I didn’t.’’ Daily Editorial Board nated with representatives of the This is the second fraternity-re- The Education for Public In- United Nations World Summit to lated conflict at the cannon over the quiry and International Citizenship be held in South Africa next year. last two years. Last March, a group (EPIIC:) program is planning to He plans to send a delegation of ofAlpha Phi pledges were attacked tackle the topic ofraceandethnicity Tufts students to the international by overadozenZetaPsi brothersand in a full-year course and campus discussion to continuetheir learn- pledges. The pledges were pelted symposium next year. If the an- ing process. with eggs, vinegar, and paint as the nouncement and posters adver- All parties involved acknowl- fraternity sought to “take” the can- tisingtqecourse seem familiar,that edge the controversial and poten- non hmthesorority.Nocomplaints is because EPIIC initially planned tially divisive nature of a public were filed,thoughthe IGC passedan to study the theme during this discussion ofrace. Teichman said agreement strictly prohibiting such academic year, and got as far as the the planning process will be “to- altercations at the anon. Reitman annual community discussion tally inclusionary,” and all faculty said this recent incident will reopen before student and faculty con- and student input will be welcome. discussion of the Greek system’s cerns caused EPIIC Director Lecturer Steve Cohen is one of cannon-painting tradition. Shzrman Teichman to postpone the faculty members involved in “The Committee on Fraternities the topic. This year’b EPIIC sym- planning next year’s course. Photo by Jacob Silberberg and Sororitieswill betaking alookat posiurn on Global Sports, Poli- Through his teaching of educa- Sherman Teichman, Director of EPIIC, and EPIIC alumna what happens at the cannon during tics & Society, concluded last tion, Cohen is experienced in deal- Arum Han. pledge period, since this is the sec- month. ing with issues ofrace in the class- ond year in a row there has been an Only preliminary preparations room. When the head of the African protestors. At Ballou, demands incident,’’ Reitman said. lhoughthere have been made for next year’s “I have found that not talking American Center, Todd that increased administrative at- isaconsensusamongthe fraternities program; there will not be any con- about race when looking at [edu- McFadden, announced his deci- tention and money be directed that the incident was not a fraternity firmed symposium speakers nor a cation] topics is just not dealing sion to leave the University under toward issues of diversity at Tufts conflict,theadministrationsaid itwill curriculum outline for several with the real issues,’’ Cohen said. less-than-pleasant circumstances, were enumerated in an official investigate whetherthis was a viola- months. Possible themes include “My experiencehas been that ma- the Pan African Alliance (PAA) document and presented to Vice tionofthe IGCagreementoncannon issues involving race and the pe- terials thatprovoke andget people launched a widely attended march President of Arts, Sciences, and law: The IGC has asked all Greek nal system, literature exploring really thinking have been very ef- on Ballou hall. Gravestones bear- Technology Me1 Bemstein in the institutions to refrain fiom painting identiiy and culture, and socio- fective.” ing the names of departed black the cannon pending further review economic divisions in countries Students in Cohen’s introduc- faculty members were carried by see EPIIC, page 14 of the situation. throughout the world. The pro- tory level education course read a gram will maintain its usual global book entitled “Why are all the perspective. “We’re not looking black kids sitting topher in t!e Fines put towards financial aid at race at Tufts,” Teichman said. cafeteria?” The topic engenders by ILEhd STEIN so. “That s not our concern.” passionate and thoughtful re- Daily Editorial Board Although exceptions are rare, the fine is waived Teichman has contacted admin- sponses, Cohen said, and “really Absentminded Tufts students who misplace in some circumstances. “For the most part, cashiers are istrators at the University of Mas- [makes] alotofpeoplethinkabout their identification cards are well aware ofthe $5 given leeway [to decide what is fair],” Lee said. For sachusetts to invite them to par- a subject that isn’t often spoken fine that Dining Services charg.: them to gain example, if a student’s card is stolen and her or she has tiupale in the program, but that about.” access to the not had the opportunity to go to the police station to planis 1ikewiseunconfirmed.Nev- Despite the early involvement dining halls with- replace it,the finecan sometimesbewaived. While few erthekss, Teichman said he is con- of Cohen and other associated out their card. Tufts students are enthusiastic about paying fines, fident that the race and ethnicity faculty, there is no guarantee that What many of many were lesscritical ofthe policy discoveringthatthe topic will survive April’scommu- certain members oftheTufts com- these students are not aware of is that Dining money goes to a good cause. nity discussion and any after- munity will be more receptive to Services is donating that money to the Senior “I havenoproblem withbeingfined$5, ifthat$S goes shocks it creates. Thus far, there the proposal than they were one Fund, a division of financial aid. towards somethingpsitive,”sophomoreCraigRemillard have been only positive re- year ago. At that time, race was a According to Dining Services Director Patti said. spons’ss, Teichman said, speak- hot topic on campus. A debate Lee, the fine has been a longstanding policy of Freshman Alison Clarkeagreed with Remillard, but ingmoreaboutthemaximumnum- over the declining percentage of Dining Services. Historically, the yearly revenue still had qualms about paying the fine. “I don’t think we ber of student participants than of black students matriculating at from the fines, which usually lies between $1,000 should get fined for not having our IDS,but if we have possible dissenters. Tufts filled the pages of student to $1,500, has been given to the HUGS fund, an to be fined,then that’sagood place forthemoneytogo,” “I think we’ll be able to create a papers and dominated campus emergency fund for undergraduate students. Clarke said. Some students find the entire concept of topic which is persistently in the dialogue. Prominent black speak- However, when HUGS was disbanded, Dining allocating fines towards financial aid a little unsettling. news and -- ___ __. ers were Services was forced to reallocate the money. “Ithinkthat, ifwehavetobe fined,thenthat’sagood is The move to postpone the brought to Other past uses of the combined fines include place for the money to go- but there are a lot ofpeople pelling,” campus, musical entertainment and equipment for spe- who are on financial aid, and don’t have the money to topic was “our decision . Teichnan ;rii 1 U d I iip cialty cuitGre nigh.; in t+ dining halls, which pay, so if you fme them, then you are fining the people said. EttItirely,” Teichrnan said. Harvard were sponsored by various clubs on the Tufts who arereceivingthe money,” freshman Benjamin Lee “ T h e r e “We felt we needed a Professor campus. said. are going coo Iing -off period.” , Cornell “We aren’t doing this because we need the Patti Lee stressed that due to changes in the meal to bemore 8 West and :noney,” Lee said.