Joining a National School Walkout
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INSIDE Women’s History EDITORIAL: Movin’ Trace McSorley: the VERSUS: Looking Month at PSU 2 On lineup 4 new face of football 6 ahead 8 Vol. 118, No. 94 March 15-18, 2018 Joining a National School Walkout Sorority chapter suspended after State College Area High School organizes memorial for 17 killed in Florida shooting By Katie Johnston reports of hazing THE DAILY COLLEGIAN Hundreds of State College Area By David Tilli High School students made a THE DAILY COLLEGIAN national protest local one month after the shooting in Parkland, After a year of greek life reform, Florida. Alpha Chi Omega became the Students across the country first sorority at Penn State to lose participated in the National its recognition since the death of School Walkout to show support Beta Theta Pi pledge Timothy for the students at Marjory Piazza. Stoneman Douglas High School The local Beta Mu sorority on Wednesday. chapter has seen both its charter Instead of a 17-minute protest, and university recognition the students of State High organized a memorial for the revoked, as hazing allegations 17 people who were killed in the involving the organization have shooting. surfaced. When the clock struck 10 a.m., The Alpha Chi Omega national hundreds of students poured organization has decided to out of the front doors, leaving suspend the charter of the those who stayed inside peering chapter for at least three years, through windows. with the university following the Three of the demonstration’s Katie Johnston/Collegian same approach. student organizers — Kyra State College Area High School students gather on March 14 in memorial of the Parkland shooting victims. “Reprehensible behaviors Gines, Jackson Harper and such as hazing and all activities Kayla Fatemi — explained why a inclusive and not isolate anyone that could’ve been walking beside song from school choir members. that violate the Alpha Chi Omega memorial service was organized who doesn’t share the opinions us.” State High principal Curtis member code of conduct will instead of a walkout. Harper said reading the Johnson he allowed students that we might have,” Fatemi said. not be tolerated by the national “As a public school, Students and administrators biographies was a way to help to organize the demonstration administration cannot advocate stood outside in freezing people understand that 17 is because he said he felt there organization on any campus, at for any political agenda,” Fatemi temperatures for 25 minutes as more than just a number. was nothing wrong with any time,” the sorority said in a said in prepared remarks. names and brief biographies of “It puts you in their shoes,” memorializing those who died. statement released Wednesday. “There is no reason why we all 17 victims were read. Harper said. “As I was reading, “I think it was amazing,” The Penn State Office of cannot endorse the hope which Gines, who read the name of [I thought] this was somebody Johnson said. “I’m really proud Student Conduct first received all Americans share in wanting Gina Montalto, said the students I could’ve been friends with. of the student body. I’m glad that reports of potential misconduct schools to be a safe place.” who died in the shooting “truly To think that could happen to we were all able to get together involving new members in late Wearing a State High T-shirt are the definition of ‘gone too one of my friends, it is beyond and come to a common goal to January. An investigation was that read “We Are Not Afraid” on soon.’” upsetting. That was one of the memorialize these students. It’s launched and further evidence the back, Fatemi said the turnout “She was living, breathing, most important messages that very powerful.” of troubling behavior committed was “amazing.” striving and she had so many we tried to convey today, and I “We turned [the walkout] into passions that I could’ve had,” think it worked.” To email reporter: [email protected] by the chapter was discovered a memorial so we could be more Gines said. “These are all people The memorial closed with a Follow her on Twitter: @ktjohnston23 and later sent to the national organization. While the Office of Student Conduct conducted its initial UPUA elections kick off with one exec ticket investigation, the chapter was not allowed to recruit new members Heaton, McKinney to campaign on ‘As if we’re contested’: Pres and VP and faced interim suspension. PSU outreach, diversity and inclusion candidates cite past student gov work “Regrettably, our internal inquiry has led our By Anshika Agrawal year and we wanted to make By August Pasquale UPUA Assembly. However, two THE DAILY COLLEGIAN sure that we branch out to other THE DAILY COLLEGIAN write-in candidates announced National Council organizations to really make their campaigns in the middle of The University Park sure that their voices are heard The campaign period is the election cycle. to determine that Undergraduate Association as well,” Shockley (senior- officially under way for the No write-in candidates have election season kicked off with hospitality management) said. University Park Undergraduate been announced yet for this the allegations are one executive ticket. “So, I’m hoping Laura and Cody Association’s 13th Assembly election. The two write-ins who credible...” With Cody Heaton and Laura do continue that.” election, and the executive ticket did run in the 2016 election Alpha Chi Omega McKinney running for president This would also include is still unopposed. received 341 and 116 votes, and vice president respectively, ensuring that UPUA maintains a Cody Heaton and Laura compared to 5,149 votes for the National Sorority the pair plan on using prior relationship with various student McKinney, running for student Ford-Jordan ticket. UPUA experience to establish a organizations at Penn State. body president and vice Write-in candidates are solid platform. “[We] definitely want president, respectively, are subject to the elections code, The office notified the national “The experiences I’ve had in to encourage that open potentially two weeks away from which places various restrictions sorority headquarters of its my past three years in UPUA, on campaigning and advertising discoveries and concerns all the institutional knowledge to create a level playing field, immediately, and soon a separate I’ve gained and… my love of but they are not allowed to interacting and representing participate in UPUA election investigation was launched by the students,” Heaton (junior- activities, such as the executive body. industrial engineering) said. “For debate. “Regrettably, our internal me, it’s really about the people.” Together, Heaton and inquiry has led our National The Heaton-McKinney McKinney have a combined Council to determine that the campaign sits on three main five years of UPUA experience. allegations are credible and pillars. The first, “Community Heaton is currently the Chair warrant the immediate closure Oriented Penn State,” builds on of the Facilities Committee and of our chapter at Penn State,” the Jordan-Shockley platform McKinney currently serves as the sorority’s statement reads. dealing with improving student the College of Communications government’s outreach representative. “Alpha Chi Omega will continue capabilities. “We’re here to get our ideas its partnership with Penn State “[It’s] both diversity and out and hear what the students University in this matter and inclusion,” Heaton said. “It’s want regardless of who we’re up will cooperate fully with the relations with the borough against,” McKinney (sophomore- university’s own investigation.” downtown and then also with broadcast journalism) said. With the loss of recognition, the student orgs on campus.” Their primary platform chapter can no longer participate Among the initiatives for this rests in creating a community- in Penn State THON or other pillar are monthly meet and oriented Penn State, preparing university-sanctioned activities greets to establish relationships for future Staters and providing with different organizations attainable, accessible and and festivities, use university as well as a formalized panel affordable services. facilities or receive funding. that would allow organizations Ken Kalbach/Collegian “Something that really stood The exact details of the to communicate and provide UPUA candidates Cody Heaton (junior-industrial engineering) and out to me about Cody was his investigation or who it involves constructive criticism to student Laura McKinney (sophomore-journalism) pose in front of Old Main. advocacy for students who remains unknown. The university, government. are often times less heard however, reaffirmed its opposition An additional initiative, “Eatin’ communication between the orgs victory. – especially students with to hazing. with Heaton,” will be a casual and us,” McKinney said. “What’s really important disabilities,” Brent Rice, UPUA “Safety is and will remain the lunch during UPUA’s office hours here is that we’re confident The second pillar — “Attainable, speaker of the assembly, said. top priority,” Vice President for that would act as a roundtable Accessible and Affordable we’re the most experienced. We Rice (senior-corporate Student Affairs Damon Sims discussion for students to talk to Services” — mostly falls under have a lot of insight under our innovation and entrepreneurship members about different issues. the Academic Affairs Committee belts,” Heaton (junior-industrial and political science) said he is said in a press release, before Alex Shockley, current vice and focuses on reducing costs for engineering) said. “It is as if not endorsing any candidate, but “applauding” the national president of UPUA, hopes that students. The initiatives include we’re contested. That’s kind of he is familiar with both Heaton organization for its help in the pair focuses on solidifying the eliminating custom textbooks our mindset right now.” and McKinney’s past work for handling the case.