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Frat Under Fire for 'Sexist' Newsletter

By Rollo Begley | Monday, April 23, 2001

In the wake of the hearings and eventual probation of Psi Upsion, the College's Judicial Committee and Office of Residential Life have begun investigations into allegations concerning a sexually explicit newsletter circulated among the brothers of the Zeta Psi fraternity.

According to the Daily Dartmouth of April 18th, copies of two of the newsletters were given to Martin Redman, Dean of Residential Life, by several anonymous female students. Two of the students had obtained a copy of the newspaper this summer and approached brothers at Zeta Psi. They took no action at that time after being told that the paper's publication would cease.

Another issue, however, was discovered this term by four female students, who discovered it torn up and discarded in a trash bin. After removing vomit and beer from them, the students reassembled the paper, which has since, by photocopy, made its way through the Deans' offices, the various Greek governing committees, and the Daily Dartmouth.

One issue, titled "The Zetemouth" and using the Daily Dartmouth's template, features prominently a photograph of a topless young woman. The image's caption compares the photograph's subject to one brother's small-breasted girlfriend, one brother's overweight sister, and one brother's young "Cancun hookup." The paper also has an article describing one female student's most recent of several hookups with Zeta Psi brothers and describes the female as "dirtier than ever."

Another issue, the "Sigma Report," includes an interview with one brother in which the brother repeatedly denies having hooked up with a particular female student. The report also pictures four female Dartmouth students who it describes as "guaranteed hook up[s]." A small box on the bottom of the page promises "Next week: [name of brother]'s patented date rape techniques!"

A brother at Zeta Psi told The Dartmouth Review that the paper is produced with some regularity, usually weekly, but that such sexual content is very unusual. The brother described an average issue as containing "knock-knock jokes."

The Panhellenic Council, the Inter-Fraternity Council, the Coed Council and the Coed, Fraternity and Sorority Council all quickly condemned Zeta Psi's actions. In a letter to the Daily Dartmouth signed by members of the CFSC, the council says that "The alleged actions are not part of and will not be accepted by the Greek system at large. If the allegations prove true, then we must treat them with the gravity and seriousness deemed necessary." Eric Powers '02, the president of the Inter-Fraternity Council, also wrote a letter in which he states, "The Inter-Fraternity Council wants the Dartmouth community to know that it stands fervently against the recent behavior of Zeta Psi fraternity, and in no way condones the newsletters for which Zeta Psi has been recently [sic] accused of producing."

A group of mostly female students organized a protest outside of Zeta Psi on the night of April 18th, the day on which Zeta Psi's newsletter was made public. An email message advertising the event described its two purposes as "Permanent derecognition of Zeta Psi fraternity in due haste" and "The full disclosure of all files relating to misconduct within Fraternity, Sorority, and Co-Educational houses. (Taking measures to retain the anonymity of individuals involved)." The message was signed by eight students, although at least one signer has since denied involvement with the planning of the event.

About 75 protestors shouted such things as "Your dirty cunts are here" and "frats rape" at the Zeta Psi house. Two representatives of the fraternity emerged to address the crowd and to apologize for their conduct. The brothers emphasized that "The people in this house are very, very good people" and assured the crowd that "This type of thing is not going to happen again." They also welcomed everyone present to visit Zeta Psi and offered to prove to the community that Zeta Psi brothers, "Zetes," are "good people."

The crowd appeared generally hostile towards the house and the Greek system, particularly single-sex Greek houses. When one Bones Gate brother asked the crowd "Do you want to completely destroy [the fraternities]" the crowd replied "yes."

Several members of the crowd also urged Zeta Psi to "Go coed," and one woman told them "I hope you're derecognized."

One protestor even went so far as to say "There will be numerous rapes in every house, mark my words." Brooke Lierman '01, a protestor, claimed that "Dartmouth is worse about sexual harassment than other schools" and Katie Codey '02 added that, for that reason, "I don't want my daughter...or son to attend Dartmouth."

One of the Zeta Psi brothers speaking proposed that the problem being protested is much larger than simply Zeta Psi. At that, the body of protestors disagreed vocally. Among them was David Hodapp '04, who points blame squarely at the fraternity. "It's an isolated incident. It's Zeta Psi."

Deans Larimore and Redman joined the rally as it moved on to President Wright's residence, and Larimore addressed the crowd. He congratulated the protestors for being angry enough to come out but expressed concern about "rushing to judgement." The dean also claimed to be impatient with the pace of change of Greek houses and stated that "The burden is on the frats, sororities, and sports teams to prove they have a positive impact on the community."

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