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Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Volume 128 Issue 115
Kansan.com
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL
Fraternity expels 4 members after anti-Muslim Yeti video
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
This is a screenshot of a post that appeared on the social media app Yeti on April 9. In the video, a student, then a member of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity, mocked Islamic culture and chanted "Alahu Akbar."
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MACKENZIE CLARK
@mclark59
The Zeta Beta Tau fraternity has expelled four men in response to an Islamophobic post on the social media app Yeti, according to a statement it released to The Kansan Monday night.
The statement cited a zero-tolerance policy for racism and discrimination as the reason the fraternity expelled four members within 24 hours of them admitting involvement, it said.
"We stand in solidarity with all students, faculty and staff and are here to support, listen and provide a safe space for all to grieve, process and heal."
OFFICE OF MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS
"As an organization dedicated to our founding as the world's first Jewish fraternity, we take a strong stance against bigotry and intolerance in all forms," said the statement, submitted by Ben Felderstein, the fraternity's vice president of external affairs.
The post was a 10-second video of a few men laughing as one yelled "Allahu Akbar,"
which means "God is greatest" in Arabic.
Sheguffa Huma, president of the Muslim Student Association (MSA) at the University, also gave the Kansan a statement on behalf of the organization. She said the MSA and other Muslims on campus have "been appreciative of Zeta Beta Tau's swift independent action."
They demonstrated their willingness to ensure the Muslim community feels valued," Huma said in the statement. "The actions of these four individuals do not represent the values and standards of Zeta Beta Tau. This type of hateful behavior is entirely unacceptable and marginalized the Muslim community."
Radwan Dayib, a junior from Emporia, first tweeted about the post on April 10.
"Disgusted. Guy on Jayhawk snaps stereotypically depicts Muslims. Yells 'Allahu Akbar' with friends laughing," the tweet, which has since been deleted, read.
Huma said the MSA has been in talks with members of ZBT to prevent similar events from occurring in the future, and the organization is planning ways to educate the University community to be a safe, inclusive environment for all students.
The Office of Multicultural Affairs released a statement on April 10, which said it is
committed to social justice and equality for all.
"We stand in solidarity with all students, faculty and staff and are here to support, listen and provide a safe space for all to grieve, process and heal," the statement read.
Edited by Valerie Haag
Editor's Note: Several Kansan staff members, including Felderstein, are members of the mentioned fraternity. None of those staffers contributed to the reporting on this story.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
A still from the film "The Hunting Ground" shows a woman walking on campus. The University will screen the film tonight in Woodruff Auditorium at / p.m.
f Auditorium at 7 p.m.
University to screen film relating to campus rape tonight at Union
As Sexual Assault Awareness Month comes to a close, the University will screen "The Hunting Ground" tonight at 7 p.m. in woodruff Auditorium. "The Hunting Ground" gives viewers a close-up look at rape on college campuses across the United States and the toll these crimes take.
RILEY MORTENSEN
@RileyMortensen
The film, which was screened at the Sundance Film Festival, runs about an hour and 45 minutes. There will be a short introduction before the film and a longer discussion after when students will have the opportunity to be heard, ask questions of administrators and talk about what our University is already doing and can improve on, according to Student Conduct and Community Standards Coordinator, Joshua Jones.
The Office for Institutional Opportunity and Access is sponsoring the screening. Due to the content of the film, the University Care Coordinator and advocates from the GaDuGi SafeCenter will be available to students who need to process the subject matter privately or one-on-one in the Union.
the directing and producing team of Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering are for their previously Oscar nominated film, "The Invisible War", which examined sexual assaults in the U.S. military. Forensic specialist David Lisak, who spoke at the University earlier this month, also appears in the film.
Edited by Valerie Haag
OPINION 4 PUZZLES 6 CLASSIFIEDS 9 A&F 5 SPORTS 10 DAILY DEBATE 9
BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN
Don't Forget
Watkins announced it will be adding OrthoKansas, a health provider in Lawrence, for orthopedic care. OrthoKansas sends two physicians to provide treatment on Monday afternoons.
Watkins adds OrthoKansas for orthopedic care
To start on those end-of the-year papers.
SKYLAR ROLSTAD
@SkvRolNews
The University's Watkins Health Center partnered with a group of orthopedic physicians from OrthoKansas, a health provider that is based in Lawrence.
Dechairo said orthopedics was the number one referral for Watkins by three times higher than the referral that was second on Watkins' list.
"It's pretty clear that if we were going to be looking at something that was going to be benefiting students, it would be orthopedics," Dechairo said
OrthoKansas sends two physicians to a satellite office in Watkins Health Center to provide treatment on Monday afternoons.
Watkins Health Center director Douglas Dechaio said that students at the university benefit from this by receiving care on campus as opposed to traveling to the organization's office on 6th and Maine.
OrthoKansas will pay rent pro-rated based on the time they spend in the Watkins Health Center.
"We can bring an expertise and specialty care, but on campus," Salazar said. "We've all been in athletics. [Non-student-athletes] can see somebody directly if you're not directly connected with the athletic department."
Orthopedics deals mainly with sports injuries, said OrthoKansas physician Luis Salazar, who works in the Watkins office. OrthoKansas works with KU Athletics as its orthopedics providers.
"It's here and it's convenient versus waiting for injuries to last longer," Salazar said. "When you have an active community with a large student body, unfortunately injuries can happen."
Salazar also said that the convenience for students improves the quality of care.
Edited by Kelsi Kirwin
University police captain James Anguiano said the reason for the increase did not lie in an increase in criminal activity, but in an increase in enforcement of criminal activity.
Index
"With a big drop last year, we came back up to a little bit higher than 2012," Anguiano said. "It has to do a lot with enforcement and recognition with drugs."
SKYLAR ROLSTAD
@SkyRolNews
Criminal offenses at the University increased 24 percent from 2013 to 2014, according to crime statistics released last Wednesday by KU Public Safety.
Police captain: Rise in crime due to more enforcement
In 2013, there were only 670 criminal offenses, which is the lowest since 2007, when only 664 offenses were handled. This year, 840 offenses makes for the highest number of offenses in the last 10 years.
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2015 The University Daily Kansan
A big increase was shown in theft, where offenses increased from 193 to 239. Anguiano said theft was typically due to unattended property.
Drug offenses increased from 107 in 2013 to 177 in 2014, which, according to the University's press release, was due to the Office of Public Safety's work with Student Housing to better identify and recognize drug activity.
"I don't think [PSO has been] more involved [in training Housing staff] but the change has been showing," Robertson said. "They have been obtaining search warrants. That has been a change over the last two years."
Diana Robertson, director of Student Housing, said the University's Public Safety Office trains housing employees at the beginning of the year by teaching them to identify drug smells and paraphernalia. She said that the methods of finding drug activity hasn't changed, but the effectiveness of those methods has.
"Our officers work with the KU Department of Student Housing and keep them informed of current drug trends," said Ralph Oliver, director of Public Safety, in a University press release. "The use of technology and patrolling the parking lots and residence halls has led to an increase in drug-related violations."
Edited by Kelsi Kirwin
Today's Weather
Partly cloudy with a zero percent chance of rain. Wind NNRE at 11 mph.
HI: 71
L0: 46