Fraternity faces suspension after racial incident

The Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity faces suspension and Aaron Levine, one of its white members, faces expulsion after Levine painted his face, arms and hands black Tuesday night and went to several Marshall Street bars dressed, he said, in his Tiger Woods costume.

In a matter of hours after Levine showed up at one bar, word spread, especially among black students, that Levine was dressed in blackface. By midnight, some students gathered at the Schine Student Center to talk about the incident; others confronted Levine and his fraternity brothers at the bars.

By noon the next day, a late night plan for a protest calling for, among other things, Levine’s expulsion from the university, unfolded.

At 11 a.m. Wednesday, about 100 students, of differing races but mostly black, and in close coordination with university officials, with whom they had discussed their plans, walked in silence from Schine to the administration building, filling up the first floor. They carried posters reading ‘Want to learn how to be ignorant, come over to Syracuse University’ and ‘Who’s the next victim?’

After meeting more than four hours with Chancellor Kenneth A. Shaw, none of the demands set forth by the students were granted Wednesday, nor were none denied, as the university and the eight students who met with him agreed to stall any decisions until Friday at the earliest.



Levine’s case has been turned over to the Office of Judicial Affairs, where he faces several Code of Student Conduct violations including harassment and disorderly conduct, said SU spokesman Kevin Morrow.

Protesting students, a few of whom had come and gone throughout the afternoon, politely clapped and filed out after the chancellor and a student spoke briefly to the effect that deadlines for their demands had been postponed. The students met in Schine afterwards, but barred any press coverage.

The students’ demands were: suspension of SAE with an apology from fraternity brothers, an apology from the university, e-mails sent to parents and alumni detailing the incident, diversity and anti-racism training for all students and university employees, new policies to report and punish similar incidents, a $25,000 fine for discriminatory acts and hate crimes, and student monitoring of the hiring and promotion of minority university employees.

Students also demanded the reinstatement of the Black Student Union Building and Black Panhellenic House.

For Levine and many of the students who stayed up late Tuesday talking over their feelings on the incident, the past 24 hours have been an abrupt interruption into the end of the year bustle of finishing papers, partying, and preparing for graduation

Levine, who will take his last final today, summed it up:

‘It ruined my night.’

The story of what happened at the bars Tuesday night was pieced together from several students, sometimes differing, first-hand accounts.

Before going out, Levine had asked one of his black fraternity brothers whether the costume was offensive. He was told it was not, Levine said.

SAE each year sponsors a ‘bar-golf tour’, in which seniors dress up to celebrate their graduation, SAE said in a statement. Levine, a senior marketing major, chose to dress as Woods, a popular black golfer. He donned a polo shirt and other clothing Woods would wear. One of his fraternity brothers was dressed as his caddy.

While in Darwin’s Restaurant and Bar, 701 S. Crouse Ave., Willard Smith, a third-year law student, said he tried to speak with Levine, but could not get to him.

‘Your black fraternity member is very, very confused,’ said Smith, referring to the friend whose advice Levine sought.

Other members of the fraternity, however, assured Smith that the costume was not harmful and that it was only a joke.

After Levine left the bar, several people told him directly that they thought the outfit was racist; some threatened to beat him up, Levine said.

Levine went home to shower and clean the make-up off, but later went back to the bars. He was drunk, he said. When he returned, he was confronted again. Levine’s make-up was still visible, said Rasheda Persinger, a senior nursing major.

This time, a crowd had gathered and SU Public Safety Director Marlene Hall was on hand. Some were angry, but at least one black student offered to talk to Levine the next day and the two exchanged cell phone numbers, Levine said.

‘Everything’s being blown out of proportion,’ Levine said. ‘It’s hard to please the mob. I’ll talk to any individual.

‘I’m very upset about the whole situation. People were upset about Giuliani already, so this was the icing on the cake.’

Levine said he had no knowledge of the history of blackface. Blackface originated in minstrel shows during the early 19th century, persisted into the television era, and continues to be a painful mockery for black people. It is, commonly, white actors using dark make-up to appear black, but with exaggerated, clownish features.

After reviewing the events, Judicial Affairs will recommend whether the fraternity should be expelled, said Juanita Perez-Williams, director of Judicial Affairs. She refused to comment further about the incident.

Members of SAE have already spoken with Judicial Affairs representatives, though no decisions have been made, said SAE President Marick Fiero, a sophomore advertising major. The fraternity will work to make others more aware of race relations and help to unite both sides of the argument, he said.

The groups need to come together and do more than just attend parties together, said Cynthia Fulford, assistant director of the Center for Career Services. Wednesday was only the beginning of what should be continued dialogue between all students and the administrators, she said.

‘You are not invisible and what you did today says not only am I not invisible, but I will be heard,’ Fulford said.





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