As fraternities around the country, including one at UW-Whitewater, are being reprimanded for racial insensitivity, UW-Madison fraternities are not experiencing the same kinds of problems, according to UW-Madison Student Services Specialist Ed Mirecki.
Last month, members of fraternities at Auburn University, the University of Mississippi and UW-Whitewater received punishments ranging from expulsion to university sanctions for their involvement in racially insensitive scenarios.
\I don't see it happening here,"" Mirecki said. ""Given our history, we have taken great steps to really educate members.""
The history to which Mirecki referred includes three incidents from more than 10 years ago, a ""low point for the Greek community,"" as he described it, that contributed to the enactment of several diversity initiatives on campus, including the ethnic studies requirement.
In the spring of 1986, the Kappa Sigma fraternity held a party featuring a ""Harlem room."" Watermelon and fried chicken were served in the room, which had trash on the floor and graffiti on the walls. Members wore Afro wigs and blackface makeup.
In May 1987 Phi Gamma Delta fraternity held a ""Fiji Island"" party, attended by many partygoers in blackface, that displayed a caricature of a black man with a bone through his nose. The fraternity was suspended.
The third incident occurred in the fall of 1988 when the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity held a mock slave auction in which members wore Afro wigs and blackface as a part of a fund-raising event. The action also resulted in suspension.
""[These incidences] are still a part of our history and although [the involved] students have graduated, the events are still talked about on campus,"" Mirecki said.
Each instance produced outrage from the campus and the community and forced UW-Madison officials to confront the issue of racism on campus. Consequently, then-UW-Madison Chancellor Donna Shalala unveiled the Madison Plan, a multimillion dollar program intended to combat racism by creating a more ethnically and culturally diverse university. Another component was the requirement of an undergraduate ethnic studies course.
As a result of this past, Mirecki said he felt ""students have a heightened awareness of what it means to be a part of this diverse community.""
""We have not eliminated racism and prejudice,"" Mirecki said.
Associated Students of Madison Vice Chair Carl Camacho said he thinks racial insensitivity is still a problem on campus.
He added that many student organizations, such as the Multicultural Student Coalition, help to educate people about cultural issues.
""If administrative policy makers do not take initiative, then students will have to,"" he said.
According to Larry Kamholz, public information officer for the Madison Police Department, hate crimes are not a significant problem in Madison.
A total of 16 cases last year, considering the size of Madison, is not a ""huge"" number, Kamholz said.
""Any incident is of concern to our department,"" he said. ""Although the city of Madison has enormous diversity, education is the main tool to combat racial tension or hate crimes.\
