President Loh addresses controversial email

University officials will listen to concerns surrounding the leaked email

By Anna Levendusky
University officials, including President Loh and the director of Department of Fraternity
and Sorority Life, are hosting a public forum for all students, staff and members of the university
to discuss how the university and Greek community should move forward after the controversial
email an anonymous source leaked last week. The event will be Wednesday, March 25 in the
Stamp Student Union. University officials will also be answering questions and concerns during
the forum.

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Students and Faculty express concern about leaked email

Students ask questions and get answers at University-led forum
By Anna Levendusky
On Thursday, March 12 a controversial email surfaced on social media that a now former
brother sent to a number of fraternity brothers more than a year ago. The email included racial
slurs, derogatory statements about women and the neglect to ask for consent. University officials,
including Matt Supple, director of Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life, held a forum and
encouraged students, staff and members of the community to come, talk and listen. Most of the
200 attendees were a part of Greek life, including a few members of the Kappa Sigma chapter.
Questions were answered
What will happen to the student responsible? What will
happen to the chapter responsible? Students came to the forum to
wanting answers, and they got them. As written in a letter released
by the university Tuesday and reiterated on Wednesday said, by
mutual consent between the student involved, his family and the
University, the student will not be returning to campus to complete

Mirzania talks after the forum

Photo Credit: Anna Levendusky

his senior year.

What will be done to ensure this doesnt happen again? asked Delaram Mirzania, a
junior psychology major. How can the Greek community move forward after this? These
questions prompted students and staff to brainstorm ways to help the Greek community grow in
strength and respect others as well as themselves.

(more)

Anna Levendusky | Email | p. 2

The University responds
The Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life has already started developing ideas on
how to help the Greek community move on in a constructive way that creates a more welcoming
environment for all students. The Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life announced last
week that starting this fall, all Greek chapters will have mandatory training programs on sexual
assault prevention, multicultural competency, hazing prevention and drug and alcohol education
for its members.
This is the starting point, and a catalyst for change, within and around the Greek
community. The student body is calling on the Greek community to create a change and set an
example for the future as well as other Greek communities around the country.

Plans to change
When Mirzania asked, What will be done to ensure this doesnt happen again? the
room was full of nodding heads. The students in the room became inspired to create a Greek
community that does not promote the use of racial slurs, derogatory terms and does promote
consent in all actions and equality for all. The students are ready to make this change now, while
the media is watching, rather than sitting and waiting for the spotlight to leave the university and
move onto the next college scandal.

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Fixing the image of Kappa Sigma

How the fraternity responds to controversy
The email that brought the spotlight to the Greek community, specifically at this
university, is a chance to bring national attention to the positive changes occurring in Greek life.
The vulgar email sent to fraternity brothers that went un-punished for more than a year has
reminded the community, and country, that racism, sexism and lack of sexual consent is still a
part of our culture today.
The chapter of Kappa Sigma, where the email originated, has already taken action to
scratch the surface of underlying issues facing Greek life today. Recapped during the public
forum on Thursday, the Kappa Sigma National Fraternity put the member who had sent the
vulgar email on immediate suspension, who quickly disaffiliated from the chapter within hours
after the suspension.
Since the email has been exposed, Kappa Sigma has pledged $500 to Office of Diversity
and Inclusion to work on diversity programming within
Greek life, and has plans to work with the Department of
Fraternity and Sorority Life to help design new programs
for chapters to participate in to avoid similar incidents and
to spark a change in the culture. With the help of education,
University of Maryland officials hope that the chapters in
the Greek community will be able to break down the

Students gather outside Kappa Sigma

house
Photo by Madeline List

barriers of racism and sexism to create an environment that is welcoming of everyone in the
university community.

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