University Meets With Students, Launches Investigation
November 6, 2001 -- Last night, hours after seeing racially-charged Halloween fraternity party photographs of white students in blackface -- one with a noose around his neck -- and Ku Klux Klan costumes, hundreds of African American students crammed into Room 189 of Auburn University?s Foy Union building for a Black Student Union meeting.
In addition to students, senior university administrators, including interim President William F. Walker, were present.
Brandon Riddick-Seale, President of the Student Government Association at Auburn University
Walker announced the university had launched an investigation into the matter, and he repeated a statement released earlier, calling the photos ?shocking and outrageous.?
?On behalf of the faculty, staff and students, I apologize deeply for the hurt that has been caused for so many by the insensitive acts of a few students.?
President Walker also told the crowd that Delta Sigma Phi and Beta Theta Pi had been temporarily suspended pending a full investigation.
?We will aggressively investigate this, but we will make sure that all students get due process,? Walker later said.
Still, many of the black students voiced the tightly wound emotions that permeated the room.
?Are we valued at Auburn?? asked a female black student. ?Does anyone care that we not only felt humiliated but intimidated??
A black male student from Birmingham, Alabama, said, ?There is a guy standing there with a shotgun, pointing it at the head of the blackfaced character. How can we not take that as a threat??
An apology and applause
In the most anticipated moment of the evening, Matt Furin, president of Delta Sigma Phi -- one of the fraternities accused of participating in the Halloween parties -- addressed the gathering.
The crowd hushed as he approached the microphone.
?We are sorry for what we have done,? Furin said. He also said the party did not reflect the spirit of his fraternity.
As he drew a deep breath and walked away from the podium, the crowd applauded him.
Sanford Johnson, president of the Black Student Union, said, ?It took a lot of courage for him [Furin] to come here. That was a good first step in healing, but there is much more that has to been done.?
Beta Theta Pi, the other fraternity involved in the parties, did not send a representative to the meeting. It instead issued a statement saying the group would cooperate fully with the University's investigation.
Delta Sigma Phi expelled two members Tuesday and suspended four others. The fraternity's national deputy director arrived in Auburn Tuesday to begin an investigation. It is not known whether Beta Theta Pi's national body will do the same.
"Not unique to Auburn University"
Renee Middleton, president of the Alabama Black Faculty Association pointed out that events like this happen on campuses across the country.
"It's not unique to Auburn University. It's not unique to the South," Middleton said. "When people make a judgment, it will be about what did the administration do. That's what people will be watching -- the long term impact on recruitment and retention."
Brandon Riddick-Seale, the third African American Student Government Association president in Auburn?s history, encouraged collective action and a recognition that hard work must be done.
?I think we have to send the message that this behavior is absolutely unacceptable at this university,? Riddick-Seale said. "This is not who we are, and this is not what we are about.
?We must trust in the president and the administration as they face some very difficult choices, and we must also get ready for the tough work ahead as we work to heal some pretty deep wounds together
