Theta Tau’s expulsion from Syracuse University is an interesting and complex case.

On one hand, the vulgar display captured in videos this past spring semester was conducted at an SU-recognized fraternity chapter, at the time, and included racial and ethnic slurs. Yet on the other hand, the skit clearly lacked malicious intent or any semblance of illegal activity. To restrict speech even as horrid as this isn’t conducive to furthering free speech on campus.

Don’t get me wrong, this conduct needed to be addressed by SU. The response, though, was similar to putting a Band-Aid over a bullet wound. You may stop bleeding for a while, but in the long term you’re probably no better off.

By suspending some students, the university set a precedent of responding to ignorance with unilateral exile. This is a dangerous standard to maintain because it’s hard to configure at what point satire becomes unacceptable.

“The way the university dealt with Theta Tau makes me afraid, because if I make a mistake I don’t even know how I’ll be sure to get a fair trial,” said Ryan Salzman, a junior chemistry major at SU.

In the future, I hope SU is able to move forward more constructively — perhaps with extensive sensitivity training in the place of retribution.

It’s important to note that this situation did expose a codependent relationship between some groups on campus and unsavory behavior. Granted, the skit was obviously intended to be humorous. It probably never occurred to the participants that this behavior was damaging.

But this, in essence, is the problem. Abhorrent behavior can become so deeply embedded that it unfortunately becomes acceptable, and in some cases, obligatory.

Ultimately, the decision to dissolve the fraternity was the right thing to do, on SU’s part. As an academic institution, there should be an emphasis on ensuring inclusivity and safety in all learning environments. SU rightfully put a stop to Theta Tau’s damaging traditions, but should’ve handled the individual students’ retributions differently.

Harrison Garfinkle is a junior communication and rhetorical studies major. His column runs biweekly. He can be reached at hgarfink@syr.edu.

Published on September 9, 2018 at 11:18 pm