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All nine black Greek letter
fraternities and sororities at Southern University have trees or areas
decorated with their paraphernalia. During the past two years, five Greek
organizations have had their area vandalized and several experienced it more
than once. Areas decorated by Alpha Kappa Alpha, Omega Psi Phi, Delta Sigma
Theta, Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta have all been sabotaged.
"It is happening too
frequently," said president of the SU Pan-Hellenic Council Mary K. Sims. "They
are not getting caught so they just keep doing it."
On Wednesday, the Phi Beta Sigma
and Zeta Phi Beta area behind Augusts C. Blanks Hall was found defaced with
green spray paint. Paint was found on their tree, trashcan, all four benches
and the cement between their trees.
"You know how you put your heart
and hard work into something and somebody just trashes it, it just hurts your
heart," said Genael Moore, senior history major from Shreveport and member of
Phi Beta Sigma.
Jeremy Noah, junior computer
science major from Baton Rouge and member of Phi Beta Sigma believes the
vandalism took place during broad daylight.
"I came over here at 9 a.m. and
nothing was wrong," Noah said.
This is not the fist time the
Sigma tree was vandalized. In fall 2004 their letters were removed from their
tree and hidden behind the Southern University Law Center.
"It is people that probably want
to be a part of a organization," said member of Phi Beta Sigma Eddie Green,
senior criminal justice major from New Orleans. "A few years ago when there
wasn't that many of us around this wasn't happening. Now that we get larger and
people see that, they want to be a part of the organization."
Zeta Phi Beta the sisters of Phi
Beta Sigma are familiar with "hatters" vandalizing. They found pink spray paint
on their tree at the beginning of Zeta week on March 21.
"I am mad. Because what did we
do to you? We are a people sorority. We welcome everyone to our tree," said
Latoya Wilson, child development graduate student and member of Zeta Phi Beta.
In spring 2004 the Delta Sigma
Theta tree on side of Augustus C. Blanks Hall facing the Smith-Brown Memorial
Union was covered with pink and green silly string and littered with trash.
"It is hard to stop if you don't
know who is doing it," said Rena Mallet, a member of Delta Sigma Theta.
"Somebody is always watching
Greek organizations."
The Omega Psi Phi mound was
spray painted and sprayed with silly string at the same time as Delta Sigma
Theta.
"It is a tragedy, because we as
Greeks take pride in our organizations and it is an insult to what our
fraternities and sororities stand for," said Roderick Hinton, senior political
science major from Oklahoma City, Okla. and member of Omega Psi Phi. During the
fall 2004 semester the Alpha Kappa Alpha tree was covered with ketchup, mustard
and other condiments and trash.
According to Director of Student
Life Robert Bennett a student can be suspended or expelled from the university
if they are caught or identified as the culprit.
"Our students have to be more
responsible. If they are doing this, they will be punished," Bennett said.
He suggests that when vandalism
takes place anywhere it should be reported and filed with the police
department.
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