By
The Wildcat Opinions Board
We understand that the Kappa Sigma fraternity wants its pledges to enjoy its first semester and have a good time in the chapter. We also understand that most fraternities and even sororities have a scavenger hunt, or a similar, slightly illicit activity. What's puzzling, though, is that Kappa Sigma wasn't smarter about the way it conducted the activity.
Last Wednesday, University of Arizona students pledging Kappa Sigma were involved in different incidents with university police. One group was attempting to steal a couch from the Manzanita-Mohave Residence Hall, while another was caught with a stolen street sign in its possession. Both groups were running around campus at night, wearing all black. Sure-fire way to avoid capturing attention, eh? Right.
While the fraternity has been slow in punishing its members, it certainly didn't waste time in initiating damage control When the leadership in the fraternity was asked about the incidents, even the explanation was a little below par. The scavenger hunt list included such items as a bike tire, a "dildo," a sorority girl wearing lingerie, a girl willing to strip (assumably not the same girl), a smutty magazine and a copy of "All the Way III." The Kappa Sigma officers explained that they didn't really want the pledges to go out and get the stuff - they wanted them to go to their respective houses and get it, or to take a photo of the object. Somehow, it seems unlikely that they just wanted a picture of a girl willing to strip, or that they wanted the pledges to go home and get their sisters.
We can't blame the arrests on the pledges. It isn't their fault that the leadership of the fraternity they joined doesn't understand subtlety. The fact that no other fraternity has been caught for little pranks means that either no one else is doing anything, or that everyone else knows something that they don't. Of all the groups on campus, you'd hope that fraternities would be conspiratorial enough to get together and share their little secrets.
For the last few years, the greek system on this campus has been trying to change its image. Incidents of this sort have been way down. In fact, the only major incident of last semester involved active fraternity members vandalizing a UA van. Kappa Sigma members, of course. This sort of activity is bad for everyone. It makes Kappa Sigma look bad, and makes the rest of the system look bad by extension. Those greek houses that have been keeping their noses clean should be really upset at this point.
Nothing serious is going to happen to those involved, and that's probably for the best. The whole mess will go before the Greek Judicial Board. Wrists will be slapped - not a problem, as many fraternity members have been spanked in far worse places- and everyone will go home appropriately chastised. A better solution might be to have Kappa Sigma's leaders sit in the corner wearing dunce caps; after all, a foolish punishment would perfectly fit a foolish prank. But that's not quite open to us. Too bad; then we could know who to avoid.
This editorial represents the collaborative stance of the Arizona Daily Wildcat Opinions Board.
