The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. chapter at Alcorn State University in Mississippi, once referred to as “Gangster Phi” for its brutal hazing rituals,is under fire for allegedly engaging in underground hazingactivities.
The Gamma Phi chapter postponed a scheduled Feb.25 “interest meeting” and suspended intake pending an investigation.
The allegations came in an e-mail sent to the national organization, claiming that illegal hazing activities had taken place. The e-mail was sent under an assumed name.
However, a sophomore who asked not to be identified told the Alcorn Campus Chroniclethat she and other prospective members were made to meet members of the sorority in their dorm rooms, perform calisthenics and purchase food and other amenities for the “big sisters.”
Aspirants were not allowed to look members of the sorority directly in the eyes, she said.”They would call us around one or two in the morning and make us come to their dorm room,” the sophomore said.
“Once we were there, they would make us recite history,founders and other information.We would have to do pushups,sit-ups, and jumping jacks when we got answers wrong or weren’t in sync.”
The sophomore said she had not sent the e-mail making the allegations.
Patricia A. Owens, assistant director of membership for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s national headquarters,said calisthenics and other physical activities constitute acts of hazing and that the organization mails copies of the organization’s anti-hazing policy to each college or university annually.
The sorority,founded in 1908 at Howard University,is a social service organization. Its stated focus includes health resources management,economic growth for black familiesand entrepreneurship.
According to the sorority, there are 49,015 active members worldwide.
The Gamma Phi chapter has conducted such community service projects as Breast CancerAwareness Month, a Buckle Up for Safety Campaign, a freshmen women’s forum, a forumfor economic empowerment for African American males, and Go Red for Women, a health and wellness awareness forum for African American women,in conjunction with the Alcorn alumnae chapter of DeltaSigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
The organization enacted a strict anti-hazing policy in 1999 that defines hazing stringently:”a variety of prohibited practices,including but not limited to, ‘underground hazing,’ ‘financial hazing,’ ‘pre-pledging,’,’post-pledging’ or ‘post-initiation pledging,'” according tothe organization’s Web site.
The sorority was forced to suspend intake for all chapters in 2002 after Kristin High and Kenitha Saafir were drowned during alleged underground hazing activities at California State University at Los Angeles.
Linda M.White, supreme basileus for AKA, insisted in a 2002 letter posted on theorganization’s Web site that the chapter at Cal State Los Angeles was “suspended. . . over minor pledging infractions” more than two years prior to the girls’deaths.An alphabetical listing of suspended and expelled members, as well as chapters,is posted on the organization’s Web site.
Felisha Robinson, vice-basileus for the chapter, said she was “not sure” where allegations of hazing came from and that she “has no knowledge of it whatsoever.” Robinson also remarked that “anything concerning AKA’s interest meeting is AKA business and AKA business only.”
Apparently this is not the first time such allegations have surfaced.
Jennifer Graham, the current chapter basileus, asserted that “people have been saying they’ve been getting hazed by Gamma Phi for years.
” The chapter was under investigation in 2005 for hazing.
Several members were suspended from the sorority, but the chapter remained intact.
Alcorn State University also has a strict anti-hazing policy that is outlined in the university handbook.Penalties for hazinginclude suspension, expulsion,fines and civil prosecution.
In Mississippi,any person violating anti-hazing laws is to receive a penalty of not more than $2,000, imprisonment in the county jail for not morethan six months, or both.
Shundera Perteet, who became graduate adviser for the Gamma Phi chapter in August2005, said in a Feb.23 memo addressed to Sherylynn Byrd,who chairs Alcorn’s Departmentof Mass Communication,that she “cannot confirm any allegations. . . from an unauthorizedsource” and that “such information should be dismissed as campus gossip.” Perteet also said the cancellation was an administrative decision and that”regardless of the reason,” all decisions are made in the best interest of the chapter.
The memo asserts that the Gamma Phi chapter is active and that all chapter operationsare continuing.
Perteet completed the memo by reiterating that she “does not owe anyone outside of [the]sorority an explanation for the cancellation.”
The interest meeting for the chapter was tentatively rescheduled for March 8.
Hazing at Alcorn State University has become an increasing problem.
.Most recently, the Eta chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity,Inc. expelled five members forinappropriate conduct and alleged hazing activities.
.The Delta Epsilon chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority,Inc. was suspended from theuniversity in 1998.
.The Delta Kappa chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,Inc. was suspended in 2003 foralleged hazing activities.
.The Alpha Zeta chapter of Phi Beta Sigma was under membership intake suspension for the fall 2006 semester.
- J. Samuel Cook-Black College Wire