Students in several black student organizations on campus say a Student Activities policy unfairly discriminates against their groups.
The policy governs late-night, large-scale events, which are defined as starting or ending after 11 p.m., having more than 250 guests and more than 50 percent non-AU guests in attendance.
If those criteria are met, then at least 10 AU students must be available to work the entire event and the organization may need to hire private security if Public Safety and Student Activities deem it necessary.
Caribbean Circle President Dshawna Bernard and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity brother Jeremiah Headen said the policy poses unnecessary restrictions on certain student groups, particularly National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations, Caribbean Circle and the Black Student Alliance.
The policy requires 10 AU students to work the event, but notes that organizations may co-sponsor to meet this requirement. None of AU’s NPHC organizations have enough members to host an event on its own because the majority of AU’s NPHC chapters are city-wide and some of the members are from other D.C. area schools.
Although BSA does not have to invite people from off campus, BSA President Ariel McMillan said her group is very close with black student alliances from other D.C. area schools.
“We’re more of a family because there’s so few of us that we tend to act as one community rather than as individual schools,” McMillan said. “Of course we’re going to invite them.”
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s Lambda Zeta chapter, a single-school chapter, only has six members and therefore fails to meet the policy’s requirements for hosting a late night event.
Under the policy, AKA must co-sponsor with other organizations in order to host a large-scale, late night event.
AU’s NPHC organizations are usually required to have private security when they invite people from off campus to their late-night, large-scale events.
The cost of security depends on the event length, expected attendance and the company hired for security, said Director of Student Activities Karen Gerlach.
But the private security is not allowed to touch any participant and cannot break up a fight. If this happens, Public Safety must be called, according to Department of Public Safety Capt. Norman Bailey.
Student leaders said private security generally costs about $600.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. President Tannis Spencer said that the cost of hiring private security makes hosting events at AU too difficult for AU’s Deltas.
“We have to do more work to at least break even and to make a profit is another story,” she said.
The policy was introduced after a 2009 inauguration party hosted by NPHC member Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., where a fight broke out, according to Bailey. More people attended the event than expected, including some high school students who got in because IDs were not being checked at the door.
University Center Senior Director Michael Elmore said the event sent a clear message that AU had “crossed a threshold.”
After this event, Student Activities codified its policy to ensure security at events when people are being invited from off campus, according to Elmore.
However, some students feel that the policy hurts them more than it helps.
“[The inauguration event] was an outlier,” Headen said. “They’re trying to build a policy around a situation that will never happen again.”
AU NPHC President and Delta Sigma Theta sister Tia Dolet said that since the policy was created, the Nu Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta has held more of its events at Georgetown University because it is easier, less expensive and more profitable than hosting an event at AU.
“[The policy is] causing us to move to a different campus and generally feel animosity toward our own school and the people who are supposed to be helping us,” Dolet said.
Delta Sigma Theta makes approximately $1,800 at its Georgetown events, where security costs about $250, according to Dolet, adding that they usually make about $1,100 at AU.
Elmore said that none of the students have spoken directly to him about their concerns with the policy, and he encourages them to do so.
He added that the students who produce these events might not appreciate having more protocols placed on them, but that AU can’t compromise the safety of its students and patrons.
“If you’re going to do events that invite external communities at that hour and it’s going to be open invitation to anybody who wants to show up, we’re going to put a protocol in place that allows us to manage the function,” Elmore said.
Headen said Phi Beta Sigma is looking into alternate venues such as bars and clubs, which he believes will be “easier to deal with.”
“To me it’s sad, because I really liked doing these events on campus because I feel it’s safer for the students and it’s more communal because everyone there is in college,” Headen said.
llandau@theeagleonline.com
