A University of Minnesota fraternity will be investigated by its national headquarters after it allegedly used racist and sexist remarks to describe contestants on a reality TV show.
In a list allegedly written by some members of the University’s Delta Chi chapter, terms like “slut,” “chink,” “nice tits,” “cake face,” “greasy,” “possible nigger lover,” “chubby knees” and “tard lover,” among others, were attributed to cast members of the popular ABC dating show, The Bachelor.
The chapter’s president, Marshall Heitkamp, declined to comment and referred questions to Delta Chi’s national office.
In an emailed statement, Marquez Brown, the fraternity’s associate executive director, said that the national leadership, chapter leadership and alumni advisors were aware of the note allegedly penned by current members.
“The comments made in this document are vulgar, inappropriate, and do not represent the Delta Chi Fraternity, our membership at the University of Minnesota, nor our culture as an international brotherhood,” he said in the statement. “Chapter leaders, in collaboration with their alumni advisory team, will also conduct a judicial board process to review this circumstance and hold anyone accountable to actions that violate the values and expectations of Delta Chi.”
He also said the fraternity is working with the University’s Office for Equity and Diversity to help with equity, diversity and sensiviity education.
A picture of the list appeared in a now-deleted tweet by a female University student who hosted a viewing party where five members of Delta Chi had the document, City Pages reported. While the original Tweet was deleted, it was saved by another student, according to City Pages.
The list also included the contestants’ names, ages and occupations, among others.
Matthew Sumera, University Office for Student Affairs spokesman, said the fraternity is talking with the office’s Multicultural Student Engagement unit about educational training.
“the University of Minnesota is aware of recent allegations involving members of the Delta Chi fraternity regarding inappropriate notes taken about contestants on the popular TV Show The Bachelor,” James Ehrmann, University Office for Fraternity and Sorority Life program director, said in an emailed statement. “We condemn all forms of discrimination among our student population and are using this situation as an opportunity to have educational conversations with the chapter, and all our community members, about these issues.”
