INVESTIGATION AND FINDINGS Background: On March 7, 2015 members ofthe Kappa chapter ofSigma Alpha Epsilon were en route to the chapter?s Founder?s Day event in Oklahoma City. On one of the chartered busses, a racist chant was sung by fraternity members and was captured on video. The University became aware ofthe video and events on March 8, 2015 and took immediate steps to assess and address the situation. This memorandum is the result of an investigation undertaken by the Office of Student Affairs into the culture of the chapter and to determine the method by which the racist chant was learned and passed from member to member. Investigation Process: The Office of Student Affairs undertook its investigation in order to follow on the inquiry undertaken by the University?s Institutional Equity Office and to investigate the variety of media, press and other reports that indicated the chant had been learned within the chapter and was part ofthe current culture ofthe local SAE chapter. Beginning on March 8, 2015, University officials in the Office of Student Affairs conducted interviews to determine how the chant came to exist at the University and the manner in which it was learned and passed from member to member. The findings ofthe investigation are detailed below. Findings: 1. The origin ofthe racist chant at the Oklahoma Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon was that it was learned by chapter members on a national leadership cruise sponsored by the national organization of Sigma Alpha Epsilon four years ago. The chant was learned and brought back to the local chapter. 2. Over time, the chant was formalized in the local SAE chapter and was taught to pledges as part of the formal and informal pledgeship process. 3. Prior to the chapter?s annual Chapter?s Founder?s Day event on March 7, 2015, there was alcohol readily available at the fraternity house, and there is evidence that a significant number of chapter members were consuming alcohol prior to boarding the bus on which the chant was sung. 4. As part ofthe chapter?s normal recruitment activities in connection with its Founder?s Day event, the chapter had invited approximately one dozen high school students, who were present at the house and were exposed to the chant while on the bus. 5. It is clear that during the four years since the chant was brought to the University campus, its? existence was known by recent members and that it became part ofthe institutionalized culture of the chapter. In addition to the fraternity being disbanded, as a result ofthese findings, the University has issued discipline to involved students ranging from permanent withdrawals, community service and mandated cultural sensitivity training. Officers of the fraternity have also personally met with representatives of affected student groups and apologized. raw UNIVERSITY 0f Office of the President March 27, 2015 l?i'ninent Supreme Recorder and Executive Director Blaine Ayers 1856 Sheridan Road Evanston, lL 60201?3837 Dear r. Ayers: As a result ofthe recent unfortunate incident involving Sigma Alpha Epsilon members during which they engaged in a racist chant, the University ofOklahoma undertook a comprehensive investigation into how the chant arrived on our campus and how it was learned and institutionalized within the local chapter. These ?ndings and correspondence from local chapter leaders indicate that the chant was learned by local chapter members while attending a national leadership cruise sponsored by the national SAE organization four years ago. While there is no indication that the chant was part ofthe formal teaching ofthe national organization, it does appear that the chant was widely known and informally shared amongst members on the leadership cruise. We recognize that the national SAE organization has taken certain steps to condemn the actions of those individuals engaged in this speci?c act of racism, has disbanded the local chapter and is taking steps to expel individual members ofthe chapter. The matter cannot be closed in our View, however, until the culture at the national level has also been addressed. To that end, the University ofOklahoma is interested in knowing answers to the following: - Has the national SAE organization undertaken any investigation to determine the extent to which the chant is being taught in or disseminated by individual chapters across the nation? - lfsuch an investigation has been conducted, what steps have been taken by the national SAE organization to remedy the situation? Thank you so much for your attention to this matter. Only through our collective proactive efforts will we be able to achieve our shared goals ofinclusiveness. Sincerely, (?t/arm Dav1d Boren President 650 Porringten Ovcii, Plenum 1 l0, Ncrman, OklohOmo 7301'?) {:10le ,2 (I) 'n La.) C) Ln