Oklahoma fraternity’s racist chant video stirs discussion at Wichita State

Correction: Brandon Baltzell is Wichita State's student body vice president. His name and position were incorrect in a previous version of this story.

The topic of race relations, in light of the recent University of Oklahoma Sigma Alpha Epsilon video, had people talking Thursday at Wichita State University.

The Brown Bag Diversity discussion, which typically takes place once a month with students and faculty at the Rhatigan Student Center, drew about 40 people. The discussion revolved around prejudice, media, racial tensions and misconceptions people might have about Greek fraternities and sororities.

Several of the comments criticized a video that went viral last weekend, showing a member of OU’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon chanting a racial slur.

“It is occurring, and we definitely want to address it,” said Joseph Shepard, president of WSU’s Multicultural Greek Council. “When I heard the assumptions coming out about SAE (at WSU), it hit home for me. I don’t want individuals or organizations to be labeled as anything negative, especially when they are not doing those things people are accusing them of.”

Nick Cox, an SAE member at WSU, wore a fraternity sweatshirt with the Greek letters emblazoned on the front. Cox said he first saw the video Sunday.

“I saw the video at 11:30 p.m. Sunday night and then didn’t go to bed until 5 a.m. Monday,” he said. “It kept me awake.

“I was dumbfounded how individuals that are affiliated with the same organization I am had acted. I can potentially see this social crisis that the United States is currently in regarding this subject just completely blowing our organization apart.”

Brandon Baltzell, WSU’s student body vice president and former president of the local SAE chapter, said what bothered him the most were “the troubling posts I have seen in the social media and news saying SAE boasts of antebellum South roots and that it was deeply rooted in the history of violence, especially regarding racial issues.”

“The things we strive for is becoming better men and holding each other accountable and fostering friendships,” Baltzell said. “I believe this is an isolated act of individuals who do not deserve to hold the name.”

This story was originally published March 12, 2015 at 6:21 PM with the headline "Oklahoma fraternity’s racist chant video stirs discussion at Wichita State."