Fraternity promises not to kill students
Victoria students have started a new fraternity, possibly the first in the country.
Beta Omega Chi President Chris Smith says membership is around 60, with the majority of members aged around 20 years.
Fraternities have gained a bad rap in the USA, where initiation ceremonies involving excessive drinking and dangerous tasks have led to many deaths. However, Smith says that although Beta Omega Chi has initiations that every prospective member must undertake, none of the tasks for pledges are dangerous or illegal.
At a meeting last week, elections were held for the fraternity council. VUWSA President Geoff Hayward was elected chair, and New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations Co-President Josh Clark was elected vice-chair. Andrew Gibson, Managing Director of The Establishment, was also made a life member at the meeting.
Beta Omega Chi is holding a launch party at The Establishment on Tuesday, May 8 from 8pm. Pre-sale tickets are available from any member for $5, with $7 door sales on the night.
Anna Duggan with reporting by Laura McQuillan
Great, the promotion of social divisions within the student body. Just what we needed.
Why, oh why, do we need this?
another example of Geoff’s poor leadership. While he just gets drunk, trying to make friends, his exec lack suffer. I wonder how many times he comes to work with a hangover.
I honestly hope this fails miserably. Frat boys are nothing more than misogynistic, alcoholic faggots.
How many times does he NOT come into work. I was walking past early on friday afternoon and he was having a ball at JJ Murphy’s…
Wow – who’d've thought I be sticking up for Frat boys? What the hell are you a-holes smoking, how many frat boys have you met? From my time studying in California I can say that frat boys come in all shapes and sizes, from the useless pious frats to the irritating preachy community-service frats to the loudmouth drunken frats who you folks prob saw in American Pie.
Promoting divisions in the student body? Have you never joined a club or a sportsteam?
If there’s such a diverse number of clubs on campus, then what’s the point of a fagternity?
Isn’t there a keg stand and belching contest your Alpha Cum Faggot brigade should be competing in?
Nick – your analogy is severely lacking. Sports teams and clubs exist for a purpose – for sport or for a joint activity. A fraternity exists to separate and distinguish – it is designed to create a loyalty structure to the fraternity based upon shared social characteristics.
Sports and clubs are inclusive – anyone can join them if they want (sure, with sports the teams are exclusive to a point, but participation in the sport is not due to a multitude of teams and the way they operate at VUW). A fraternity is based on exclusivity and separation – you are either in or out, with restricted membership criteria.
Yes, fraternities do come in many forms. However, given the voluntary nature, one would suspect that NZers would thus act on the classic stereotype of fraternities. Those attracted to the stereotype (“Jocks”) are more likely to join, than those who are not. Consequently, we can expect the fraternity to be a “Jock” fraternity rather than any other form.
I won’t comment on Geoff’s leadership, but to say that he has good ideas, and bad ideas. Fraternities fall into the bad idea category.
Might I also mention that the fraternity is using its launch and subsequent parties to raise money for charities? Does anyone care? Is the fraternity still a bad idea?
You seem to be quite the expert on fraternities, Umm, especially for someone who lacks a real name. You also seem to quite prejudiced.
Frankly, I don’t think I want to waste my time arguing with someone who writes in vague generalities and unsupported assertions, but I can’t help myself. “one would suspect that NZers would thus act on the classic stereotype of fraternities”? Ah, no. One would not suspect.
You know nothing about the criteria for this frat. Sports teams do often have joining criteria (‘trials’). Your use of ‘incluse’ and ‘exclusive’ is tautological. You argument is based on unexamined assumptions. I suggest more self-reflexivity in your work.
C- (52%)
Are you kidding? There already are divisions in the student body. Women on campus already have a group and a room. What’s the problem with a fraternity?
It’s a bit of a joke, guys, seriously.
donating money to charity is not a joke nicola what an awful human being you are oh my god
*fucks ten bitches on pledge week; gets access to frat rampus room, equipped with pinball machine and two-speaker stereo*
tbc
Well they allowed me into their meeting and elections, so I do not think they are going to be anything along the lines of the more notorious frats such as The Skulls, which are extremely exclusive and secretive.
Maybe they thought you were a guy ;-]
Does this thing have a website up and running yet?
Not that I am aware of currently
Hey editor,
why did you remove the other posts on this site? They seemed reasonable enough, and one of them was answering Michael’s question.
Nick: I’m unaware of any posts being removed (we only found out how to do it yesterday and haven’t started just yet) but when we figure out how to fix that problem, rest assured it shall be done.
Laura: I think there were some posts by the Fraternity President. They were quite good and helpfull and they are not there now.
Editor: I also want to know why the posts are off. Do you have an agenda? I understand it’s not the first time peoples comments have questionably been censored.
I see what you mean! I’ll get this sorted out ASAP
I’m very sorry to report that the comments appear to have been lost in the depths of the website. Neither Steve nor I have deleted them, and our website caretakers haven’t been able to locate them either. So all I can really do is apologise on behalf of the Salient team for the error.
Hi Dave,
I’d like to reiterate Laura’s comments. I certainly haven’t edited any comments concerning this posting. I’ll look into it.
jon fisting obviously has no idea all the hard work that Geoff puts in everyday and that things wouldn’t be as good as they are without him! Well he is an egotistic person who needs to get himself themselves and realise what an awesome guy Geoff is and he isn’t the one who turns up hungover to work! Geoff is an awesome guy, an even better leader and people should respect him for this
jon fisting obviously
has no idea all the ahrd work that Geoff puts in everyday and that
things wouldn’t be as good as they are without him! Well jon is egotistic person
needs to get over himself and realise what an awesome guy Geoff is and an even better leader he makes. If it weren’t for Geoff we wouldn’t be were we are today! Geoff you do an awesome job and others need to learn to respect that so jon get over yourself and find someone else who truly is doing a bad job to focus your attitudes and opinions on
Soph D? What the hell are you trying to say? Are you even at uni, o still at primary school. If you are at uni, the way you cannot communicate properly, you certainly shouldn’t be. My god, you do suck. Learn to write properly, do a writng course or something. Maybe I should focus on you, and how much you suck. You do such a bad job at trying to defend Geoff.
Really? Are you really an expert on what Geoff does? You are right though, if it weren’t for Geoff, we wouldn’t be were we are today. In a sorry state of affairs that is. Geoff is a really useless leader, and it doesn’t matter how deluded you are. I heard that once again ( a weekly event) fucks up again, and once again, Salient wont report on it.
Say smile, big brother is watching you, and Geoff is happy about it.
jon fisting: Take your own advice on writing. You don’t make sense. Are you Nick Kelly? PS. Read Eye On Exec.