Posters plastered across campus Tuesday, the first day of sorority rush and the day before fraternity rush, accused the College's Greek system of encouraging drug abuse, alcohol distribution to minors, sexual promiscuity and disorderly conduct.
No individual or group is suspected, nor will the College look for suspects, said Senior Associate Dean of Students Dan Nelson.
As of yesterday afternoon, almost all of the posters had been removed from bulletin boards in the Hopkins Center, Thayer Dining Hall, Dartmouth Hall and residence halls.
The computer-printed posters, in the guise of fraternity and sorority rush promotions, ridiculed the Greeks. "Hazing? Us? Never! (wink wink, nudge nudge). Rush Sig Ep," one poster says.
They also accused houses of sponsoring offenses such as cocaine use.
"The Brothers of Psi Upsilon welcome and encourage you to become a cocaine addict," one poster says, adding that Psi U is part of Hanover's "glamorous drug underground."
A poster directed at Alpha Chi Alpha fraternity read, "You know you love our red hats. You know you want to own our jock wear. Rush AXA and we might even let you."
Sororities too were targeted, with a poster saying, "Register for Sorority Rush: let us choose your friends for you."
Even if the allegations in the posters are false, the College could not take any disciplinary action against the individuals who posted the signs, according to Nelson. Libel and slander cannot be prosecuted under the College's Freedom of Expression and Dissent policy, he said.
"Protest or demonstration shall not be discouraged so long as neither force nor the threat of force is used, and so long as the orderly processes of the College are not deliberately obstructed," the policy says.
Nelson did not condemn or condone the actions.
"I think it's unfortunate that debate about important community issues takes the format of anonymous posters," he said.
But the fraternities named could file civil suits for libel, he said.
"You could definitely say without question that every poster was libelous," said Tor Trivers '94, social chair of Kappa Chi Kappa fraternity.
Most fraternity and sorority presidents declined comment. But Dan Polta '94, president of Sigma Nu fraternity, informed fraternities about the posters before they were posted.
"The general consensus here is that it's a waste of paper and should be recycled," said Brian Hone '95, a brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.
