Although officers of Beta Theta Pi fraternity have said the house is beginning to plan programming events to address racism and sexism in the Greek system, administrators said they have not been in recent contact with the fraternity and are unaware of Beta's plans.
In November, officers at Beta said the house would hold a number of events during Winter term, after Dean of the College Lee Pelton sent them a public letter at the beginning of last term calling for them to "develop bona fide, authentic and ongoing events" in light of the discovery of a controversial poem in August.
The poem, written and read by a Beta brother at one of the house's weekly meetings over Summer term, was allegedly racist and sexist, and triggered an angry response from a small group of women on campus who had read the poem or excerpts from it.
Some of the concerned women were members of Native Americans at Dartmouth and Sigma Delta sorority and these women called a meeting in mid-August, with Beta brothers, where they asked the brothers to privately apologize for the incident.
The poem has recently resurfaced in students' discussions of the recent incidences of hate speech on campus.
Beta President Chris Adamson '97 said Beta plans to invite two speakers to address racial and gender issues some time later this month.
The Beta house was also the site of last night's Freshmen Outreach Program, an educational program created by Sexual Awareness through Greek Education.
The program, conducted by members of SAGE, was designed to present freshmen with an honest portrayal of both the positive aspects of the Greek system and areas needing improvement, according to a CFSC press release.
Adamson said the two speakers will appear at the house as part of the College's Greek Weekend from Feb. 23 to Feb. 24.
"We're trying to do as much programming as we can on gender issues and racial issues," Adamson said.
Adamson said planning the events for later this term represents part of the house's effort to atone for the poem.
Pelton said he has not been made aware of any of these potential events.
"I don't know who the speakers are, so there's very little I can say," Pelton said. "The fraternity hasn't been in contact with me about any of these events."
Women's Resource Center Director Giavanna Munafo, who said she has offered herself as a resource to facilitate Beta's efforts to plan events this term, also said she has not heard from Beta recently.
Munafo, who met with former Beta President Jason Fanuele '96 and some other Beta brothers late Fall term to discuss possible programming plans, said she has not been contacted by the fraternity aside from one BlitzMail message very early this term.
A Beta officer "contacted my assistant by blitz" early in the Winter term, Munafo said, but "never called back."
Adamson said keeping in touch with Munafo and Pelton has been difficult because this has been a "hectic" term. The programming is Beta's top priority for this term, Adamson said, but other things have come up "that demanded immediate attention."
While Pelton said he has not been made aware of the house's recent programming efforts, Adamson said "thus far we haven't filled the rest of our commitment, but that doesn't mean we're not going to."
The first part of Beta's commitment, Adamson said, was to internally deal with the brother who wrote the poem. The author of the poem has been disciplined by both Beta's Executive Committee and its Board of Trustees, Fanuele wrote in an BlitzMail message.
Last term, Fanuele said the house would not organize any events until this term because Beta did not want to rush into a poorly planned presentation.
Despite the fact Pelton and Munafo have said they have not heard from Beta, Fanuele said the house has been dealing with the poem incident virtually nonstop since it occurred.
"At Beta Theta Pi, we have extensively dealt with the isolated poem incident of last summer," Fanuele wrote. "Since the day it happened, there have been countless in-depth discussions concerning this matter, both within the house and with various administrators."
