In Response to the Beta Email

, by Corey Dethier,

I want the University to look out for my safety.

By now, everyone’s read the email, or glanced at it, or know what it says. Some of you have probably read Beta’s response on Facebook or, as I’m guessing will be the case, on one of the other pages of this Argus. They claim, after making what I can only believe is a heartfelt attack on sexual assault in general, that the original email was only a power play by the administration to try and get them back on campus.

Frankly, I don’t care. Power play or not, I want the University to tell when there are areas off-campus where students might be in greater danger. That’s information that can only help me and/or the people I’m with stay safe. This is especially true if there is evidence (as we’ve been told there is here) that the incident in question was not isolated. Anything less, and the University wouldn’t be doing their job.

Beta attacks the University for holding them to a different standard, for slandering their fraternity and its members; but I can’t help but find their implication that Dean Whaley should have kept sexual assault allegations quiet infinitely more despicable. As a student, I want the University to examine every allegation of sexual assault, on or off campus, and I want them to tell me exactly when they think I might be in danger. I would want them to tell me whether the allegations involved Beta, or the Cardinal’s Nest, or Indian Hill. With off campus sites, it’s the only way they can protect us, and the only way they can help us protect ourselves.

Dethier is a member of the class of 2012.

  • girl 2011

    While I agree with this sentiment, the fact is that there ARE sexual assault cases all over campus that the administration does not report to us. Setting aside whether or not the administration is slandering innocent beta brothers, what they are doing by emphasizing sexual assault at beta is distancing themselves from rape in general. By only highlighting cases of sexual assault at beta, they take the focus off of all the incidents of rape on other parts of campus, and take the blame off of themselves for not having sufficient methods of dealing with sexual assault. I do feel that the administration is using the victims of these sexual assault cases in their case against beta theta pi. We do not hear about other cases of sexual assault on campus, and where they may be happening–which is all over.

  • girl 2014

    I agree with the administrations’ decision to notify the Wesleyan community of the events at Beta. As for the previous comment, I don’t think these horrible events are being used to make a case against Beta. We need to remember that the University could not have notified us of these events if the victims did not give them permission, and that many times those who have been sexually assaulted do not what that information made public, understandably. Also, this situation is unique because it was not single acts of sexual assaults but rather several, indicating a possible trend. I also don’t believe the University is trying to “distance themselves from rape.” At freshman orientation this year, sexual violence was an important and major topic. The University also pointed out that in the past, many community members felt the administration was doing all they could to combat and “handle” sexual violence on campus, and they were making constant strides to better themselves. No institution, or person, is perfect but at least Wesleyan recognizes where it falls short and works to better itself.

  • Anonymous

    For fuck’s sake…

    This school is LIBERAL. What more could you have expected from kids who think the world revolved around them? This happens at any highly, liberal college.

  • David Lott, ’65

    “I want them to tell me exactly when they think I might be in danger.”

    Wesleyan as robot: “Danger, Corey Dethier! Danger! Danger!”

    Better you learn how to recognize danger for yourself. Not easy, but important.

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