Last month at Cornell University, a group of students associated with the Chi chapter of Psi Upsilon assaulted a black student and directed racial slurs towards him.

Over that past few weeks, we–the Xi Chapter of Psi Upsilon–have discussed the recent hate crime committed at Cornell University and feel ethically compelled to speak out. We, as an organization, find these actions morally egregious; they do not represent the values that we as a brotherhood strive to embody. Although we have no personal ties to the Cornell chapter, we still bear the same name and want to take this opportunity to formally condemn the actions of these students.

As a brotherhood, we do not tolerate discrimination in any form and will continue to speak out against those who perpetuate hate. Actions and beliefs similar to those expressed by members of the Cornell chapter are considered unacceptable within our organization.

Fraternities have traditionally been comprised of homogenous men. These groups foster environments where members’ personal biases and prejudices are affirmed by their fellow members, thus perpetuating racism, sexism, classism, and hate. Because of this history, we are continuously diversifying our space and holding each other accountable for our actions and the actions of other chapters in an attempt to distance ourselves from the fraternal legacy of White male institutions.

If any student ever feels unsafe or unwelcome within our house or at our events please reach out to our president, Karina Cabán (kcaban@wesleyan.edu) or any other brother.