Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 10, 1993 TAG: 9304100229
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JEFF LEEDS LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
JEFFERSON GROUP INVESTIGATED FOR HARASSMENT
On the eve of the University of Virginia's gala celebration of Thomas Jefferson's birthday, an august student group honoring his ideals is under investigation for harassing women and violating alcohol regulations.In a letter to University President John Casteen, seven members of the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society declared that society members - who claim to uphold standards of "gentlemanly" behavior - have sexually and verbally harassed women and abused state and University alcohol polices.
Casteen directed the UVa police and the student affairs office to investigate the allegations, which go back more than two years.
The letter also urged the president to appoint a committee to look into the society's attitude toward minorities and homosexuals.
The authors recounted how one probationary member left a society meeting after being told she had been allowed to give a speech only because she was cute and wearing a short skirt.
The society routinely hands out the "Simon Award," which consists of a package of condoms, to the member who has "scored" with the most probationary members, according to the letter.
The letter also described an alleged 1991 incident in which a society officer sexually assaulted a probationary member, who did not report the attack out of fear she would be denied admittance to the club.
Ernest Ern, vice president for student affairs, and Michael Sheffield, university police chief, said they will meet with authors of the letter Monday.
Late Friday, the society met to discuss the charges.
"The intent of the organization is as a literary and debating society, and it has an intellectual element to it," Ern said. "Any such organization needs to be put to the test - are they conforming with state law and University policy?"
Charges leveled in the letter, which also was sent to Gov. Douglas Wilder and members of the school's board of visitors, may fall under several jurisdictions, including the student-run judiciary and honor systems.
The society came under fire in 1988, Sheffield said, when university police looking into reports of alcohol violations filed criminal charges against group members. They later were dropped in court.