The members of the Gamma ThetaChapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. will not be wearing their gear onthe Bethune-Cookman College campus any time soon.
Effective March18, ValenciaCooper, vice president for student affairs, suspended the college chapter forseven years in light of escalating conflicts between members in the group sincespring 2004.
“I feel that the suspension wasunfair and I was hurt,” said Antron Mahoney, current president of the GammaTheta chapter.
“But with a lot of the thingsthat have been going on, I could see why the administration would want to takethat action,” the graduating senior said.
As a result of the suspension,the fraternity will not be allowed to have a tree or identifying landmark onthe college’s campus. They will also be prohibited from wearing memberparaphernalia, hosting functions or engaging in a new member intake process.
The problems within the grouphave remained rumor until recently when some members of the chapter appeared oncampus less than a week before the March 12 Greek Letter Advisory Councilcoming out show, bearing signs against other members.
Subsequent to the show, incidentreports, a hearing, a suspension and fines brought the administration to thedifficult decision to ban the organization.
According to Darnell Walker, aself-professed Nupe, the decision to bear placards publicly was a sign of protestagainst another group of Kappas and their presence in the brotherhood.
“I don’t consider them part ofthe group,” said Walker, 22, who was only recently reinstated in February 2005as a Kappa after being suspended in April 2004.
Although admittedly now anon-financial member, Walker points to the fact that he and nine other memberswere not informed of their suspension by Cooper until October 2004 after makinginquiries. Yet another example of how deep the division has become, he said.
On the Nupe side of thedissention, Walker believes the other members, who he refers to as “Paper,”were threatening the Kappa tradition.
“We want to keep tradition inthe organization, because when this happens there’s a brotherhood that comeswith that,” said Walker, a graduating senior.
Mahoney refrained fromcommenting on Walker’s allegations and the circumstances surrounding thesuspension out of loyalty to the organization.
“Kappa business is Kappabusiness,” Mahoney said.
However, he did voice his beliefthat certain members of the fraternity have gone against the rules of thecollege and Kappa policy.
“It’s sad to see that anorganization with such talented people won’t be able to prosper on thiscampus,” said Mahoney, a Kappa since 2003.
Despite the division, both Walkerand Mahoney expressed regret at the state of the Gamma Theta chapter.
“I hate to see Gamma Theta go,but I believe in destroying everything and rebuilding,” Walker said.
“Hopefully we can learn fromthis and other organizations can learn from our mistakes too,” Mahoney said.
Vice President for StudentActivities Valencia Cooper and Student Government Association President JaredYancey could not be reached for comment on the decision to take the Kappas offof the yard.
Kari Cobham is a student at Bethune-CookmanCollege who writes for the Voice of the Wildcats..
