Akhila Kandaswamy’s proposal to require safety patrol officer be present at Greek parties is insupportable
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As members of the Greek community at UC Davis, we will be the first to admit that it is not perfect. There have long been systemic problems that have promoted an unhealthy culture, but over the last few years, that culture has dramatically changed.
In our time at Davis, fraternities have been kicked off for hazing practices that were previously accepted; sororities have refused to affiliate with organizations that don’t comply with strict alcohol and drug guidelines and sexual assault prevention meetings, given multiple times a year, have become the norm. There are now stricter guidelines and regulations for Greek life than for any other group on camps, making Greek life events some of the safest around.
This is why it was appalling to hear Akhila Kandaswamy, a candidate for ASUCD vice president, speak at the Davis College Democrats meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 12 about requiring a safety patrol officer, or police officer, to be present at fraternity and sorority parties. It is insupportable to hear her try and push illegal policies, such as forcing a patrol officer into the homes of hundreds of people, through written ASUCD law.
Not only would it be unlawful to require a police officer to attend fraternity events, it infringes upon a student’s freedom of expression. And heightened police presence in someone’s home has the potential to make many students extremely uncomfortable.
Put simply, this policy would only serve to harm students in a community that prides itself on individuality. It unfairly targets a group of students based on how they choose to express themselves socially. It is evident that this contrived proposal was made without sufficient information regarding the internals of fraternity and sorority life, and that it is a hasty, logistically infeasible afterthought. Was anybody consulted in regards to this proposal? Certainly not the Greek community.
This clearly isn’t an honest attempt to make Greek parties safer.
Written by: Anonymous members of the Greek community
The names of the authors who penned this op-ed have been omitted in order to protect their identities.
