Women's Groups Threaten Formal Protest Of Fraternity Striptease Acts

Women's groups at the University of Pennsylvania early this month threatened formal protest against the presence of strippers at fraternity rush functions.

Fraternities claim that the strippers are necessary to attract freshmen, but women's groups think "it's pretty pathetic that they can't find anything better to do," Women's Alliance Coordinator Constance Natalis told The Daily Pennsylvanian.

At Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT), one of the two fraternities involved, the striptease act involved "disgusting and degrading" sexual acts, one freshman told The Daily Pennsylvanian. One student member of the audience reportedly added a little spice to the event when he got up on stage and "interacted" with the two strippers, the paper reported.

Since the rush is now dry, alternate forms of entertainment, such as striptease acts, have become more important to fraternities trying to attract freshmen.

Although fraternity members said that alcohol-free rush makes the presence of strippers more justifiable, women's groups claim that the fraternities are using dry rush as an excuse.

The director of the school's Women's Center, Elena DiLapi, said the actions may increase incidents of sexual harassment on campus, by influencing the way the men attending the striptease acts treat all women.

The Penn Women's Alliance said fraternities may schedule a formal protest, and DiLapi has said she will pursue complaints women bring to her about the performances. MIT

Student Injured After Falling From Window in Drunken Brawl

An MIT student was injured last Saturday after he was pushed from a second-story window in a drunken brawl.

The student, whose name has not been released, spent the night under observation at the MIT infirmary, according to an article this week in The Tech. The school's Office of the Dean of Student Affairs is investigating the incident, the paper reported.

The student was pushed through the window of Baker House, a student dormitory, during a confrontation with a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity early Saturday morning, according to The Tech. The incident followed on the heels of a drinking contest at a private Oktoberfest party.

The fight developed when a drunk senior made advances to a freshman girl by repeatedly asking her for a date. The girl contacted her boyfriend, a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, who entered Baker House with a friend. When a third fraternity member who had a previous disagreement with the Baker resident arrived, a fight broke out.

During the fight, the Baker resident was punched so hard that he fell backwards through the window. Baker House hopes to ban the fraternity brother who delivered the punch from its premises.

The woman will not file sexual harrassment charges against the senior, nor will the injured senior press charges against the fraternity member who attacked him. WHEATON COLLEGE