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The Rice Thresher
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by Elizabeth Jardina and Rachel Rustin Thresher staff
The letter from students gave examples of college cheers that the letter's authors felt were in violation of Rice's sexual harassment policy. The letter, which is addressed to President Malcolm Gillis, Vice President for Student Affairs Zenaido Camacho and the Rice community, also includes statements that the "language of the cheers represents a university sanctioned attitude that needs fundamental change." The letter said the "language and attitude" of the cheers can be found elsewhere - for example, in Wiess College's Night of Decadence party, college cabinet minutes that have included "hook-up webs" that insinuate sexual relationships between students, and T-shirts like last year's "Pet My Willy" shirts for Willy Week. (See the full text of the letter, Page 10.) Jones College senior Michelle Brand was one of four students who helped write the letter and organize the signature-gathering. She said she and the other writers of the letter have received some criticism for their position on the cheers, but many people have also been supportive. "[There were] a lot of people who were for us and a lot of people who thought we were making it into too big of an issue," Brand said. She also said some students were critical of the fact that they are asking the administration to deal with the issue rather than asking students to change. "Some people thought we were going about it the wrong way," she said. College masters and presidents will be discussing the issue of college cheers at a special meeting Sunday. Discussions took place at each college during forums and cabinet meetings these past two weeks. However, Baker College senior Alexis Wiesenthal said college cabinets aren't necessarily the best place to bring up the issue of college cheers. "You have to live with these people," Wiesenthal said. "It's not the best place to negotiate political change. It can be scary to stand up for something unpopular. I really don't think that the majority of people like college cheers - I think the majority of people are scared to say anything, for good reason. You get harassed." Some students said they did not feel comfortable speaking out against protests of cheers. Last week, anonymous fliers were posted around campus taking issue with the complaints about the cheers. One such sign said, "Administration: Hey, fuck you. We like cheers, we like beer and we like cussing. We aren't hurting anyone." A senior student involved in making the signs said he was uncomfortable speaking freely about his support of college cheers because of the allegations of sexual harassment. "Any time one side is claiming sexual harassment and the other side argues the point, it seems like they're for sexual harassment instead of saying that it's not sexual harassment," he said. "So you end up looking like the bad guy." He said he supports the college cheers, even those that include profanity. "For me, they signified the trust the university puts in students, that the students were running this place and that it was a liberal atmosphere," he said. He said he also wasn't sure how the university could take action regarding college cheers, except for deciding not to teach the ones deemed offensive during Orientation Week. "It's not really feasible to give a campus-wide order not to cheer, but you can have them not taught," he said. He said he felt that cheers that include references to oral sex should not be considered derogatory against women. "It's just an insult, as any other," he said. However, he said he was uncomfortable with cheers that could be considered insulting to homosexuals, such as "Sid Rich sucks, death from behind." He said he thought those cheers should not be taught during O-Week and should be phased out. The students who wrote the letter said they are not sure what they are going to do next, but they will continue to gather signatures. Wiesenthal said they may send the letter this week, or they may collect signatures again next week. In addition to the letter signed by the students, 30 faculty and staff members signed a letter in support of the students' letters. French Professor Lynne Huffer sent e-mail messages to faculty members telling them about Wednesday's petition. She said she is concerned about the sexual nature of some of the cheers. "A lot of students that I know have talked to me about the cheers, that the cheers are upsetting to them, that when they first got here during O-Week, they felt alienated by the cheers, but they felt pressured into saying them even though it made them feel uncomfortable," Huffer said. "My own reaction to the cheers was also very negative when I saw them written out. I think it creates a very hostile environment for some women. I know not all women feel that way, but I feel it's a large enough group that it should be addressed." Huffer also said she felt the change should come from students. "If the administration simply said, 'This is going to change,' there would be this rebelliousness that would be triggered by that," she said. "The administration has a role to play, but it needs to be a change led by the students. What the administration can do is offer their support." Wiesenthal said that by organizing those who feel uncomfortable about college cheers, it gives people who don't feel like they have a voice an outlet to express themselves. "I think a lot of silence has happened," she said. "At cabinets, people get attacked for saying that they want to change the college cheers or something and people get scared into silence.
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