Sexual Harassment, Masturbation, and a Brown Bear

The quick and dirty about what's been going on around the Ancient Eight (and other schools too).

Last week Yale University suspended its chapter of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, nearly two months after the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights launched an investigation into the claim that Yale's sexual harassment policies violated Title IX regulations. The school says that DKE—whose notable alumni include George W. Bush and George H. W. Bush—violated its policies by, among other things, making its pledges chant phrases like "No means yes, yes means anal." Until its suspension is lifted, DKE is no longer allowed to hold chapter meetings on campus or recruit new members.

After a week of voting, students at DePaul University voted to keep Sabra-brand hummus on the menu despite allegations that Sabra's parent company—Strauss Group—gives money to Israeli military units accused of human rights violations. DePaul's Student Government Association put the snack's status up to student referendum, asking students if they preferred to replace Sabra with "an alternative brand of humus." This vote represents the first referendum that SGA has held on an issue in over 10 years.

Someone needs a spellchecker. When printing its programs for its upcoming Commencement ceremony, Georgetown University failed to check the accuracy of its own name, spelling it: Georgetown Univeristy.

Students at the University of Chicago recently received a letter encouraging them to "refrain from masturbating in the shower." According to the letter, an excess of semen—which is not soluble in water—has been clogging shower drains, resulting in thousands of dollars worth of repairs. The school acknowledge that students need to "take care of your business," but advised that they do so "in the comfort of their own rooms, and to dispose of [their] discharges appropriately." The letter was, in fact, a hoax.

A black bear was spotted on Princeton University's campus last week, prompting the school to send a letter to students warning them of the animal's presence. According the email, the bear did not present a threat, but the email warned not to feed the animal.