LSU’s Student Senate passed a resolution Wednesday urging the university to hold its Delta Tau Delta chapter accountable for an offensive banner displayed during the university’s first home football game.
Authored by College of Business Sen. Corbitt Driskell, an economics and accounting senior, SGR 5 calls on LSU to publicly address or take action concerning the banner displayed by LSU’s Epsilon Kappa chapter of DTD.
The banner, which compared the bombing of Palestine to Nicholls State University, sparked outrage among students. While the fraternity issued a statement within two days, LSU has yet to formally acknowledge the incident.
“This isn’t okay,” Driskell said during the bill’s introduction. “I commend DTD for releasing a statement, but LSU needs to address this as well.”
Debate sparked on the senate floor when Dylan Weinrich, a senator for the University Center for Freshman Year and Delta Tau Delta’s chairman for Philanthropy and Community Service, questioned the need for further action. Weinrich, a political science sophomore, stated that the fraternity had already been punished and expressed concerns about misinformed resolutions.
“Pushing this bill would show we don’t put effort into our organization. We want to put out positive legislation instead,” Weinrich said.
According to Weinrich the fraternity has been blacklisted and is currently on watch.
“The banner that was put up was clearly wrong. However, I feel like this bill is purposely misinformed by not reaching out or taking action,” Weinrich said. “A statement has already been put out and received.”
Sen. Gabriela Juárez, a political science sophomore, pushed back, arguing that LSU’s response was insufficient given the seriousness of the issue. “DTD got a few parties canceled, but there are [people] in Gaza who have had their families murdered,” Juárez said, calling for action from the university.
Speaker Pro Tempore of the Senate and computer science junior Ethan Elmer said, “This isn’t a nothing matter, this is a public matter . . . These are people’s lives.”
“Their members didn’t even know the post was taken down,” Elmer said about the fraternity’s apology, which was later removed from their social media.
In closing, Driskell said, “The bill is stating that there has been nothing for the student body to know what has happened. Regardless of who did it and their private repercussions, further action needs to be taken. Nothing in this is saying kick DTD from campus or suspend their members. Just for LSU to make a statement.”
The resolution passed with a vote of 41 in favor, 7 opposed and 2 abstentions.
The resolution, while not binding, serves as a strong recommendation for LSU’s administration, urging accountability.
The LSU Student Senate gathers Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in the LSU Student Union in Baton Rouge, La.
