UCLA DAILY BRUIN Tuesday, May 21, 1968

UMAS asks suspension

of Phi Kappa Psi charter

By Mark Goodman

DB Staff Writer

United Mexican American Students (UMAS) have called for the suspension and revocation of the charter of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity for "flagrant expression of prejudice and its show of ignorance."

In a formal complaint (reproduced on page 4 of today's Daily Bruin) addressed to Chancellor Franklin Murphy and also submitted to the office of student activities, UMAS asked that diredt action against the fraternity be taken.

UMAS is objecting to the facsimile of the Mexican flag that appeared on the fraternity house as 'decoration' for the "Viva Zapata" party held Saturday night. On the flag, where the eagle should be, was a fist with the middle finger protruding.

UMAS also filed a complaint against the "closed party" sign which also hung on the wall and listed such "restrictions" as "no Negroes, no Japs, no dogs."

In the letter, UMAS said that "such a show by the fraternity not only expresses an insensitivity to current social issues-volative issues-but also presents the consciously and unconsciously woven fibers in our society of what the Kerner Commission Report termed 'white racism.'"

A group of 20 UMAS members read the letter to Vice Chancellor Rosemary Park yesterday. Miss Park said she would give the letter to the Chancellor and would take appropriate action on the matter.

In a statement issued late yesterday afternoon, Vice Chancellor Charles E. Young said that he and Miss Park had been apprised of the activities and "are offended and shocked by these actions which do violence to all standards of decent conduct and violate the concept of basic human dignity."

The group then proceeded to the student activities office where they were informed by Asst. Dean Donal Gottesman that a special meeting of the Interfraternity Judiciary Board was called for this afternoon to specifically take up this matter.

Young said that he has requested permission from the fraternity advisor to appear at the meeting to "represent the depth of the University's concern."

From the student activities office, the group proceeded to the office of Harry Whitaker, Graduate Student Assn. (GSA) president. There they read the letter to Whitaker and to Joe Rubinstein, undergraduate president who was in the office.

Whitaker has asked Atkinson to take formal steps to suspend Phi Kappa Psi as a legitimate student organization. Rubinstein, in his letter, has asked that disciplinary action against the fraternity also be taken.

Reynaldo Macias, a member of UMAS, said that the only action acceptable to UMAS is direct suspension of the fraternity from this campus.

Chris Lee, president of Phi Kappa Psi, when contacted yesterday, siad that there was nothing intended to be derogatory by the sign.

"These people are just being picky in what they choose to read off of the sign," Lee said. "If they would have read more, they would have seen that 'no boy, no girl, no wasp' and several other labels were painted on the sign.

"It was a satire on the labels that exist in our society," Lee added.

He explained that he personally believes that the flag was in poor taste and siad that of the members in charge of painting the flag, no one could paint an eagle.

Lee said that since the fraternity is off campus and is a private residence that the members have the right to decorate it in any way they wish.

He also added that the "Viva Zapata" party is an annual event of the fraternity and that the idea of using a flag just happened to be used this year.