Less than a week after members of a University of Oklahoma fraternity were expelled for a racist chant captured on video, a University of Maryland frat is under fire for a racist and sexist email sent more than a year ago.
The email, from a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, was written in January 2014, according to a statement from the University's president, and included "vulgar language."
The email also reportedly contains "racial slurs referring to black, Indian and Asian women," a local NBC affiliate reported. The sender of the email also allegedly alluded to raping women during the frat's annual rush week.
Kappa Sigma representatives did not immediately respond to BuzzFeed News' request for comment, but the fraternity released a statement Friday announcing that the student responsible had been suspended, and that he subsequently submitted a letter of resignation from Kappa Sigma.
"This action by a single individual is in no way representative of the culture or diversity of Kappa Sigma's chapter at the University of Maryland," the statement read.
The President of UMD on Friday condemned the email and announced that an investigation is underway led by the school's Office of Civil Rights and Sexual Misconduct.
I condemn the reprehensible email. Read my statement here: http://t.co/OnxxncQ5l3
The entire statement reads:
On Tuesday, March 10, 2015, the University of Maryland became aware of an email dated January 2014, 15 months ago. The vulgar language in the email expresses views that are reprehensible to our campus community. We immediately met with the individual involved and a University investigation is currently underway, led by the Office of Civil Rights and Sexual Misconduct. We are in contact with the University chapter of Kappa Sigma and they have taken swift and decisive action in this matter. At their request, the University has committed to provide educational training on diversity and respect for the entire fraternity. The University of Maryland remains committed to our core values of respect for human dignity, diversity, and inclusiveness. We are deeply saddened by the impact this email is having on our community.
Branches of the Kappa Sigma have previously been under fire for racist themed parties, and in 2011, a member of USC's Kappa Sigma chapter sent a sexist email referring to women as "targets" and "not actual people," and claiming that "non-consent and rape are two different things."
As for the current campus climate, one student tweeted this on Friday morning:
Lovely view on my way to class this morning #UMD #GreekLife
Update — Friday, March 13, 3:30p.m. ET: The University of Maryland president sent a number of tweets "as a person, and not as a university president" expressing his disgust with the letter:
There are times when I feel compelled to speak out as a person, and not as a university president. This is one of those times.
The January 2014 email that emerged a few days ago has shaken me.
The utter disregard for decency, the racist invective, the mindless disparaging of sexual consent, has left me angry and profoundly saddened
And quite honestly, I am struggling with justifying this email as free speech.