An email laced with racial epithets that surfaced this week at the University of Maryland is prompting investigations into the Kappa Sigma fraternity member who allegedly sent the message last January.
UMD President Wallace D. Loh said in a campuswide statement Thursday that his administration learned of the email, which was originally sent in January 2014, earlier this week. It's not clear why the email surfaced now, and the university and fraternity's national office declined to explain, citing their ongoing investigations. However, the school did say it found out about the message two days after video surfaced of racist behavior by members of the University of Oklahoma's Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
The email, allegedly sent by a white member of Kappa Sigma to six individuals, uses the word "n****r," as well as racist epithets against people of Middle Eastern and Asian descent. After discussing his plans for sexual intercourse, the writer adds, "f*** consent." (The full text of the email, which contains sexually explicit and offensive language, can be read below.)
"The vulgar language in the email expresses views that are reprehensible to our campus community," Loh said in the statement. "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."
A message sent to the sender's email address, which is shown in an alleged screenshot of the message circulating online, was returned as undeliverable. The student did not appear to have active social media accounts as of Friday morning.
Kappa Sigma's national office said the individual who sent the email was suspended from the fraternity after the organization found out about the message. He then submitted a letter of resignation.
"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, nor the character of the general fraternity’s nearly 20,000 undergraduate and more than 220,000 living alumni members," the fraternity's national office said in a statement. "While clearly unfortunate, Kappa Sigma Fraternity was glad to see the swift and decisive action being taken by its chapter at the University of Maryland."
Read the text of the offensive email in a censored version below:
"Regardless of the rush shirt let's get rachet as f*** during rush week. My d**k will be sucked and f***ed in compound basement whether you guys like it or not. Don't invite any n****r gals or curry monsters or slanted eye chinks, unless they're hot. Ziggy you're [sic] girl can come she's cool. Remember my n***as, erect, assert, and insert, and above all else, f*** consent ... d**ks untouched."