Two fraternities at Swarthmore College have disbanded after internal documents revealed racist, misogynistic and homophobic behavior by former members, references to sexual assault — and a “rape attic.”
Swarthmore President Valerie Smith said Phi Psi and Delta Upsilon have agreed to disband and relinquish their houses at the 1,600-student student liberal arts school in suburban Philadelphia after documents from 2013 to 2016 were released anonymously last month to two campus public publications.
“Still, as a community, we have much healing to do,” Smith said in a statement early Wednesday. “We have heard heartbreaking stories from students who feel unwelcome to the point of wanting to transfer out of our community. Those stories have come from across the spectrum of our student body – from student protesters to fraternity members.”
Smith said the leaked documents, including the “Phi Psi Historical Archives,” revealed “deeply disturbing, unacceptable behaviors and practices” at the college, including racist, sexist and homophobic comments, as well as graphic depictions of sexual encounters and references to Delta Upsilon’s “rape tunnel” and “rape attic.”
While there’s no evidence that any current students participated in the alleged behaviors, Smith said an internal investigator will look into the matter.
“They have brought deep pain to our community, and they are antithetical to all that our community values,” Smith said. “They also serve as a reminder that Swarthmore is not immune from the systemic problems that exist throughout society.”
In separate statements released late Tuesday, the college’s two fraternities confirmed that its members unanimously decided to disband.
“The content of the documents released is unacceptable, and we understand the long-term impact of the documents on our fraternity’s culture as a toxic element that cannot continue to exist on Swarthmore’s campus,” Phi Psi’s statement read.
Phi Psi’s current members were in high school or middle school when the documents were composed, but the fraternity was nevertheless “appalled and disgusted” by the content of the unofficial meeting minutes.
“We cannot in good conscience be members of an organization with such a painful history,” the statement continued. “Unfortunately, the wounds are too deep to repair, and the best course of action for all those involved is to disband the fraternity completely and give up the fraternity house.”
The development follows a sit-in at Phi Psi’s house that began Saturday as students demanded that the fraternity be shut down after the documents surfaced in April.
One student who took part in the protest told the New York Times that she was sexually assaulted by a member of Phi Psi when she was a freshman and that the presence of the “rape attic” was not a secret on campus. Goldberg, 22, said she also warned administrators at least 20 times about locked rooms at the fraternity houses.
“I’ve told the fraternity liaison,” senior Morgin Goldberg said. “I’ve told the dean of conduct, I’ve told the old dean of students, I’ve told the new dean of students, I’ve told the president.”
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