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Ex-AEPi Members Blast IFC, PSU in ‘Death to Greek Life’

We’re still trying to figure out exactly what it is– a class project, a documentary, a piece of organizational PR– but ‘Death to Greek Life’ has been a great distraction in an otherwise typically dreary finals week. It’s a pretty long video but pretty well made (and with some brotastic moments). If you don’t want to watch it, there’s a summary below.

The video looks at the changes that have happened in Greek life over the past two years, more specifically tracing the blame that followed the death of Joe Dado as it passed through administrators to former Interfraternity Council president Luke Pierce, who in turn supported and lobbied for a set of more restrictive social policies on the Greek community. Produced by Alex Raiman, it features interviews with a number of former members of AEPi, as well as with IFC president Max Wendkos and Panhellenic Council president Sara Linkosky.

The context for the video is that AEPi was expelled last winter from the Interfraternity Council for two years after two pledges ended up in the Mount Nittany Medical Center after allegedly being forced to drink beer and hard liquor. This is what the Collegian reported on the incident at the time:

According to recently filed criminal charges, new members were told to get into a circle around a trashcan and drink hard liquor and beer. New members vomited into the trashcan while about 30 fraternity members cheered and poured beer on the bid class, police said. Sober members then drove the new members back to their dorms and two were later taken to the hospital with acute alcohol poisoning, police said.

The end of fall 2010 marks the end of the frat’s first semester as a disenfranchised and disassociated organization. Former AEPi member appear to have worked with Raiman to produce a video that depicts AEPi as the victim of policies and dangerous drinking patterns that extended far past the fraternity houses at Penn State.

In the video former AEPi president Matt Feinland calls out both the current and previous IFC presidents for questionable actions during their terms.

Luke Pierce, as depicted in 'Death to Greek Life'

Feinland brought out accusations against former IFC president Luke Pierce and the way in which he enacted harsher social policies post-Dado. He said that Pierce tried to pass legislation like “no more Wednesday socials, a 300-person mandatory limit on parties, and many other changes.” In the video, Finland explained how he thinks Pierce influenced the council to act against fraternity’s best interests:

“Most presidents obviously voted no at first. Who would say yes to that? Then he goes, ‘You guys have to go along with this, or the Borough will enforce it’… We were forced to vote yes for this policy”

Feinland said that Max Wendkos came up to him during THON and told him that, “It sucks you guys [AEPi] got caught because we all do the same things.”

Wendkos and Pierce have already taken to Twitter in response to the movie.

Yes, I know… Tri Delta definitely started @THON. #deathtogreeklifeless than a minute ago via web

Yes, I’ve seen the video. Yes, it presents false information and selectively twists statements. #aaaandbacktofinalsweekless than a minute ago via web

Have you seen the video yet? Heard any other reactions to it? Leave them in the comments.

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About the Author

Davis

Creator of @OnwardState. Big fan of sweaters.

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