As the Dean of Students I wish to join the Vice Chancellor in condemning in the strongest possible terms the despicable racist behaviour experienced by one of our staff members at the hands of our students during the intervarsity weekend.
Unfortunately this was not the only offensive and shocking incident that has been reported to my office. The University community and the Grahamstown community at large have contacted my office to express their outrage at the levels of drunken, loutish behaviour from our students, easily identifiable as such through their purple and white overalls. Many of the slogans written on these garments were deeply offensive and amount to hate speech and to "rape speech" (in the words of one of the complainants). What is most disturbing of all is that students presumably wrote these slogans on their overalls when they were sober, and proudly displayed them not only on campus, but in town and in our shopping malls.
While one does not want to ban freedom of expression, surely we can all agree that this kind of violation of other people's dignity is simply not acceptable. The violators are, of course, also violating their own dignity in the process.
Before Intervarsity, I published a message in the Oppidan Press in which I reminded students of the threat to discontinue Trivarsity after the shocking behaviour of our students at NMMU in 2007. To quote from that message:
"remember that you represent our University and that we will be judged in terms of your actions. Please be mindful of our reputation and the rights and dignity of all members of the Rhodes community when you write slogans across your backs that are obscene, offensive, sexist or racist . this year is a test case for the future of intervarsity: if the drunken and violent behaviour of our students brings Rhodes into serious disrepute once again, things will have to change. It is up to you."
With freedom comes responsibility. Sadly, we have been let down.
While I am very mindful that there were many students who focussed on the sporting activities of the weekend, and had some good fun as well, it is disappointing - indeed distressing - to see that the appalling and very visible and vocal behaviour of some of our students has most definitely brought into question the future of intervarsity in its current form.
Vivian de Klerk
DEAN OF STUDENTS