Sigma Alpha Epsilon's Racist Chants Fuels University Suspensions

several members of sigma alpha epsilon on sunday were caught on video chanting supremacist views while riding on a charter bus. university of oklahoma fraternity white males, hands raised, fists pumped, in unison, sang, "there will never be a nigger in sae, you can hang them from a tree but they will never sign with me, there will never be a nigger sae."

university president david boren on monday severed the school's ties with the national fraternity. boren ordered its on-house campus be shuttered; members have until midnight tuesday to remove their belongings from the fraternity house. boren said frat members "violated all that we stand for."

boren attended a pre-dawn rally organized by students. he called the frat members involved "disgraceful," publicly admonishing their behavior as "irresponsible." at a mid-day news conference, he said, "this is not who we are. i'd be glad if they left. i might even pay the bus fare for them." 

the president, notably outraged with their bigoted remarks, also said the university's legal staff is exploring whether the students who initiated and encouraged the chant may have violated title six of the civil rights act, which prohibits racial discrimination.

national leaders of sigma alpha epsilon said late sunday their investigation confirmed members took part in the chant. additionally, they announced the local chapter will be closed, saying they were "embarrassed," by the "unacceptable and racist," behavior.

ou unheard, a black student group on campus, posted a link to the video after someone anonymously called it to the group's attention sunday afternoon. on monday, communications director alexis hall, a junior, said, "we immediately need to share that with the ou student body. for students to say they're going to lynch an entire group of people...its disgusting."

"i was shocked they were just doing it openly on the bus, like they were proud of it. from the chant you could tell they had done it before. it wasn't a first-time thing. and it was everybody. and the fist-pumping," said jared scarborough, a junior in construction science.

north mesquite (texas) high offensive tackle jean delance tweeted monday morning he has decommitted from oklahoma. delance, ranked in the scout 150, said he was impacted by the video's messages, and it played a role in his decision to begin looking elsewhere for his collegiate aspirations. 

similarly, atlanta-based rapper waka flocka flame aborted his upcoming concert at the school. according to his instagram post, flame said, "i'm disgusted and disappointed in the actions of the sae fraternity at university of oklahoma and i will be cancelling my scheduled performance for them next month. racism is something i will not tolerate." 

university of oklahoma sooners football coach bob stoops, who attended a morning rally on the campus, humbly cancelled the team's afternoon practice. the players and coaches walked into the practice with linked arms, gathered to say a prayer, then left.

located in the southern oklahoma city suburb of norman, the student population is about 27,000. less than five percent are black. sigma alpha epsilon was founded in 1859. their mission "is to promote the highest standards of friendship, scholarship and service for our members based upon the ideals set forth by our founders and as specifically enunciated in our creed, "the true gentleman." 

the greek system remains largely segregated.