The University of Wisconsin-Madison is investigating an incident in which sorority members interrupted The Brink Lounge during a performance of The Vagina Monologues Saturday, according to a university official.
UW-Madison Associate Dean of Students Kevin Helmkamp said several members of Kappa Alpha Theta “pounded on windows, and one did a little more lewd behavior with that,” as they passed by a window of the venue.
The support group for victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence UNIDOS Against Domestic Violence hosted the performance, in which UW-Madison senior and theatre major Aliza Feder was involved. Said the incident occurred “at a point of intense vulnerability.”
Feder said the organizations are working together to reach an agreement, and UNIDOS is asking for an apology from Kappa Alpha Theta. “They’re trying, they’re definitely trying,” she said. “We just have yet to totally converge on what to do to fix it.”
Kappa Alpha Theta declined to comment, but Feder said she is “confident” the two organizations will be able to resolve the issue amicably.
Helmkamp said the actions of certain Kappa Alpha Theta individuals warrant the university looking into the matter, considering the safe environment the university consistently works to promote and preserve.
“We like to believe our students understand they are part of a larger community,” he said. “Those things rise enough of a concern the university does get involved.”
Helmkamp said since the greek community does not have its own “accountability” system, university administrations will determine whether Kappa Alpha Theta violated the university’s code of conduct.
