UBC’s Commerce Undergraduate Society (CUS) has announced it will be ending its annual FROSH orientation event after a controversial chant that encourages non-consensual sex was taught to first-year commerce students.
CUS says any future orientation activities will be planned in consultation with the Sauder and UBC administrations.
In a statement released today, the Commerce Undergraduate Society (CUS) said President Enzo Woo and Vice-President Engagement Gillian Ong have resigned from their positions.
“The performance of offensive chants at a CUS orientation event should never have occurred,” Woo was quoted saying. “The fact that it was a tradition neither excuses the CUS from its actions, nor in any way alleviates the gravity of this situation. As the leader of the CUS, I am deeply remorseful at what has transpired. It would be naïve to think that these problems can be solved overnight, but we have an opportunity moving forward to institute a culture of recovery and acceptance.”
The society also said all student leaders involved with CUS will have to undergo anti-violence training in the future.
The offensive chant states, “Y-O-U-N-G at UBC we like ‘em young, Y is for your sister, O is for oh so tight, U is for under age, N is for no consent, G is for go to jail.”
On Saturday, the dean of Sauder School of Business Robert Helsley, issued a statement saying all members of the university community are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that contributes positively to an environment in which respect, civility, diversity, opportunity, and inclusiveness are valued.
He said the school has launched an investigation into the incident. The faculty will also educate students about the harm these kinds of chants can cause so that something like this does not happen again.
Earlier this week, ‘rape culture’ graffiti was spotted around the campus. One of the signs on the campus read ‘Sauder teaches rape.’
Editor’s note: This story is an updated version. A previous version said the University of British Columbia will end the annual FROSH event, it was replaced to say it was UBC’s Commerce Undergraduate Society that made that statement.
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