Sigma Alpha Epsilon Hires Ashlee Canty as Director of Diversity and Inclusion
ByStill reeling from the viral video of a local chapter shouting a racist chant in unison the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity announced the hiring of a director of diversity and inclusion, Ashlee Canty.
The chant video was a black eye for the fraternity, one of the nation's largest and most recognizable, especially when the national organization acknowledged the University of Oklahoma (OU) chapter members likely learned it at a national retreat.
According to the Associated Press, Canty's appointment is part of SAE's efforts to bring greater social awareness to the rest of its 230+ chapters. One of Canty's primary objectives will be to give SAE members access to diversity stats, as well as avenues to report insensitive behavior.
"I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with Sigma Alpha Epsilon as they look to move forward with their plans to be intentional concerning diversity and inclusion programming," Canty said in a statement. "I am looking forward to learning more about the fraternity and its members and helping to continue to promote its values and mission through diversity and inclusion initiatives."
So many people making assumptions about me, who I am, and my blackness. Very interesting.
— Ashlee Canty (@alc1920) July 3, 2015
But I expected this to happen. Thankful for the support of my friends, family, mentors, and brothers of SAE for entrusting me to do this job — Ashlee Canty (@alc1920) July 3, 2015
At the end of the day. I am proud of what I have accomplished, who I am, and what I do.
— Ashlee Canty (@alc1920) July 3, 2015
In its announcement, SAE also confirmed Canty will assist with Title IX and sexual misconduct education for fraternity members and alumni.
Holding degrees from North Carolina State University and Western Illinois University, Canty is currently a doctoral student at DePaul University, where she also serves as the Coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Life. She had a similar position at Syracuse University previously.
OU President David Boren swiftly shut down the school's SAE chapter and expelled the two students found to have led the chant. SAE also opened an investigation to determine if any other chapters were teaching members the chant, which referenced lynching and suggested African-Americans would never join.
"We knew that it was going to take some time," Brandon Weghorst, an SAE spokesman, told the AP of the ongoing investigation. "It's tough to perform an investigation over the summertime whenever the undergraduates aren't even on campus."
