Some University of Maryland students think the student responsible for a sexist, racist email that rocked the College Park campus is getting off easy, and Friday they made their voices heard.
Protesting students said they feel the university is not taking the matter seriously enough. They feel the student who wrote the email should be expelled.
Dozens of students gathered in front of the Kappa Sigma fraternity house just off campus Friday evening.
Their anger was sparked by an email sent by one fraternity brother to several others last year. The email only recently began circulating on the Internet.
In profoundly vulgar and racist terms, the writer urges his friends not to invite African-American, Asian and Indian women to fraternity parties. He also encouraged them to ignore the issue of consent, with the women who were invited.
In an email sent to students Thursday, Maryland's vice president for student affairs said, "The University's investigation into the incident is continuing and due process will be completed before any final determinations are made."
It goes on to say, "However, by mutual consent between the student involved, his family, and the University, he will not return to campus this semester."
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The protesters fear that may be the only serious punishment the email writer faces. Many do not want him to return to campus ever.
Although the student was suspended from his fraternity, the Kappa Sigma house and nearby fraternity row remain a targets of anger.
No one answered the door at the Kappa Sigma house to comment.
