Who are these ‘fun’ traditions fun for?

IT sounds like the start of a Klu Klux Klan lynching. People woken in the middle of the night by individuals dressed in bed sheets and white masks, and shepherded outside to where others were ‘‘stationed at various points . . . with flaming torches in their hands’’. Loudly revved chainsaws added to the stress — those being herded outside had ‘‘coincidentally’’ been shown the film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre the night before.

This vignette featured in an article in the Otago Daily Times (30.7.18), by one of the 2015 firstyear students at Selwyn College, Otago University’s oldest residential college, claiming that the socalled ‘‘traditions’’ of the College are ‘‘for the most part inclusive, wellmeaning, and fun’’. Really? Fun for whom?

Student periodical Critic Te Arohi revealed another custom of the

Selwyn College Students Association: imposing offensive, sexist, nicknames on new residents.

No wonder a homesick young woman, ‘‘awarded’’ a name implying she was promiscuous, and finding that ‘‘people started giving me funny looks and treating me different’’, felt ‘‘humiliated and bullied for just being a quiet person’’.

Some exresidents defended the ‘‘awards’’, saying they weren’t intended to cause offence. That’s like excusing sexual assault by denying any intention to upset the victim. What that woman described was a verbal sexual assault, and those who defamed her — male and female — were abusers. It’s another example of the ‘‘rape culture’’ which was clearly a feature of the ‘‘secret’’ socalled ‘‘Gentlemen’s Club’’, which compiled a list of the ‘‘hottest’’ girls at Selwyn (which no true gentleman would do) while she was there.

Civis knew Selwyn well when at university in the 1960s. The overwhelming impression of its ethos then was of tolerance of diversity — theolog and atheist, Territorial and peacenik, rugbyhead and dreamer — and that older residents (many stayed at the College for four or more years) went out of their way to welcome and support newcomers, especially the shy or retiring. The SCSA regularly appointed individuals to service roles, based on behaviour, such as the ‘‘Bottle Boys’’ (collecting empties), but didn’t ‘‘award’’ hurtful nicknames.

Total immersion by ‘‘bathing’’ was imposed by fellow students at times, but that (apart from ritual dunking of the outgoing SCSA Committee) was only inflicted in spontaneous response to inconsiderate behaviour.

The writer for the ODT cites the Selwyn Ballet, established 90 years ago, and the Leith Run (the conclusion to an ‘‘initiation’’ afternoon, as it was in the 1960s), as positive traditions. But downplaying other bullying or sexist socalled Selwyn traditions by saying that some of them don’t appeal to everyone is to excuse inexcusable behaviour.

It’s reassuring to hear that the Warden of the College, Ashley Day, is ‘‘cracking down on some of the more negative aspects of the drinking culture in Dunedin, such as initiation’’. Civis understands that he’s also been vigorously addressing sexism in the College.

In the past a mature student body would have done that, but when secondyear residents are the seniors, perhaps it’s not surprising that they act like juveniles. So the warden and staff have to be much more handson than in Civis’ student days (an observer will now attend SCSA meetings), and the governing body more active and professional.

It didn’t help, though, when prominent residents from the late 1970s and early 1980s (another time when the College acquired a bad reputation), including past Prime Minister Bill English, reminisced fondly about the despicable, prolonged and bullying initiation customs of the time when speaking at the College’s 125th Jubilee earlier this year.

An exresident has suggested the College culture is ‘‘elitist’’, but excellence should be encouraged. It’s feelings of entitlement that need to be punctured. Perhaps the admission policy needs review.

Selwyn’s rules require ‘‘appropriate and respectful behaviour to others’’. The governors need to support the warden in enforcing that, ruthlessly if necessary, and reinforcing the College’s true tradition of welcoming and supporting new residents, so Selwyn is again a taonga of the University.