The Brown & White

Over the past two weeks, the Web site JuicyCampus.com has become active at Lehigh University. JuicyCampus has no obligation to monitor the reliability, accuracy, legitimacy or quality of its content nor enforce any standards in connection with it, even when notified that content violates the Web site's terms and conditions. The nature of this site encourages students to act maliciously against one another and is harmful to the campus climate.

It has generated a great deal of controversy across our community and has struck at the foundation of Lehigh's core values and what our university wants and hopes to be.

As student leaders, we have seen a great deal of public outrage toward what has been posted on the site and as representatives for our respective organizations, we have come together to stand for the preservation and reaffirmation of the values of the Lehigh community.

Lehigh should be free of biased incidents, intolerance and slanderous statements of any kind. Regardless of race, sexual orientation, political affiliation, religion, background or belief, each individual should feel welcome and encouraged on our campus. Derogatory and malicious statements made on JuicyCampus are unwarranted and not welcomed in our community and represent a threat to the preservation of our bonds of friendship and trust.

Mutual respect must be afforded to all, as each student has the right to a welcoming and non-threatening environment. Each of us is an equal shareholder in the obligation to guarantee this positive and constructive environment for our peers. Any means used to undermine and threaten the safety of this environment must be met with solidarity from the entire student body and unification around these core values.

In the face of adversity, the Lehigh community must be strong and committed to upholding these ideals.

We're encouraging all members of Lehigh to be active in advocating and backing the values inherent in Lehigh's tradition, culture and identity.

We also express our support to any individual or groups mentioned negatively on this site, and we offer our compassion and continued support.

Our community may not be perfect, but we still must embrace and accept differing opinions and values.

We call on students to stand up for these values, in support of the well-being of our fellow classmates and to rise above the influence of this Web site.

We cannot prevent further postings to the Web site, but we ask you, our peers, to hold each other accountable to the values unique to all Lehigh students - reaffirm them and refuse to perpetuate the power of this Web site.

Only together can we eliminate the threat to our community and its members, and only through unity can we progress in a positive and constructive manner.

Encourage your friends, your roommates, your classmates and those you care about to refrain from posting malicious messages on this Web site and not to give in to the temptation to belittle or deride others and their beliefs.

We must hold ourselves to the high standards that we all expect of each other and our Lehigh family.

With everyone's cooperation and collaboration, we together can reaffirm our commitment to the highest of standards and continue to make Lehigh a dynamic and vibrant place for all.

We must take the negatives posed by this site and translate them into something positive. This gives us a chance to reaffirm our beliefs in what Lehigh as a university, community and family really is.

It affords us the opportunity for various groups all around campus to come together and work together in the support of these values.





SARA BAILIN, The Movement President

BOB BUCKHEIT, Interfraternity Council President

NICOLE BUSCEMI, Panhellenic Council President

CHARLES CHOICE, Black Student Union President

BRIAN COHEN, Class of 2011 President

ALEXANDER GROMADZKI, Class of 2012 President

TONI MARRACCINI, Association of Student Alumni President

JACK MEEHAN, Class of 2010 President

HARUKA MORITA, Asian Cultural Society President

DIVYA NAYAR, Student Senate President

MARC PALMER, Gryphon Society President

WILLIAM ROBINSON, Student Athlete Council President

ANDREW TADROS, Residence Hall Association President

SCOTT WOJCIECHOWSKI, Class of 2009 President