The chant was sung during a frosh icebreaker event on the campus football field. It spells the word “young,” which reads like an acronym, where Y is for your sister, U is for underage and N is for no consent.
First-year science student Alexis Chute was present for the frosh event. She didn’t know the words of the chant until they made the news.
“It sounded just like they were getting everyone pumped up,” she said.
Chute doesn’t appreciate the message, but added, “I haven’t seen anything (at SMU) that represents what they were chanting about.”
The chant has been part of frosh week in previous years, so “it just got put in with all the other cheers,” she said.
Chute chose to study at Saint Mary’s because “it felt like home.” She also chose SMU because Catholic Christian Outreach works on campus and she wants to keep her faith alive during university.
Saint Mary’s chaplain Fr. Robert Arsenault of the Companions of the Cross does not condone the chant, but says sexually explicit material is part of youth subculture.
“It’s part of what they live in,” said Arsenault. “I don’t think they even see it any more.”
Arsenault hopes the incident will get people talking about the direction our culture is heading.
“Students acting inappropriately during frosh week isn’t exactly a byline,” he said. “It’s not a good thing, but how we have an honest conversation about this is really the more interesting question.”
Fourth-year anthropology major Hannah Brown stays away from frosh activities. She once saw a hypnotist perform for frosh at SMU. The hypnotist, she learned after arriving, was X-rated. She was not impressed.
“The way I understand it, they’re singing about the rape of children,” Brown said. “It’s not funny.”
Brown believes the sex chant could affect the credibility of her degree to future employers.
“If they’re not completely keyed in to an academic scene, this is what they know of my school,” she said. “I’m glad that this is being addressed, but I wouldn’t want anyone to think this is a reflection of Saint Mary’s as a whole.”
Saint Mary’s residences are offering small group counselling to all students. The 80 frosh leaders were asked to attend sensitivity training and two unnamed students are being reprimanded.
Steve Proctor, communications manager for external affairs, said the university “takes this issue seriously. Now we are looking for people to work with us and move forward and create a cultural change on campus and in the community.”
A president’s council has been formed to address treatment of sexual violence on campus and decide a course of action. Its report is expected in mid-December.
“We will be guided by their recommendations,” said Proctor.
While many groups on campus are reacting to the chant, nothing has changed at the Saint Mary’s chaplaincy.
“We do what we always do,” said Arsenault. “We proclaim Jesus Christ and show there is another way.”
New to his position as chaplain, he said his response will be to love the students and provide them with a credible alternative to the sexual subculture.
(Brown is a fourth-year journalism student at the University of King’s College in Halifax.)