For the second year in a row, Central State University canceled the annual Homecoming Step Show. The university said that Greek organizations declined to perform. Greek organizations say they declined to participate as a protest over what they see as the university’s poor oversight over Greek life.
"We are tired of being mistreated and not having the proper tools to succeed," said Malic Emerson, a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
The university sent out a mass post via Instagram a week before the show, which was scheduled for Oct. 11, 2019. "The following Panhellenic Greek organizations, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, eligible to participate in the Homecoming Greek Step Show, have elected not to perform,” the post read. “As a result, the event has been canceled."
Greek members say they have been waiting for the university to distribute a Greek handbook to fraternity and sorority members. The handbook is supposed to outline who is eligible to join Greek organizations, how those organizations are to operate, and how the step show is to be run.
Several Panhellenic Council members were upset by the university’s explanation of the canceled show. They say that the statement singled out individual fraternities even though all of them supported the decision to cancel the show. “We stood together as a council and made the decision," said Vincent Brown, a Member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.