When senior and Phi Gamma Delta member Misha Tot decided to create his own “Harlem Shake” video for the University, his intentions for the viral video were solely based on having fun.
The video was taken down after being online for two days due to risque and suggestive dance moves, resulting in pressure from the Interfraternity Council Executive Board.
The popular YouTube trend, “Harlem Shake,” became viral within the last couple of weeks. The video starts off with one person dancing leading to a bunch of people dancing once the bass drop hits in the song.
The dance movements are random and can include inappropriate, obscene thrusting moves.
Tot decided to post on Facebook that anyone who wanted to be in the video could join.
“I wanted to give everyone from the University a chance to be in it,” Tot said. “A ton of my friends came to help out, including some [Tau Kappa Epsilon] members.”
Members who participated in the video from both FIJI (Phi Gamma Delta) and TKE fraternity were wearing their letters, allowing viewers to see which fraternity they were in, which caused some controversy.
The IFC Executive Board brought the video to the attention of Jeff Kegolis, assistant dean of students for fraternity and sorority life.
“Based on the fact that the entire video included obscene gyrating led by a member of FIJI, … IFC council was going to move forward with an investigation to determine if the video was a violation of the council’s conduct policy ‘conduct unbecoming of an IFC gentleman,’” Kegolis said in an email.
Prior to this investigation, TKE President Pedro Petribu went to FIJI’s president to discuss the issues with the video so it wouldn’t go as far as an investigation.
“No one got in trouble; the main problem is that it did not do anything positive towards the Greek life community,” Petribu said. “It really just raised a question of, ‘Is this what we want people to think of as when they see this video?’”
Devin Aller, IFC Vice President of Conduct, said in an email that the fraternities were not displaying what they stand for to Greek Life or the community of Bowling Green, such as morality excellence, knowledge, service and friendship.
“After viewing the video, [IFC council] discussed together and determined that the video would fall under a violation of the council’s conduct policy as acts ‘unbecoming of an IFC gentleman,’” Aller said.
Participants from the fraternities realized the negative impact the video had before the issue was even brought to a full investigation, Aller said.
Tot’s reasoning for the video was not to get anyone in trouble, but instead said he wanted to promote “having fun and working together.”
“I understand [IFC council was] just doing their job and I feel bad I may have got some people in trouble,” Tot said. “I feel upset I had to take it down, because since I am partnered with YouTube I get paid, so I was going to donate the money to an organization with the video views.”
Even though Tot won’t be able to donate money with the help of this video, he said he is now more conscious of what his letters represent.
“I am not going to wear letters in my videos any more or bring fraternity and sorority life into my videos, just incase people will mistakenly take the video the wrong way,” Tot said. “I had no intentions for it to blow out of proportion.”
