Northwestern's chapter of Delta Upsilon fraternity will face disciplinary action from their international organization as a result of their controversial rush event, DU International Executive Director Justin Kirk said.
The chapter hired the Half Pint Brawlers, a group which bills itself as the "one and only hardcore midget wrestling group," to entertain prospective pledges at an event held Jan. 8. Two paid performers, known as "Puppet the Psycho Dwarf" and "Little Justice," stimulated sex, stapled each other in the face, and jumped off a ladder onto one another, as depicted in photos and videos e-mailed to The Daily.
City officials said the event, also under investigation by the university, broke no laws, but the national organization said it contradicted the fraternity's founding principles.
"The conduct of these members by holding this event is unbecoming of a man of DU and is not what we stand for," Kirk said.
The organization will cooperate with university and Interfraternity Council officials in conducting an investigation, though Kirk declined to say what the consequences for NU's chapter might be. DU International staff members will visit the chapter on Sunday and Monday to meet with its members, he said.
IFC President Billy Carberry declined to comment on the investigation.
DU chapter President Tommy Smithburg and Risk Chair Nathan Baum acknowledged responsibility but wrote that the event did not violate university rules regarding hazing in a Letter to the Editor published Tuesday.
They did not return messages seeking comment Tuesday night.
NU policy defines hazing as "any action taken or situation created, whether on or off university premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule for the purpose of affiliation with a group, team, club, or their organization," according to NU's student handbook.
The Little People of America, an advocacy group, believes that such wrestling groups are inherently demeaning to little people.
"People find it entertaining because it's little people," said Gary Arnold, Vice President of Public Relations for the group, "And to me, that's a throwback to the days of the carnival or sideshow, where the entertainment value is that these people are different."
Arnold said he has protested outside Chicago-area bars hosting the Half Pint Brawlers at least three times in the past, and plans to picket their Feb. 7 performance at Bar Chicago.
"It's entertainment, but it's also offensive," Arnold said.
But DU's rush event was within legal bounds, Evanston officials said.
"Unless it gets to a point of a fight (in the audience) it doesn't fall under criminal law," said Evanston Police Department Cmdr. James Elliot.
Evanston's city code requires a license for "public places of amusement" and a 4 percent tax on admissions at their events. But neither of these apply to a free event on private property, such as DU's pledge night, Evanston's Revenue Manager Kevin Lookis said.
"(DU's event) just really doesn't fall under anything (in the city code)," Lookis said. "It's amazing, but it doesn't. It's a gray area."
The event was completely legal, he said.
"(It) just doesn't fall in any of the categories," Lookis said.
DU had previously offered the event in 2003 with no apparent consequences.
The fraternity's recruitment coordinators wanted to choose non-traditional activities to attract rushees, then-president of DU Ryan Rotner (Medill '03) told The Daily at the time.
Rotner declined to comment for this story.
The investigation will be referred to University Hearings and Appeals System if the Office of Student Affairs finds a policy was broken.
Reach Stephen Blackman at sblackman@u.northwestern.edu and Danny Yadron at d-yadron@northwestern.edu.
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