The Student Association Senate Sunday approved to take away SA recognition from Phi Beta Sigma fraternity for four weeks because the fraternity posted an objectionable flier with a forged University Programming & Activities stamp.

The fraternity posted the flier the last week in January advertising a party. The flier had a drawing of a man with no shirt and unzipped pants. The man was holding the hand of a woman, and “Phi Beta Sigma Party” was written across the drawing.

SA Sen. Dave Stern said, “We have to show organizations they can’t get away with this. The fraternity had to rip down another poster so they could forge the UP&A stamp, they were supposed to take the fliers down within twenty-four hours and didn’t, plus the poster was offensive—they went against the whole system.”

John Richardson, president of the fraternity, said a new initiate was put in charge of the flier.

“We (the older members) weren’t aware of the posters until after the fact. It was just a task the initiate was assigned,” he said.

UP&A took away the fraternity’s posting privileges for two months. SA Vice President Cam Davis said a UP&A representative contacted a fraternity member and told him the fliers must be taken down within twenty-four hours of notification.

Richardson said the fraternity was not informed of the policy. “No one from UP&A told us to take the fliers down. It would have been no problem for us to remove them.”

When an organization loses SA recognition it is not allowed to post fliers, rent rooms in the Holmes Student Center or use university printing services. The organization’s mailbox in the SA office is removed and any money in the organization’s university account is frozen.

SA Sen. Jana Stringfellow said the senate “should not come down hard on the fraternity just because it is a black organization.”

Stern said the issue of race is not a factor. “What they (the fraternity) did is wrong. They should lose privileges like any other organization would.”

Richardson said he wants to be treated as anyone else would be treated. “It would be wrong to come down hard on any frat, white or black. We have a good record with fundraisers and community service, and we’ve learned our lesson from this incident.”

Larry Robertson, SA minority relations adviser, said the senators should keep in mind what impact the motion would have on the organization.

“Phi Beta Sigma is one of the most positive black organizations on campus. The flier is wrong, but we should show them they are checked by the SA,” he said.

Some senators were concerned about UP&A’s decision to take away the fraternity’s posting privileges without consulting the senate. The senators thought the power of the senate was being removed. “We are supposed to take action against organizations,” rather than the UP&A taking action against them, one senator said.

Robertson said the senate should not “get in a power struggle with UP&A.”