Sigma Nu At Old Dominion University Suspended Over Controversial Banners, Continuing Political Correctness Debate Across Campuses

The Sigma Nu fraternity chapter at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, has been suspended while the school investigates an incident involving controversial banners that were displayed at an off-campus house last week, NBC News reported Monday. The banners, which targeted incoming freshmen women, read: “Rowdy And Fun! Hope your baby girl is ready for a good time," "Freshman daughter drop off" and "Go ahead, and drop off mom too.”

The banners were removed after they sparked outrage from students and administrators alike when pictures of the banners went viral. Although it remains unclear who the off-campus house belongs to, Brad Beacham, the executive director of Sigma Nu's national headquarters, said in a statement Monday that information received by the fraternity indicated that some chapter members may have been involved with the banners and that the Sigma Nu chapter at Old Dominion University has been suspended while the school investigates the incident.

"Any fraternity member found to be responsible for this reprehensible display will be held accountable by the fraternity," said Beacham in his statement, NBC News reported.

Old Dominion University released a statement Saturday after pictures of the banners ignited a backlash on social media, WTKR reported. They said the messages displayed on the banners would not be tolerated.

“At ODU, we foster a community of respect and dignity and these messages sickened us,” the statement said. “They are not representative of our 3,000 faculty and staff, 25,000 students and our 130,000 alumni. Ours is a community that works actively to promote bystander intervention and takes a stand denouncing violence against women."

Old Dominion University's student government association also released a video statement in response to the crass banners.

"Not only do these actions taken by a few individuals undermine the countless efforts at Old Dominion University to prevent sexual assault, they are also unwelcoming, offensive and unacceptable," the student government association said in an accompanying written statement, WTKR reported.

As students head back to school, many universities across the nation have adopted a heightened environment of political correctness as a way to fight “rape culture,” but some comedians who joke about controversial topics like rape, Islam, Ferguson or particular ethnicities have voiced their opposition to the new wave of political correctness, TheWrap reported. Comedians Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock said they now steer clear of college campuses, and professors and students have said they self-censor some of their politically incorrect views out of fear of being scorned on social media.