The presidents from Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and Delta Delta Delta sorority issued a public apology last Wednesday for a “Cowboys and Indians”-themed party held late February that offended members of DU’s Native Student Alliance (NSA).

The statement was delivered on Driscoll Green where a tepee was erected for the event and more than 100 people were in attendance, according to junior  and  Undergraduate Student Government (USG) pro tempore Sam White, a member of the fraternity.

Lambda president Ross Larson read from an apology letter originally delivered March 1 in response to NSA taking offense. The NSA requested the letter be read publicly and representatives from Greek Life agreed.

Tri Delta’s president, Molly Gasch, was unable to comment further without permission from her sororities nationals.

Larson said the decision to use a theme stereotypical in nature was made “out of ignorance, not racism.”

Johanna Leyba, the assistant provost for inclusive excellence, said there are no official university policies in place to deter or rectify such occurrences.

“What we’re talking about is the campus climate,” said Leyba. “For the office of multicultural excellence, this event provides the campus with an opportunity for education. It gets people talking and raises consciousness. The biggest thing is that how people interpret and value respect really differs.”

In the public apology, Larson also said Greek Life understands the impact the organization has on the entire DU community. Individuals involved in fraternities and sororities make up 23 percent of the undergraduate student body, according to Sam White, USG president pro tempore and Lamda Chi Alpha fraternity member.

“We have detrimentally affected more than just ourselves by failing to act as the community leaders that we strive to be,” said Larson in the apology.

Though the Chancellor was not in attendance for the public apology due to previously scheduled commitments, NSA members will meet with him April 12.

“Originally, when Chancellor Coombe didn’t show up, we were disappointed and felt, in essence, that the situation wasn’t important,” said Simon Moya-Smith, Ogalala Lakota tribe member and NSA advisor. “When it was explained that it was just a scheduling conflict and he scheduled a time to meet us ASAP, we felt better. We’re holding the university to its commitments. If they’re committed to inclusive excellence as they claim, then we’re holding them to it.”

Moya-Smith said he remains optimistic. However, he called the inclusive excellence at DU “…a very weak campaign.”

“It’s like when someone says ‘let’s get lunch’ and you never get lunch,” said Moya-Smith.

The Center for Multicultural Excellence sees this event as an opportunity to open a conversation about respect to the campus, according to Leyba.

“For me, this serves as more of a starting point for the campus to grapple with the issue,” said Leyba. “If you have to say, ‘no offense, but…’ it’s likely an area to stay away from.”

Leyba said whether or not the apology was sufficient is up to the members of NSA.

“I believe that their apology was sincere,” said Moya-Smith. “We knew that we were not going to turn all these ideological perspective 180 degrees, but it matters that you speak up and don’t turn the other cheek.”

American Indian students said the Greek Life social event was the fourth example of offensive behavior and incidents that have occurred throughout this academic year.

“It started with [the] tepee erected on Columbus Day,” said Moya-Smith. “We were told in a meeting the next day of some really hostile things that were said. Second came around the Homecoming theme. The university wanted to title it, ‘How the West Was Won.’ That’s a pretty aggressive accusation to make, considering as an American Indian, we were co-ercively removed from our lands. For Thanksgiving, students planned a Pilgrims and Indians celebration that was cancelled once NSA members objected.”

Moya-Smith added that this issue “by no means” began this year.

“The root of the problem is in American society itself,” said Moya-Smith.

Outfits included: “phony headdresses, face pain and loincloths…” according to an NSA member.

“It’s important that people know American Indians have a sense of humor,” said Moya-Smith. “We laugh, but at least for me, I can’t see stereotypes as humorous.”

According to an email issued by the Office of the Chancellor to DU community members Friday, “Costumes worn at this event reflected negative stereotypes of Native American peoples.”

The Chancellor’s letter requested that DU community members “…must all come to understand how our actions affect others, and how cartoonish depictions not only push us apart, but also reflect our limited understanding of one another.”

Moya-Smith said he was happy with the Chancellor’s acknowledgement of the issue.

“We were happy that it wasn’t sugar-coated,” Moya-Smith said. “We were pleased that it didn’t soften the offense. It sounded like DU is willing to work, not just with the American Indian community, but with everybody to encourage joint efforts for the administration and students. But at the same time, as American Indians, we’ve been promised many things many times by people of title. It’s natural to have a gun-shy reaction.”