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Sorority demands lying for blood drive
By Britt Heck
The Maneater (U. Missouri)
(U-WIRE) COLUMBIA, Mo. - After a member of
the Gamma Phi Beta sorority at the University of Missouri sent
an e-mail demanding members to lie about their health history
for the Greek Week blood drive Wednesday and Thursday, Greek
Life coordinators discussed changing future drives and planned
to place sanctions on involved chapters.
Greek Week spokeswoman Lauren Tischler said
Greek Life coordinators and administrators will form a task
force this summer to plan ways to improve blood donation education.
She said she thinks Greek students have lost the true meaning
of blood donation because they focus too much on the competition.
The e-mail, sent by sophomore Christie Key,
emphasized the importance of chapter participation for the sake
of winning the Greek Week competition.
"I don't care if you got a tattoo last
week - LIE," the e-mail stated. "I don't care if you
have a cold. Suck it up. We all do. LIE ... Even if you are
going to use the 'Do Not Use My Blood' sticker, GIVE ANYWAY."
A news release issued Monday from Gamma Phi
Beta's international headquarters apologized for the e-mail,
which it said Key sent without the approval of chapter leadership.
"Gamma Phi Beta does not condone misleading
health officials or pressuring sisters into donating blood,"
according to the news release.
Gamma Phi Beta President Shannon Wisniewski
said Key had not attended chapter meetings that discussed donation
safety. She said as soon as Key sent the e-mail, she sent a
follow-up e-mail rectifying the first. Wisniewski said Gamma
Phi Beta will make a financial contribution to the American
Red Cross and conduct a meeting for its members to emphasize
the importance of donation.
Tischler said sending the e-mail was an unethical
practice that goes against the Greek community's values.
"It's an e-mail listserv gone awry,"
Tischler said. "It was a message that was disseminated
through a group, but it was individuals' decisions to deceive
the Red Cross and not follow the rules."
American Red Cross spokesman Jim Williams
said the donated blood undergoes testing at a national lab to
guarantee its safety.
"Even if someone was a little dishonest
on their health history, the blood will not be affected,"
Williams said. "That is our mission; to make sure there
are adequate units of blood."
He said such situations can occur at any blood
drive, not just during universities' Greek Weeks, which promote
healthy competition among chapters.
"College-age students are typically in
good health anyway," Williams said. "It is kind of
being blown out of proportion."
He said the American Red Cross appreciates
the donations from Greek and non-Greek students, as well as
community members. Williams said each unit of blood can potentially
save three lives. With more than 3,400 units donated, he said
the blood drive was worth it.
"We are in this for a life-saving mission,
not a competition," Williams said. "If we save just
one life, it is worth it, even if (donors) are dishonest."
When she heard a sorority prompted its members
to lie in their health histories, Vice Chancellor for Student
Affairs Cathy Scroggs said she thought students were smarter
than that.
"I am sure there are students who looked
at that e-mail and said, 'Wow, that's not why we're donating,'"
Scroggs said. "I am sure they were disappointed with it."
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