One school is facing major pushback after it branded a beer so soon after a hazing related death settlement was reached.
The Virginia Commonwealth University found itself under fire from faculty members. The school let their branding be used for a local beer.
Faculty feels that this goes against the school’s own policies.
Hazing related death settlement reached
Over a month ago the university paid out a $1 million dollar death settlement to the family of a deceased student.
Adam Oakes, a freshman at the college, died from alcohol poisoning. The poisoning was due to hazing. This put Greek life on the campus under a microscope.
Now, the college is under even more alcohol-related criticism.
The school has policies against their logo being branded on alcohol like beer
According to My Twin Tiers, the university has always had a policy against its branding being used on alcohol.
In May, President Michael Rao changed that by instituting interim rules that would allow it to be branded for the first time since 2013.
Hardywood and the alumni association with the university plan to start selling the beer on Oct. 26, 2022.
Everett Carpenter, the president of the university’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors said the policy change was rejected.
A faculty committee is supposed to oversee the university policy, and did not pass the policy change.
Carpenter wrote a letter to Rao where he stated, “the proposed changes were voted down unanimously. This action violates the spirit of shared governance with your VCU colleagues.”
Carpenter added that the decision to go ahead with the branding seems incredibly insensitive and disrespectful considering recent alcohol related tragedies.
A spokesperson for the university said this type of business is not uncommon and that other universities have done the same thing. He added that the marketing is for alumni and legal adults, not students. A strong message of responsible drinking is expected to be given with the launch of the new beer.
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