The University of Delaware men's rugby team had their appeal of their five year suspension rejected earlier this month, as a University appellate panel said the team had not shown enough remorse for the actions of September 9, 2013, and did not prove that the entire program had bought into the team's proposed changes.

 

The original suspension came as the result of a huge party that was started by two members of the rugby team. Despite several admonitions throughout the team that the party was not a rugby club event, once things got out of control, the rugby team was blamed. Twitter messages calling the original site of the party the Rugby House didn't help. The party quickly grew as word go out that an internet show that is centered around filming college students drunk and acting immaturely was there. Many students took the party to the streets of the surrounding town, and the police were called. The party made national news on a slow news day.

 

All of this seemed to be just a silly party that grew too big thanks to a variety of students from all areas of the Delaware campus. However, the Delaware administration was embarrassed by the events, and when the party made the news (and at least one report unfairly called the party a riot), a scapegoat had to be found. That scapegoat was the rugby team. The two students who started the party were expelled, and comments from the rugby team's president that the party was not a club event and had very few club members at it were dismissed.

 

They were suspended for five years, until the fall of 2018, effectively killing the men's rugby program that had been so successful in recent years. 

 

An appeal presented in June included thousands of signatures from students who wanted to save the program, and a new Honor Code that stressed academic achievement and community service.

 

However, in rejecting the appeal, the Appellate Panel noted that the new Code had not been accepted by the entire club, but really only by the leadership. This was a massive contradiction in that the rugby club, under suspension, has not been allowed to meet as a group. The entire club could not vote on something when it was denied the chance to meet or function as a group.

 

In addition, the panel said it would be unfair to other clubs if this suspension was reduced. The club showed insufficient remorse. The club needed to show a more direct link between the school's actions and how that would help improve the team's character. The club's new Honor Code actually undermined the job of the office of Student Conduct. 

 

But more important was the statement in their denial letter, which read:

 

 

This is clearly the position of the University of Delaware. They committed themselves to a course of action, and will not be dissuaded. The University of Delaware is known to be a very conservative university that values its image highly. With alumni angry that a party made national news, the admistration was embarrassed, and could not acknowledge what was obvious - that Delaware students are just as silly as students elsewhere - and thus looked for someone to blame. 

Give the chance to ease off the punishment, they doubled down.