Published in 24 Hours Vancouver | September 11, 2013 | Circulation: 251,700

Syndicated on Sun News Network

A growing outcry over orientation-week chants encouraging rape has led student leaders at the University of B.C. to abandon their FROSH celebrations altogether, pledging more education on the issue of sexual assault.

The Commerce Undergraduate Society released a statement Wednesday apologizing for the chant after UBC and the Sauder School of Business both backed out of future events. UBC also announced an investigation into the chants, with a report due by Sept. 16.

The rape chant sparked anger and campus vandalism over such lines as, “At UBC we like ‘em young, Y is for your sister, O is for oh so tight, U is for underage, N is for no consent, G is for go to jail.”

Wednesday’s statement said CUS president Enzo Woo and vice-president Gillian Ong had resigned “in order to recognize their ultimate organizational responsibility and deep remorse for what has occurred.”

“The performance of offensive chants at a CUS orientation event should never have occurred,” Woo said in the statement. “The fact that it was a tradition neither excuses the CUS from its actions, nor in any way alleviates the gravity of this situation.

“As the leader of the CUS, I am deeply remorseful at what has transpired … I hope that my resignation can serve as the crucial first step in this process.”