Seattle University Targeted Theme Party

Seattle University administrators have assumed the role of party poopers, most recently warning the hosts of an off-campus themed "douchebag party"—which advised males to wear popped collars, aviator sunglasses, and flip-flops, and females to don Victoria's Secret Pink-brand sweats or Abercrombie & Fitch clothing and to talk incessantly on their cellphones—that their shindig be in violation of the student code of conduct, the Spectator reports. The school's warning, sent via E-mail, cited "gender bias" as the grounds for possible punishment. The party, which was intended to be a parody of Greek-life culture, was soon canceled.

At least one other party was canceled recently after a school official warned the hosts of a heightened police presence, prompting students to protest the school's "sudden and random crackdown." In that instance, which occurred the week before the douchebag party was scheduled, the official who heads the school's judicial system showed up at the doorstep of an off-campus apartment, warning its residents that the house would be monitored to ensure there wasn't a party that night, said one of the apartment's renters. "This is a private residence. Some of us have even graduated."

Students seem mostly upset over the school's use of Facebook to find and target parties. And although controversy over a vulgarly named theme party in January may explain some of the university overreaction, confusion still reigns over how the invite for the douchebag party displayed any sort of gender bias.