By Adelaja Obajimi
Last semester, around mid-to-late November, two students were caught by a third student allegedly engaging in inappropriate sexual acts in the office space assigned to the Bethel Campus Fellowship (BCF) in Largo Student Center. An eyewitness, who asked to remain anonymous, reportedly heard strange noises coming from the student club and peeped over the office’s wooden wall only to find two people being sexually inappropriate.
The eyewitness immediately notified the College Life Services Office (CLS), which oversees all campus clubs. According to CLS Program Director Paulett McIntosh, a staff member from her office was sent to investigate. When the staff member arrived, the occupants of the room denied any wrongdoing, the eyewitness said. The students claimed they were not BCF members, but somehow they had access to the office.
Seun Adebambo, BCF President, said the alleged incident gave the club a bad image because it happened in the group’s office, but he maintained that the perpetrators were not actual members of the club. He said one student was a BCF member, and the other two, who were allegedly engaged in the inappropriate behavior, were guests. Regardless, the club still met its goal last semester of holding a program to show people how to be successful using Biblical principles, Adebambo said.
The incident occurred even after a new civility campaign was launched by CLS at the beginning of the Fall 2009 semester to reduce a lot of the irresponsible behavior exhibited by students on campus. The ongoing civility campaign is intended to address ill-mannered behavior exhibited in noisy computer rooms, crowded hallways and, of course, the college’s noisy and rowdy cafeteria. The aim of the civility campaign is to have students pledge to help keep order in the school by policing one another.
The incident also marks the second time in the same semester that a student club has come under scrutiny. In September, members of the Music Department faculty decided not to organize the student Concert Club, thereby forgoing funding from CLS.
As the Spring 2010 semester began, CLS posted several signs near the student club offices in Largo Student Center that read, in part, “spooning leads to forking” and reminded students of the rules for acceptable behavior.
When asked about the BCF incident, McIntosh confirmed that students of another campus organization informed CLS “that there were some students in the BCF office acting inappropriately and (it) was of a sexual nature.” She said that the CLS staff member sent to investigate the incident did not witness anything, but saw students leave the office.
McIntosh said she and Dean of College Life Services Dr. Yvette Galloway met with the BCF faculty advisor and Adebambo to discuss the incident. Moreover, she also stated that this was the second incident in which alleged, non-members of BCF were engaging in inappropriate behavior, although the first was not sexual.
“The club members are responsible for the office space. It’s a privilege to (use) the office space because not all clubs get an office space,” said McIntosh. “We felt that they did not need the space anymore, so we put the organization on probation and took away their office space.”
Adebambo said BCF is still active and has submitted the appropriate paperwork to CLS to be recognized as an official club this semester. In fact, the group is planning to hold two events, including the Gethsemane Experience, which is a Christian revival, and a Day of Prayer for PGCC. “We have not been told that the incident will have an impact on whether the club can operate this semester,” he said.
Adebambo said the lack of space will not deter the club from meeting its mission of leading students to Christ and preparing them to be reliable men and women who can be trusted with His word.
Last semester, around mid-to-late November, two students were caught by a third student allegedly engaging in inappropriate sexual acts in the office space assigned to the Bethel Campus Fellowship (BCF) in Largo Student Center. An eyewitness, who asked to remain anonymous, reportedly heard strange noises coming from the student club and peeped over the office’s wooden wall only to find two people being sexually inappropriate.
The eyewitness immediately notified the College Life Services Office (CLS), which oversees all campus clubs. According to CLS Program Director Paulett McIntosh, a staff member from her office was sent to investigate. When the staff member arrived, the occupants of the room denied any wrongdoing, the eyewitness said. The students claimed they were not BCF members, but somehow they had access to the office.
Seun Adebambo, BCF President, said the alleged incident gave the club a bad image because it happened in the group’s office, but he maintained that the perpetrators were not actual members of the club. He said one student was a BCF member, and the other two, who were allegedly engaged in the inappropriate behavior, were guests. Regardless, the club still met its goal last semester of holding a program to show people how to be successful using Biblical principles, Adebambo said.
The incident occurred even after a new civility campaign was launched by CLS at the beginning of the Fall 2009 semester to reduce a lot of the irresponsible behavior exhibited by students on campus. The ongoing civility campaign is intended to address ill-mannered behavior exhibited in noisy computer rooms, crowded hallways and, of course, the college’s noisy and rowdy cafeteria. The aim of the civility campaign is to have students pledge to help keep order in the school by policing one another.
The incident also marks the second time in the same semester that a student club has come under scrutiny. In September, members of the Music Department faculty decided not to organize the student Concert Club, thereby forgoing funding from CLS.
As the Spring 2010 semester began, CLS posted several signs near the student club offices in Largo Student Center that read, in part, “spooning leads to forking” and reminded students of the rules for acceptable behavior.
When asked about the BCF incident, McIntosh confirmed that students of another campus organization informed CLS “that there were some students in the BCF office acting inappropriately and (it) was of a sexual nature.” She said that the CLS staff member sent to investigate the incident did not witness anything, but saw students leave the office.
McIntosh said she and Dean of College Life Services Dr. Yvette Galloway met with the BCF faculty advisor and Adebambo to discuss the incident. Moreover, she also stated that this was the second incident in which alleged, non-members of BCF were engaging in inappropriate behavior, although the first was not sexual.
“The club members are responsible for the office space. It’s a privilege to (use) the office space because not all clubs get an office space,” said McIntosh. “We felt that they did not need the space anymore, so we put the organization on probation and took away their office space.”
Adebambo said BCF is still active and has submitted the appropriate paperwork to CLS to be recognized as an official club this semester. In fact, the group is planning to hold two events, including the Gethsemane Experience, which is a Christian revival, and a Day of Prayer for PGCC. “We have not been told that the incident will have an impact on whether the club can operate this semester,” he said.
Adebambo said the lack of space will not deter the club from meeting its mission of leading students to Christ and preparing them to be reliable men and women who can be trusted with His word.
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