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Case Western Reserve University is investigating a skit performed by a fraternity at a Greek Week variety show that upset Latino students.

(Case Western Reserve University)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - A Case Western Reserve University fraternity is under investigation by its group's national office following a Greek Week skit in which members wore Mexican sarapes and sombreros.

After a letter from Latino students, the university is also reviewing what occurred and how the Phi Delta Theta skit was included in the April 8 Variety Show.

"Phi Delta Theta's insensitive costuming and dance routines, which include fraternity members dressing in Mexican sarapes and sombreros, played carelessly with stereotypes in an attempt to create a Mexican aesthetic," the letter said. "Moreover, the script provided no legitimate historical context, included sexist language, as well as made reference to presidential candidate Donald Trump's proposed policy to create a border wall. Overall, this performance created an environment of hurt and confusion for many Latinos in our community."

The letter said CWRU Latino students are reminded daily "of our marginalization when our names are mispronounced, our accents are ridiculed, our culture is in the punchline to a joke, or even our citizenship in the country is questioned."

They are asking for a more inclusive environment in the university's Greek culture.

The fraternity issued a statement late Tuesday:

"Phi Delta Theta's Ohio Eta chapter at Case Western Reserve University recognizes the issue at hand, and sincerely apologizes to anyone who may have been offended by the insensitive components of our skit. The point of our skit was to promote cultural inclusion and identify that we all must come together. As a chapter whose members come from various cultural backgrounds, we in no way intended to cause this confusion or target specific groups."

What is Greek Week and the Variety Show?

Greek Week is an annual event for the school's nine sororities and 18 fraternities.

It is coordinated by the Office of Greek Life, the Greek Week Steering Committee, the Interfraternity Congress and the Panhellenic Council. In addition to the variety show, activities for this year's event, with the theme of Greek heroes, included a food drive, banner competition and obstacle course.

All scripts for the variety show are to be reviewed several days prior to the show, according to the Greek Week handbook posted in 2015.

"Skits may not, whether intended or not, include any obscenity or indecency, including, but not limited to, vulgarity, nudity, alcohol or drug references, and portrayals of violence, or have a theme that is negative towards the Greek community or any member chapter, the university, or the Greek Week officials," the handbook says.

Mark Starr, CWRU's director of Greek Life, posted comments on Twitter during the week, including several during the skit by the fraternity.

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Who's going to show up more tonight? Me or Trump? #greekheroes — Mark Starr (@markcwru) April 8, 2016

What does the university and international fraternity plan to do?

CWRU President Barbara R. Snyder learned of the incident Monday afternoon and has spoken with students who were offended, the university said.

"I am disappointed by what I have heard about this incident," Snyder said in a statement. "Diversity is a core value of the university, and we have made significant progress in engaging the community in thoughtful discussion, including through campus-wide diversity education and training programs. Unfortunately, this issue underscores how much more work we all have to do--in teaching, learning and listening."

CWRU's student affairs office is reviewing all aspects of the issue, including the variety show's inclusion of performances. Officials are also meeting with offended students and the fraternity, the university said.

The Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity is investigating the chapter "after becoming aware of racially insensitive costumes worn during the university's Variety Show," said a statement sent by Mike Wahba, director of chapter service.

"We are concerned by the actions of the chapter," he wrote. "Phi Delta Theta is a values-based organization and the lack of judgment associated with this poor decision indicates a disconnect from those same values. Our goal is to determine the organizational issues associated with this misguided decision and to provide both punitive and educational action that will promote reform."

What do the Latino students want?

The letter, signed by "Concerned Latinx Students," said the condemnation of what occurred "is not an indictment of Greek Life at large."

They ask Phi Delta Theta to make a public apology to the CWRU Latino community "for the use of blatant racist costumes and employing culturally insensitive stereotypes."

They also want all fraternity members to participate in diversity education and training.

The Greek Week Committee, Greek Life Office and judging panel also need to apologize and undergo diversity training, the letter says.

The students also want to meet with the Greek Life Office "to assess future initiatives to create an inclusive environment for Latino students in the Greek community."

The fraternity said in its statement:

"We see this as a learning experience for our chapter, as well as the CWRU community as a whole, and we have spoken with other groups on campus to address this issue. We are working to add additional education."