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Summarized by Kent Larsen
Fight Club Phenomenon Spurs BYU Review of Housing Policies
Deseret News 23May00 D3
By Jeffrey P. Haney: Deseret News staff writer
School studying whether brawls violate policies
PROVO, UTAH -- The demise last month of the Provo Fight Club didn't
put an end to the practice by any means. Now a video of two coeds
fighting in an apartment complex that is approved for BYU students
has appeared on local newscasts, prompting BYU to again review its
policies, this time reviewing the policies for approved housing.
Under BYU's policies, single BYU students are required to live in BYU
approved housing, unless they live at home with their parents.
Apartment complexes and other residences must meet BYU's rules to
gain the university's approval. Now BYU spokeswoman Carri P. Jenkins
says the school is looking at the rules so see if fights, like the
one in the video, could lead to BYU revoking approval. "We are
looking into it," Jenkins told the Deseret News. "This is not an
Honor Code review of students, but we are looking into the policies
and events of this nature taking place at BYU-approved housing."
The video shows two women wearing boxing gloves swinging at one
another while being cheered on by a crowd. According to BYU, the
fight occurred more than a month ago at Branbury Park, a BYU-approved
apartment complex.
However, BYU hasn't investigated individual students for violating
the Honor Code, which hadn't envisioned the fights. Jenkins says that
BYU hadn't investigated students' involvment in the Provo Fight Club
because the fights hadn't taken place on BYU property or in student
housing. Now this video made the University look at the issue again.
Jenkins says that BYU hasn't changed its position on the fights, "We
strongly discourage our students from participating as a spectator or
a participant," she said. "Our primary concern is safety."
The fights are part of a nationwide phenomenon that seems to have
swept through Utah Valley as much as other places in the wake of a
popular movie "Fight Club" starring Brad Pitt. The city of Provo is
also looking at the issue and considering banning the fights from the
city. Under its proposed ordinance, promoters of fighting events
would need written approval from the mayor for the events. The
ordinance would also require fighters to wear headgear and
mouthpieces and require that a medical doctor be present.
The phenomenon also made the front page of the Arizona Republic
today, where a controversial video shows two Phoenix-area High School
students fighting, without gloves or other protective gear. The video
is particularly controversial as one fighter reportedly slams the
other's head into a concrete wall.
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