Frosh chant about underage sex at Halifax university captured on video

A controversial chant was performed by 80 student leaders in front of about 300 of their first-year peers at Saint Mary's University on Monday.

Student orientation leaders at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax will undergo sensitivity training after some of them were captured on video chanting about non-consensual sex with underage girls.

In the video taken during frosh week activities and posted on Instagram, both male and female student leaders can be seen taking part in what a university spokesperson called a “sexist and offensive” chant.

“SMU boys, we like them young,” the students can be heard singing at the start of the video.

The chant includes the phrases: “Y is for your sister,” “U is for underage,” and “N is for no consent.”

It was performed by student leaders in front of about 300 first-year-students on Monday.

“This is a disappointing, discouraging and, quite frankly, an offensive video and we’re, I guess, taken aback,” Keith Hotchkiss, SMU’s senior director of student services, told CTV Atlantic.

Jared Perry, the president of the university’s student association, which organizes frosh week activities, has apologized.

“We’re sorry this went through,” he said. “Now we’re looking forward into the future and the chant will never take place again. We’ll be educating our leaders.”

SMU spokesperson Steve Proctor told The Canadian Press that a less sexist version of the chant has been performed on campus in the past.

Some students said the controversy is threatening to tarnish SMU’s reputation.

“That wouldn’t be something to be associated with Saint Mary’s. It’s a good school and I think that’s just pretty foul what’s come out of their mouths,” Kayla Osborn said of the video.

“I don’t want that to be the face of my school,” Cory Taylor told CTV Atlantic.

“I came here because I wanted to get a good education, not listen to a bunch of people sing about stuff like that. It’s just inappropriate.”

With a report from CTV Atlantic’s Kelland Sundahl