Students say BYOB policy not working

Students yesterday said they have mixed feelings about the Interfraternity Council's new BYOB social monitoring system, saying the policy as a whole is not working. Several students, called at random, gave accounts of being given beer tickets by brothers at fraternity parties and of just walking into a fraternity and drinking punch all night. But fraternity brothers said BYOB is working the best it possibly can even though it is not followed stringently, and is fulfilling its purpose of managing risk. IFC president Jim Rettew responded last night to these accounts of widespread BYOB violations by stressing that the way to judge BYOB is to "ask 'Does BYOB manage risk effectively?' " "In that sense, I do think that it is working," Rettew said. In addition, Rettew stressed that he has seen positive results from BYOB. He said these include a decrease in the number of alcohol-related incidents at fraternity parties and people drinking less beer since it is served in cans. The new monitoring policy calls for two monitors to make the rounds at all "large" fraternity parties. They will look for violations as outlined in a checklist provided by the IFC. Under the old BYOB policy, adopted in the fall, monitors would only visit a fraternity's party if they had been brought before the Greek Peer Judicial Board for alcohol violations. Rettew said earlier this week the changes are just part of refining a workable and successful system. "BYOB has enabled a more controlled and manageable party environment," Rettew said. But some students said last night they have attended fraternity parties that are not controlled at all. College freshman Gregory Gioe said he has attended "several" fraternity parties this year, and "generally, it [BYOB] is not enforced at all." Gioe said he recently attended an invitation-only hotel party, but a brother was standing in front of the house giving out invitations to enter the party. Gioe said he "walked in, got my hand stamped, went up to where they had the punch, and drank all night. I wasn't checked for 21 I.D. or anything." Students also said they have seen few people actually bringing their own beer, and that most students are given beer tickets by brothers. "In the beginning [of BYOB] I saw people who bought beer and brought it, and now I don't," College freshman Elizabeth Bauer said. "People are still getting beer from the fraternities and not bringing their own." Bauer added that she likes the new monitoring system because it makes it fair for the fraternities that are following BYOB. Gioe also said that the monitoring system is a good idea. "I think it [the monitoring] might make a definite difference for right now I don't see any monitoring at all," Gioe said. Other students said they did not like the new policy for a variety of reasons. Graham Fuchs, a College sophomore, said the new system is "stupid." "It's like having your parents at a party," Fuchs said. "I think we[college students] are old enough to look out for ourselves." Sigma Phi Epsilon brother Troy McNeil said there will be a lot of pressure for a monitor not to report another fraternity's violations because of the "we are in this together so don't dick us" attitude. McNeil added he feels the policy would be effective, but he doubts the necessity of it. "I joined a frat not to deal with all this bullshit," he said. "The University is coming down on us harder than they should." Even though the University did not institute this policy, he said that there was a lot of pressure put on the IFC by the administration to make the move. Fraternity brothers also said there are definitely some BYOB violations, but the policy is cutting down risks. "I think that it [BYOB] is working to the best anyone can possibly expect it to work," said Engineering junior Ronen Petreanu, a Sigma Phi Epsilon brother.

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