Plan gets tough on parties

If a proposed new Alcohol Management Policy is passed by the University, fraternities will be facing tougher regulations for parties and stiffer penalties if they do not comply. The policy, which was submitted by the Greek Advisor's Council to the University for approval, would change parts of the current alcohol policy including the amount of alcohol each person is permitted to bring to a fraternity party. Interfraternity Council President Morris Massel said last night that members of the IFC Executive Board do not like the policy because they were not consulted before it was proposed. "The Greek Advisor's Council is going out on a limb creating this policy," said Massel, an Alpha Chi Rho brother and College senior. "We understand underage drinking is a problem and obviously it is in no one's interest to have that, but since the alumni are going off on their own and making policies . . . we find it hard to accept these policies." If approved, the policy would make a number of changes to the existing guidelines governing Greek social life: · All guests invited to an event where alcohol is present would have to be named on a guest list submitted to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs no later than one day before the event. · Alcohol distribution would have to stop no later than 1:30 a.m. and all events would end by 2:00 a.m. · For "Date Only Events," the number of guests would be limited to one per member. For other events, the number of guests could not total more than 125 percent of the recommended capacity of the house's common areas. · Abiding by the Bring Your Own Beer policy, a guest would be limited to a six-pack of beer or wine coolers -- but no hard alcohol. The old policy allowed guests to bring a twelve-pack of beer "or an equivalent amount of alcohol thereof." · All individuals attending any event would be carded at the door by a professional doorperson who is not a member of the sponsoring chapter. · For "Date Only Events," the chapter would have to hire a caterer who would be responsible for providing food, non-alcoholic beverages and mixers. In addition to those new guidelines, every event would be monitored by University employees who would be allowed access to all common areas of the house. In the past, members of the IFC were responsible for monitoring. The policy also states that chapters in violation of the guidelines would be immediately placed on social probation for a minimum of three months for their first offense, and six months for their second offense. Further violations would result in a review by the Fraternity and Sorority Advisory Board. Massel said he has not received a formal presentation of the new policy, but he thinks the policy will be presented to the IFC later this week. But he said he is unhappy with what he has seen of the policy so far. "I am not pleased with the policy and I hope to be able to negotiate things with [GAC]," he said. "I think some change [in the old policy] may be necessary but I don't think a full drastic change like they're trying to do right now is appropriate or necessary." Massel added he hopes GAC will listen to the IFC's complaints and take them into consideration. "They realize we represent the undergraduates and if we're dissatisfied, obviously the system is going to be very displeased and probably less receptive," he said. "It's obviously in their best interest to listen to us so as to come up with a better policy in the end." Nathan Lollis, president of the Sigma Nu fraternity, said the new policy would not be beneficial for either the Greek system or the University because it would limit the number of parties on campus. "The new policy sounds extremely restrictive," the College sophomore said. "I think it will have an adverse affect not only on the fraternity system but on the campus as a whole." Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta said last week that the proposed policy, if approved, would not go into effect until next fall.