Upset with alcohol policy, fraternities give the sign

The Interfraternity Council is hitting the University where it hurts. Most of the IFC fraternity houses displayed painted signs yesterday in protest of the new alcohol policy which was recently proposed by the Greek Advisor's Council to the University. Each of the signs, which appeared to be aimed at prospective students visiting campus, read, "Why pay the bucks? The social life sucks!" Phi Sigma Kappa President Hayden Horowitz said last night that the idea for the signs came during the closed-to-the-public portion of the IFC presidents' meeting Tuesday night. He added that by targeting its protests at one of the University's tender spots, the IFC hopes to get the administration to respond to its problems more quickly. "Fraternities . . . have to do something to make it known that we're pretty upset that we weren't consulted, that this new policy is basically being thrown down our throats," Horowitz, a College sophomore, said. "With the upcoming season for recruiting high school seniors [and] people coming down to see the school, this is just one way to get noticed." "The message seems pretty clear," he added. "Why pay so much money to come to this school if they're going to be strangling our social lives which is an important aspect of college life?" Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta said last night that he thinks the fraternities should choose an alternate way to respond. "If [fraternities] have some commitment to Penn and want to see Penn with a better social life, I think there are better ways to invest their energy," he said. Moneta said the fraternities should first consult their individual advisors and alumni because it was the alumni who proposed the policy. Moneta also said that while he understands why the IFC is upset that it was not consulted about the proposed policy, students should realize that the policy has not yet been passed. "I do believe that they should be consulted . . . the best decision is one that's consensual," he said. "I don't know if that's possible, but that would be one I would strive for." "People don't understand that the University has not changed any policy," Moneta added. "There is not going to be a movement in the University administration to radically or without consultation change our relationship with the fraternity system." Lebia Nahary, director of on-campus programs for the admissions office, said that her office tries to convey an honest image of the University so that prospective students can make up their own minds about applying or attending. "Students take tours out looking at the campus to get their own perspective on what the campus is like," she said. "We do things honestly. We just represent to them an honest picture of Penn and they make their own decisions. It's along the same lines as if they get their hands on [The Daily Pennsylvanian] on a bad news day. We can't do anything about it." One fraternity, while sending the same message to the University, chose to make their painted sign a little more unique than the others. "What Da Fu--? Social life sucks!" Sigma Nu's sign read. Staff Writer Charles Ornstein contributed to this article.