Greeks ponder effects of LCE citations

Frat leaders call for self-monitoring and cooperation between houses, LCE agents Liquor Control Enforcement officers' weekend citations of four students for underage drinking has raised questions about the future effects of the LCE's presence on campus social life. Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski said the LCE's random spot-checking is "not the way I like things to work." "We need an active partnership between the University and students," he said. "But if groups are less blatant about some of their activities, that could help as well." According to Director of Police Operations Maureen Rush, the University did not request the LCE's presence on campus over the weekend. Commander John Lyle of the LCE said officers patrolled "the entire area around Penn" for violations late Saturday night and early Sunday morning, including fraternity houses and local bars. "That's our job," he added. But some students said the LCE has no legitimate business conducting spot-checks on campus. "Since the University didn't invite the LCE officers, for them to come on their own, unprovoked, is uncalled for," College freshman Bryan Grossman said. And College sophomore Dan Byrd, a Sigma Alpha Mu brother, said the LCE's presence on campus "hurts the image of the Greek system." "It makes Greek houses a less attractive place to be -- and it doesn't allow you to have as much fun if you have to be worried about the police being there," he added. "The same students that are getting busted are also the same students that are contributing to the school." College sophomore Chad Pimentel, a brother in the Delta Upsilon fraternity, said the LCE's presence "sends a bad message." "Fraternity houses have been trying to work on the underage drinking problem and if the LCE would work with houses, we could solve the problem a lot more effectively," he said. "The LCE is not contacting Greek organizations first, as though we don't have the ability to act on the problem." But InterFraternity Council President and College senior Josh Gottheimer said he did not expect the LCE's presence on campus to hurt Greek social life. "We want to prevent any type of activity using outside patrol," the Alpha Epsilon Pi brother added. "Hopefully, we can put in a self-monitoring system so there's no need for the LCE to be there." College sophomore Noah Bilenker, vice president of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, said student government and Greek leaders should work with the University to solve the problem of underage drinking on campus. "Instead of bringing in an outside force, we should work on it together," he said. Wharton senior Adam Small, president of Beta Theta Pi, said an LCE officer approached students drinking outside of the house at 3900 Spruce Street early Sunday morning and issued citations to three brothers in the fraternity. "There were some guys observed standing on the corner with beer in their hands," Lyle said. The four students who received citations for underage drinking have the choice to either pay $105 and take a class on alcohol awareness or pay a fine of more than $300 and plead guilty in court. If the students choose to plead "not guilty," they may face additional fees if they are later found guilty in court.