IFC aims to improve ailing image of fraternity members

Through heightened community service efforts, members of the InterFraternity Council hope to replace images of fraternity members as beer-guzzling party-goers with pictures of "men of upstanding character." The Greeks' 21st Century Report outlines a plan for the IFC to increase its community service ventures -- as well as to gain increased recognition for such projects. "We already do a lot [and] part of the 21st Century Report was to advertise what we do," IFC President Matt Baker said. But the College and Engineering junior and Alpha Chi Rho brother added that fraternities plan to channel more energy into service-oriented directions. The IFC will play a more active role in next week's drug and alcohol awareness program than they have in previous years, sponsoring events such as mocktail parties at several chapters. In planning the events, the IFC worked closely with the Office of Student Health and with Drug and Alcohol Awareness Team members, according to Kate Ward-Gaus of the Office of Health Education. Baker labeled the IFC's newly increased collaboration "a pretty effective partnership [exerting]? an effort to increase the awareness of the student body about alcohol." And Ward-Gaus added that between Greek Life 101, house workshops and makeup sessions and the planning of a Greek peer educator program for New Student Orientation Week, she has seen an increase in Greek involvement this year with her office, the Drug and Alcohol Resource Team and Students Against Acquaintance Rape. "[Baker] really put some effort behind contacting the frats," Ward-Gaus said. Baker said some of the IFC's service efforts aim to protect them from blame and accusations of irresponsibility in alcohol-related incidents -- involving brothers or party guests. IFC Vice President of Community Service and Academics Jason Judd said Greeks are already trained to control alcoholism at their parties, so that the chance of leaving a fraternity party extremely sick is much less today than it was years ago. "You want to stay healthy in college," the College junior and Tau Epsilon Phi chancellor added, stressing the importance of party-throwers' ability to notice and deter excessive over-imbibing. But the IFC is still looking to decrease the frequency with which accidents occur. In addition to facing the blame for accidents which occur at their houses -- such as hospitalization and vandalism resulting from over-drinking -- fraternities are often blamed for incidents which occur at non-Greek houses. "Many are labeled -- whether correctly or incorrectly -- as fraternity incidents," Baker said. "The fraternity system gets blamed for all drinking problems." And Judd said danger lurks in non-Greek parties because most students are not as trained as fraternity members to contain accidents. "They're not as aware of what alcohol can do," he said. "So what happens if I get sick? Would they know how to take care of me?" In addition to helping with Drug and Alcohol Awareness Week, Judd added that the IFC has begun encouraging fraternities and sororities to plan non-alcoholic events modeled after those held by the BiCultural InterGreek Council. "It is possible to have a good time without alcohol," he said.