AEPi enters spring rush as 'test case' for alcohol-free fraternities

Rushees differed in their views on how the fraternit's alcohol-free status could impact its membership. The brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi will be the first fraternity to find out whether students think alcohol is an integral part of Greek life on Penn's campus. Two months after the fraternity was forced to go dry because of its role in September's non-fatal alcohol poisoning of a female freshman who had at least 12 drinks at an AEPi "hotel party," the fraternity is heading into this year's rush and pledging process as the only one in the InterFraternity Council with an alcohol-free house. AEPi brothers said they do not think the lack of alcohol will affect the number of prospective pledges. Although he could give no exact numbers, Associate Rush Chairperson Rob Lewin, a Wharton sophomore, said that "attendance [at rush events] has been very strong." And AEPi Executive Rush Chairperson Jordan Bliss said he expects pledge numbers to actually rise this year. "I think [going dry] has made our house come together and be stronger," the Wharton junior said. While freshmen rushees at AEPi's open rush event last night said they did not see a difference in attendance between the AEPi gathering and those held at other houses, some rushees said they would not pledge an alcohol-free fraternity. "[The dry policy] is probably not going to be noticeable during rush because people are going around for food," College freshman Will Clark said, though he added that he does not intend to pledge AEPi in part because of the alcohol-free rule and that the policy is "going to hurt" the fraternity's pledge class. Other rushees, however, said alcohol is not the centerpiece of fraternity life. College freshman Daniel Shain said a fraternity's dry policy wouldn't play a part in his deciding where to pledge. "I am looking for the company -- not the party scene," he explained. Incoming IFC President Mark Metzl called AEPi a "test case" for dry fraternity houses, adding that "they may have a very different pledge class" come bid day on January 26. "A rush class is reflective of the direction in which a fraternity is headed," the College junior and Tau Epsilon Phi brother said. Other fraternities, including Phi Delta Theta, Phi Gamma Delta and Sigma Nu, are part of national organizations that have volunteered to go dry by July 1 of next year. And with four houses on campus working toward going dry or already there, the focus of the University's Greek life could be making a move away from alcohol. Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski said that as fraternities go dry, "people see brotherhood, leadership and support." Reikofski added that "70 percent of Penn doesn't pledge? because they aren't into hard-partying." Phi Delta Theta President Jacob Greenberg, a College senior, said he did not think his fraternity's numbers would be affected by a dry policy, since alcohol "is not the main selling point" of his house. Last April, a freshman Phi Delt pledge with a blood-alcohol level of .356 was treated for alcohol poisoning at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania after bartending at a cocktail party in the fraternity house. Dry fraternities can still serve alcohol at parties in commercial establishments like bars and restaurants, but not being able to serve alcohol in the fraternity houses is likely to lead to fewer liability issues and lower insurance costs, according to Sigma Chi President Scott Glosserman. "Maybe, with the extra cash, fraternities will be able to afford safe rides to their downtown parties," the College senior said, pointing to the risks of driving while drunk.