The InterFraternity Council voted to extend the new alcohol policy to houses not owned by Penn. The members of the InterFraternity Council unanimously agreed Tuesday night to apply the University's new alcohol policy to the approximately eight or nine recognized fraternity houses not owned or managed by the University. Until now, the policy had applied only to University-owned facilities, though Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Scott Reikofski said many of the chapters had been making strides to host safer parties even before the policy was revamped. "The IFC resolution not only assures fraternity support and cooperation in the institution's efforts, but also finishes creating an even playing field for all fraternities, which did not necessarily exist before due to variations between national policies," Reikofski said. The extended support for the alcohol policy will not bring with it a dramatic change to fraternity parties held at non-University owned houses, according to IFC Executive Vice President Andrew Exum, a College senior and Daily Pennsylvanian columnist. The change will technically render obsolete the Greek Alcohol Management Policy -- a plan created in 1995 prohibiting fraternities from purchasing alcohol for consumption during social events. Since GAMP applied only to fraternities, the new alcohol policy will overshadow it by applying to the University as a whole. While GAMP allowed cocktail parties in fraternity houses, the new alcohol policy prohibits hard alcohol at any undergraduate registered event. Also under the new policy, alcohol service and availability must cease at 1 a.m. In addition, GAMP relied on the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs to monitor parties, but the new policy depends on monitors trained by Stephanie Ives -- the University's new alcohol coordinator -- to regulate Greek social events. "There's not too much of a change in rules for fraternity parties," Exum added. "The difference lies in the way that we monitor and regulate parties." InterFraternity Council President Mark Metzl said this marks the first time since passage of the 21st Century Plan in 1996 -- a project outlining initiatives in areas such as academics, community service, technology, security and community partnership -- that the IFC has passed a proactive measure to increase safety and reduce risk in chapter houses. The University's alcohol policy was revised last April by a committee headed by Provost Robert Barchi and composed of 21 students, faculty members and administrators, following a string of alcohol-related incidents on campus, including the death of 1994 College graduate Michael Tobin outside the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house.
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