Just four weeks after the Alcohol Response Team proposed revisions to the University's alcohol policy, the Greek community has responded with changes of its own.
Last Wednesday, the InterFraternity Council adopted a new Alcohol Awareness Program, intended to "increase education and responsibility among its members."
The program -- consisting of four requirements -- focuses on training programs and awareness education centered around potential high-risk drinking situations.
"It's a more in-depth training process," College junior and IFC President Spencer Scharff said.
"If all the new members are trained, eventually everyone will be trained," Scharff said.
Under the old policy, new fraternity members must go through a program called Training in Intervention Procedures, which teaches participants how to deal with alcohol abuse in social environments.
A new program will also be created by the Office of Alcohol Policy Initiatives and the Drug and Alcohol Resource Team to aid brothers in recognizing substance abuse. The program will be required for members of the Greek community in leadership positions.
Chapters are also required to send at least five members to any IFC-sponsored alcohol education program.
"It's hard to change the mentality of people right away," Engineering junior and IFC vice president Peter Aquart said, noting that the changes represent one step in a continual process.
In addition to the two new requirements, the program restates the necessity of required DART and Students Together Against Acquaintance Rape sessions in new member education programs.
The planned increase in awareness and training is meant to "make everyone more accountable," Aquart said, adding that the program is meant to "put more responsibility on the students."
Director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Scott Reikofski acknowledged that "all the ideas came from" the students.
Greek members "are the ones that everyone continues to blame and target" for alcohol abuse on campus, Reikofski said.
And the new policy could help fight the stereotype.
"One of the main purposes of this resolution was to take the lead on the [Undergraduate Assembly] policy passed last week," Scharff said, referencing the proposal passed by the UA urging student-led organizations to include alcohol policies in their by-laws.
"I think it's very good that we've stepped up and come up with a program," Aquart said. Both he and Scharff said that they hope other student groups will follow their lead.
