Sanctions/Consequences
 

I'm looking for some "creative" sanctions/consequences to use when a chapter or an individual has violated policy. Give me all sorts of ideas....for when people violate an alcohol policy, an event policy, missing too many meetings or required events, etc.

I'm thinking something other than $$$ fines or probation, etc. Something "out of the box".

Brainstorm here! Thanks!

PsychTau

If someone violates the alcohol policy, send them to an AA meeting. Also, make them write and read aloud a letter to the chapter, apologizing to the chapter for their behavior.

You can also make them volunteer with the university's alcohol safe driver programs (IE: if the university PD has a cab pick up dispatch, or something).

If someone is repeatedly missing meetings, call them to a standards meeting and find out why. Maybe they're not feeling connected to the chapter anymore. Assign buddies to write notes to that member, invite them out, and do special things. If that person still isn't coming around, call them to another meeting. See what you can do together to make them happy. Maybe the person is struggling with 2 parttime jobs to get through school, just went through a break-up, etc.

If someone violates an event policy, make them part of risk management for the next event, meaning they have to stay dry. Also make them put on a workshop for the chapter that emphasizes the importance of the policy and why it is important.

Set deadlines for the attainment of these goals and stick to them. If members fail to meet them, then set in with fines, standards procedure, and ultimately in a worst-case scenario, if they are repeat offenders and not getting anything from or contributing to the organization, consider with your exec board if this is someone who should be a member at all.

In all instances, please do talk to your advisers, fellow exec board members and get things passed in your bylaws and make sure they are in accordance with your org's way of doing things before you put your plans in motion.

I think not. AA meetings are for people who have real problems and issues with alcohol, not someone who drank a beer at a fraternity house when she wasn't supposed to. It's supposed to be a safe, confidential environment for recovering alcoholics - not something to be used as a sorority punishment.

I respect your opinion, but there's nothing wrong with someone observing a self-help meeting. I'm offering suggestions to someone who asked for ideas.

It also depends on what it is lol, if an advisor had tried to send me to an AA meeting for not drinking in a way that they found appropriate I would have told them to "Fuck off and die."

Keep in mind that you can only punish people that want to work with you anyway, so maybe think twice about most punishments.

During my terms as chapter president we spent a lot of our time focusing on these types of problems, but to be honest, they mostly weren't problems and often the solutions we thought up, such as sanctions, actually made things worse.

I would spend time reconsidering what constitutes a problem, if it is a problem is it something that the chapter NEEDs to be concerned with, and then what has to be done.

There is if the person isn't really an alcoholic, or if they are uninformed about the rules of confidentiality that are so much a part of AA. You can hardly expect someone to follow that when they're being forced to be there.

That would be kind of like if I was having a breast augmentation and people other than medical personnel or interns were watching the surgery. It's not a movie theater.

Personally, I think it's disrespectful to force someone who more likely than not doesn't even have a drinking problem to go to AA. If I ever participated in any type of "self help" group I would be terribly offended if someone came in to observe -- the people attending meetings are not there for the benefit of some college kid who had a beer when she wasn't supposed to be drinking.

I do agree with what adpiucf said about people who miss meetings -- trying to find out why something is happening and doing something constructive to fix the situation is more likely to have a good outcome than just sanctioning people.

What is an "event policy" anyway?

forcing people to go to an AA meeting when they don't have a drinking problem is incredibly disrespectful for those who actually do have a problem and need the help. They're there to get help, not to be a freak show to "scare straight" some college kid.

And this is a rare occasion, I agree with james on something!

Not letting them go to events with the frat boys works wonders.

I agree with those who've said the AA might not be the way to go. If the member(s) violated the alcohol policy let them be responsible for presenting a lecture to educate other members on the effects of alcohol poisoning.

I agree. Or make them go to the ER and find out what they do with alcohol poisioning/OD patients and then report back. We went as a class back in Grade 7 and I still remember it! Eeeek!

I think it is hard to punish someone when they drink when they are not suppose to. WHen I was active I was put on probation for drinking and was told I couldn't drink even in my own apartment if another sister was there. Of course this just pissed me off and I drank anyway. I think if someone would have calmly talked to me and not punished me (I was 21) then I would have worked it out better. I might have had a small drinking problem being when I was active but I didn't feel my sisters wanted to help me I felt they wanted to punish me so I just rebelled.

ETA I went on a rant sorry ... anyway a merit system works if they dont come to meeting yadda yadda yadda they can't go to socials bc they wont have enough point.

Do a merits system of sorts. You assign a certain number of points to each event/meeting/ritual/workshop/etc. In order to be allowed to attend formals or semiformal or any "fun" events, a sister has to have a certain number of points. We haven't implemented that yet, but a sorority on my campus has, and they say it works great for them 'cuz no one wants to not be allowed to go to formal.

LOL coincidentally, the sorority on my campus that I was talking about is Tri Sigma. :)

I believe she's referring to drinking at events that you're not supposed to drink at (i.e. coming to a dry mixer drunk).

I like kappaloo's idea, although all I can think of is the morgue scene in Fast Times At Ridgemont High.

"Whoa, gnarly!!"

Was that Fast Times or Night Shift when Henry Winkler ran the prostitution ring out of the morgue? Great movie.

Good ideas so far guys! Keep 'em coming!!

However....think "outside" the chapter. Meaning the Greek Community. (I'm a Greek Advisor now, so the merit system/point system for individual won't work....but I might be able to adapt it to chapters not sending representatives to required events.....)

The event policy I'm referring to is registering an event where alcohol is involved....such as a BYOB party where you check IDs, have a guest list, limit the alcohol brought to the party, etc.

Presentation ideas are good....they can present to the whole greek community, and they have to take the time to research and create the presentation....what are some topics they can present on that won't get "old". What would you like to hear from a fellow greek that "screwed up"?

And for the AA meeting suggestion...interesting idea. Most AA groups will schedule a "speaker meeting" every so often, which is open to the public (i.e. you don't have to be an alcoholic to attend). Generally that's where a member (or two) will share their story of alcholism, etc. It's different than a support/discussion meeting. Depending on your community, if you see someone heading down a dangerous road with alcohol, that could be good for them to hear. (Once again, this depends on your community and how the AA groups in your town run. I was familiar with several of the groups due to my previous work in the psych hospital, and knew which ones were "open" to visitors, and which ones weren't so welcoming. Usually the ones that meet in/near a rehab center see lots of new faces quite often, and would be more receptive to educating people).

More thoughts/ideas?

PsychTau

If you don't get the mandatory participation for standard events requiring a certain percentage of the membership to attend, you can bar that group from Greek Week or Homecoming... just the threat alone of not having the opportunity to take part will get people to attend.

And failure to register and comply with event policies could result in chapter social probation for a set period.

For those who protested the idea of AA, I apologize for offending, but I was referring to the open speaker meetings, and I'm sorry for not clarifying. As an alternative, you could also make alcohol policy violaters run a program for GAMMA, or specific members have to attend GAMMA meetings, etc.

If a chapter violates a policy, risk mangement, etc., it is a great idea for them to put on an all-campus workshop that also requires Greek attendance. This way, the campus benefits from some kind of educational component, Greeks do good for campus and can be spotlighted in the community and school newspapers, and there's an opportunity to meet PNM's, the offending chapter fulfills their obligation of probation and learn something new... everyone wins. So, if someone violates the alcohol policy, why not make that chapter run a "Party Smart" workshop for the residence halls where they have to present a skit and information on alcohol, party drugs, preventative measures, past news footage, etc...

Stars
 

I'm not in Greek Life, but I know that at my school they assess the organizations with stars, 4 stars being the best and 1 star being the worst. It's just an assessment system. If you stay at 1 star for a certain amount of time, they take certain reprecussions like calling your National Board and so on.

Our school's counseling center holds classes specifically for policy violations/discipline:Decision making class (making smart choices and how bad choices will get you in trouble) and Alcohol and Drug class (they talk about why it is bad and how it grows from alcohol to harder drugs), or just regular counseling sessions. Maybe approach the center about starting up 1 or 2 classes per semester.

I am working on a masters in counseling. For my alcohol/drug abuse class I went to AA meetings for an entire semester. I learned alot and they do not expect everyone there to participate. Many perticipants are not even sober while they are in the meeting. They have the chip that you can take to promise to stay sober for that day. At the AA office they have listings for open and closed meetings. Closed is meant for alcoholics but open is available for visitors. Also when a milestone is reached (1, 3, 5, 25 years...) many will bring guests to witness receiving that chip.

also, AA meetings are so religious and god oriented, a lot of people feel super uncomfortable at them. I know I would.

In regards to risk-management presentations 'fire saftey' is a great one. I know it sounds totaly cheesey, but as SG&D I did one of my workshops on fire and ritual. As a chapter we really looked at WHY fires happen. I got video footage from the Wake Forest fraternity fire, and a few others. It was pretty hard to watch because kids our age did die becuase they couldn't get out of bed, had unworking fire alarms etc. Then as the video was ending. I arranged for a security officer to come in and pull the alarm with out the chaper knowing. We disucssed where we meet if a fire occurs, and talked about exit strategies during a party or at night. Esp with parties, how we get our guest out of the house safely.

Then we moved onto ritual. we looked at where ritual takes place, fire exits and the saftey of using real candles. We have since reconsidered and use a different location for our ceremonies because the safty risk was just too high.

We also learned to use a fire extinguisher and set commonly worn clothing material on fire. It was pretty interesting.

With groups that repeatedly violate alcohol policies, what about doing community service at a recovery home. Working with people who are trying to get their lives in line can be very powerful. (And what chapter doesn't need more community service)