Something that drives me nuts...
 

I was looking at the U of Rhode Island website (there was a thread on them in the Rush forum) and came across a newspaper story saying that "all the fraternities are now alcohol free. The sororities have always been alcohol free."

Well, this is untrue - it's the fraternity and sorority HOUSES that are alcohol free. I know of no NPC sorority or IFC fraternity that prohibits its of-age members from consuming alcohol.

This is why we should never refer to a chapter as a "house." It fosters the misperception that the house = the chapter and the chapter members.

Also, when things like this are printed and then Greek members are seen out on the town drinking - it makes us look like a bunch of hypocrites, because we're supposedly "alcohol free."

Please make an effort if anything regarding your house's alcohol free status is in the campus newspaper, to make sure it's reported properly. There should be no doubt that the members are still free to make decisions on their own.

"Alcohol free" makes them sound like the entire Greek system just joined AA...

I actually know of one fraternity that on the international level discourages all of its members from drinking. Whether or not they actually follow that is a whole other story.

I'm surprised nobody has thought of that...

Which international fraternity?

Discouraging members from drinking is totally different than a rule prohibiting it. "Alcohol free" generally speaks to living environments and not what members may do legally. Theta Chi has a good alcohol free housing initiative. (see below) Other fraternities have something similar. And yet other fraternities - who do not have an alcohol free housing initiative - prefer to focus on alcohol-awareness education. However, specific chapters may have something similar to Theta Chi's initiative. (Might be campus mandated or adapted by the specific chapter.) In any case, neither situation prohibit members from drinking legally.

Alcohol Free Housing
(from the Theta Chi website)

WHAT DOES ALCOHOL FREE MEAN?

The [Theta Chi] Fraternity's Alcohol Free Housing Initiative does not attempt to tell our members not to drink or enforce a "prohibition" policy on our chapters. Members, of legal age, are entitled to their rights as 21 year-olds to consume alcohol, just not on chapter property.

Alcohol fee housing means there will be no consumption or storage of alcohol on property owned and/or leased by the Fraternity. Annex houses, undeveloped property, and houses rented by individual members for use by the Fraternity are subject to alcohol-free policies. Social events held at the chapter house may not involve alcohol. If a chapter wishes to have alcohol at a social event, that event must take place at an approved third-party location (i.e. restaurant, club, lodge/hall) All chapter functions are still expected to meet the standards of the Fraternity's risk management policy.

I had no idea that calling other groups "houses" was weird until after I graduated and came here. It was what everyone always said on campus. It was never "which sorority did you join" but "which house did you join." I agree that they need to not say that anymore. But it is nice to have a somewhat positive article in the Cigar about Greeks. Usually it's nothing or bad stuff, like a fraternity being kicked off campus.

Many if not all propose Non Alcholic=Dry Houses ie GLOs, but there are codicles?) about how to go about it.

Being not in the House, but not at an outside place.

Does not mean they do not imbibe.

^Many, if not all?? Where did you get that from? There are countless numbers of fraternities that have houses which permit alcohol.

Interesting that you posted that?


Does Your GLO say anywhere that Alcohol is allowed in Your Buildings? (Houses).

Or do they say other wise?

If they say otherwise, then post the link.

Thank You!

Tom, mccallan25 is right.

This is the list of IFC/NIC fraternities that have some sort of fraternity wide alcohol-free housing. This list may be out of date and there may be more fraternities to add.

Alpha Kappa Lambda
Delta Sigma Phi
Delta Upsilon
FarmHouse
Kappa Delta Phi
Phi Delta Theta
Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Kappa Sigma
Phi Kappa Theta
Sigma Nu
Theta Chi

To be clear, other fraternities may have chapters that are alcohol free. And heck, the majority of their chapters might be alcohol free. However, as far as a fraternity-wide policy, there aren't that many. And just to add, it doesn't mean that ever chapter of the fraternities listed above abide by the policy. Also, some of the fraternities may have a clause that allows a chapter to opt out of the policy. I seem to recall that was possible for one (maybe more?) of the fraternities. I just can't remember which specific fraternity.

Tom, you don't know what you are talking about.

Thanks.

There are very few fraternities that have nation wide stipulations about alcohol in the house. And even then, I belive there are clauses which allow them to have alcohol in the house. For example, TSteven listed Phi Gamma Delta and Theta Chi......however, I can think of a number of campuses where it is perfectly fine for them to have alcohol in the house. Theta Chi at Alabama and FIJI down here in Austin are two that come to mind off the top of my head.

I don't need to provide a link.....I kmow I am right, and that you...are not. But, since you are so interested in links.....how about you provide us all with a source claiming that "many, if not all" fraternities have a nation-wide no alcohol in the house policy.

....on a side note.....I thought alcohol policies for fraternity houses were determined by the University?? Oklahoma used to be wet.....but went dry two years ago. It was a university decision......didn't have anything to do with nationals.

I think, in URI's case, it has to do with reputation. The school has a rep as a party school, and by saying that Greek orgs are alcohol free, they're trying to reverse that old tradition.

I agree, though, that we have to be careful of our wording. We shouldn't make ourselves out to be something that we're obviously not.

Same is true for The University of Kentucky. It was a decision made by the UK Administration.

An interesting side note, UK's alcohol ban was not because of any issues by UK Greeks (real or even perceived), but due to what was happening on other campuses and with non Greeks on campus. Including some of the UK sports teams.

For Phi Gam, if you have a certain chapter GPA level it is okay to have alcohol in the house, just a note. And I know for a fact that there is at least one Phi Delt house that is hardly alcohol free and they have bad GPA's.

The decision to go alcolhol free can be made by the Inter/National HQ, the collegiate chapter, the corp board or the school.

We specifically voted down the alcohol free housing proposal about 6-7 years ago. It's not a no-strings-attached type of situation. Chapters that make grades are not restricted by IHQ on alcohol though (aside from the normal risk management policy).

Yes, we were voted top party school by some poll maybe three times in the early 90s, and Greeks suffered for it. About half of the fraternities are gone now, all but one on the main street of campus being kicked off (so frat row is no longer), the last finally building a new house in Greek Circle. The campus also got rid of all bars too. They didn't truly crack down on the drinking at the fraternity houses until after I graduated in 2001 though. Before that if you were caught you were in trouble, but everyone did it at the beginning of the year as part of rush. Now their rush is totally dry, although I'm not sure if it's become more formal in the process or anything.

They campus got rid of all the bars??? Good Lord that is ridiculous.

Now they're about 15 minutes away. So a ton of people moved off campus to the beach where there are tons of summer homes to rent which is also closer to the bars, and now the town is fighting with the school because of all those students being loud and having parties. Led to a lot of drunk driving too if you ask me.

Interesting info and thank you one an all!:)

Maybe I take a lot for granted because of Risk Management that most Nationals are covering themselfs from possible law suits.

Sigma Pi recently updated its stance on FIPG Standards this summer at our convocation in an effort to deter stupid FIPG (generally drinking) violations [open source parties, etc].

The first FIPG violation results in a $500 fine to the chapter, the second fine is $1000 and the third violation results in a review hearing to discuss whether the charter should be revoked.


Of course, offenses expire after four years, but even so, these are very stringent punishments levied onto the chapters. I feel that the intent of our change of FIPG is established to deter universities from removing chapters after ONE FIPG violation. (hopefully)