Let me know good things!
 

My chapter has recently been placed on Risk Management Watch, so I was wondering if anyone had any advice for how to get the chapter to shape up. We had underage drinking at our last datenight, lots of pre-partying, and wristband switching. We need some ideas of what to tell the chapter to make them understand that they are putting our whole national fraternity at risk, the whole greek system on our campus, and our chapter especially at risk. How do you discourage pre-partying? Do you really turn people away when they come to get on the bus? Please help!!

Re: Let me know good things!
 

Yes. Yes. YES. YES!!!!:cool:

Do they get mad at you? Do they understand? I'm worried about them holding a grudge. I know I have to do what is right and turn them away, but it is so hard!

The people turning people away should be like the President and the Programs VP (that's the one who deal with risk managment, right?) -- that way they're just working in the official capacity of their offices. Hopefully then they'll see that it's only part of the job, nothing personal. Also pre-warn people that at the next party, you will be turning people away if you think they're drunk. If they hold a grudge then, they're just silly because they were warned, and they chose to pre-party anyway. That's their problem, not yours.

Alcohol Stuff
 

I totally agree with TigerLilly........Tell them during the last chapter before the event that there will be people checking them to see if they are drunk as they are getting on the bus. If they or there date are, they just wasted their money, because they won't be going. This is the chapter as a whole that will lose if someone screws up, they need to all hold each other accuntable for their actions.

hope this helps some, feel free to PM me if you wanna talk about this more.

Risk Management love,

Lacey

While I don't know how feasible it would be for a sorority to do this...

Our undergrad chapter has a security team that handles all aspects of risk reduction. They're also in charge of security at the house and watching our letters at football games.

It's hard for us to tell in the few minutes we see them before they get on the bus whether they are drunk or not. We know they are pre-partying though, because everyone does. There are usually a few houses/apartments that people always go to. We told them the last time that we would turn people away, but it was too hard for us to tell before they got on the bus. On the bus I wished I had turned away a few people because they were rowdy and out of control.

Wouldn't stamps or markers be better than wristbands? Ask the bars what they use - it's usually something that can't be tampered with.

Not to mention wristbands are oh so amusement park-ey.

We had an issue with people pre-partying when I was in college, so we instituted a rule that EVERYONE (dates incuded) had to be at the house 30 minutes before the first bus left.

We had our advisor there, along with our "sober team" and Exec members keeping an eye on people and watching for drunken behavior. It reduced our problems immediately. We often had food for people to snack on: chips & salsa, trail mix, potato chips... that way if people were going to be drinking when they got to the event, they had something in their stomachs.

If someone had a legitimate conflict, such as work or a sporting event, they had to speak to the Social chair to make the appropriate arrangements, and often Exec had to approve it.

We also required bracelts at formals (often it was required by the location at which the formal was held). They work better than markers or stamps (who hasn't seen the old lick the hand trick?) - just make sure that they are securely on each person and cannot be slipped off of their hand. Ours were so tough they had to be cut off with scissors when you got home.

Allison

We also met at the house early (although we didn't provide food...good idea!) and each bus had a sober officer checking people off at the door of the bus, so it forced the sister to talk to the officer and the officer had a little longer to take notice of them. Also, take a head count on the bus before it pulls away and kinda check everyone out.

Do something different
 

You said "because everyone does"

If "everybody" truly is ignoring your rule, maybe the rule needs to be changed.

If your members don't like what you are doing, and probably wouldn't care if they were banned from the bus, do something different.

Why should you spend the money if people don't want it?