[shadokat]

The whole reason that national and international fraternities and sororities have risk management policies is to remove the risk of liability from the chapter/fraternity/sorority. That being said, the use of third party vendors is allowed for the reason that when you use a third party vendor, the liability lies with the vendor. For instance, you go to a bar and get served underage. That isn't the sorority or fraternity's fault...it's the vendors fault. If you drink too much at a third party vendor mixer and you drive and hurt someone, the VENDOR is responsible for having served you too much alcohol. While sisters should've taken your keys and not allowed you to drive, it's the bartenders at the facility who are serving you and seeing your condition.

Case in point...a man is at a bar, and is COMPLETELY bombed. He gets in his car and drives home and amazingly makes it. But, once home, he falls down the stairs to his basement, slamming his head off the concrete floor. He dies from swelling of the brain. So who is responsible? Well, the DA in this situation charged the BARTENDER for serving the man too much alcohol and allowing him to leave in that state. The bartender was charged with involuntary manslaughter, and while the charges were later dropped and not refiled, it shows you where the liability will lie.

I know this is completely off of the sorority life topic, and I apologize, but I think that it's important to realize that risk management is of the utmost importance, and there are reasons behind the policies we have.