Kappa Alpha Theta Formal Canceled at Last Minute (Alcohol) -- U of Colorado

[exlurker]

Reportedly a Kappa Alpha Theta sorority formal at the U of Colorado was canceled just before it began because of concerns about underage (and apparently heavy) drinking:

http://www.dailycamera.com/news/ci_1...#axzz0kGdqAPoQ

[ggforever]

Sad but not shocking. So many schools are give "strikes" for various violations of school rules - underage drinking being one. At Boulder you get two "strikes" and you are out of school. In order not to be caught with alcohol, many underage students at Boulder (as well as many other schools) "pre-party" do shots so they are drunk when they show up for events. I have seen some hair-raising situations and quite a few trips to the emergency room caused by this binge drinking. I wish I had an answer. I am sad for Theta as I am sure the canceling of the formal will be least of their worries.

[OleMissGlitter]

"prompting the house mother to shut down the event and police to issue several minor in possession tickets."----since when are house mother's cancelling events? I realize they have that power when the event is at the house but I would think she would have to have power from advisors or regional advisors. I could understand if she is an advisor too or a Theta alumna, but that just kind of shocked me!


Read more: CU sorority formal canceled due to concerns about underage drinking - Boulder Daily Camera http://www.dailycamera.com/news/ci_1...#ixzz0kHFRQtG6

[exlurker]

Originally Posted by ggforever

Sad but not shocking. So many schools are give "strikes" for various violations of school rules - underage drinking being one. At Boulder you get two "strikes" and you are out of school. In order not to be caught with alcohol, many underage students at Boulder (as well as many other schools) "pre-party" do shots so they are drunk when they show up for events. I have seen some hair-raising situations and quite a few trips to the emergency room caused by this binge drinking. I wish I had an answer. I am sad for Theta as I am sure the canceling of the formal will be least of their worries.

ggforever, you're so right. Another recent example is from Wake Forest in NC, where the traditional Pledge Night party had to be shut down, and where there's now discussion of deferring rush / recruitment to sophomore year. Excerpts from article:

. . . the drinking at this year's Pledge Night, which was held at the Millenium Center in late January, was so excessive that police and public health officials had to step in to shut down the party, which attracted about 800 students.

As a result, Wake Forest administrators are making changes to one of the biggest social activities of the year. Pledge Night, which has been held at the Millenium Center for several years, is moving back to campus. In addition, a committee of students, faculty and administrators is considering whether to delay rush, the process of joining a fraternity or sorority, until the beginning of a student's sophomore year. Now, students rush at the beginning of the second semester of their freshman year.

Chet Jessup, the assistant special agent in charge of the Greensboro office of N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement, said that he can't remember another event in his 24 years with ALE that led to so many people needing medical attention because of their alcohol intake.

Ken Zick, the vice president for student life, said that administrators met with Greek leaders after the party to talk about what happened.

"Students are embarrassed and remorseful. All the good that student organizations do throughout the community is compromised by this event. Student leaders get that," Zick said.

About 50 percent of the school's 4,500 undergraduate students belong to one of the school's 21 fraternities or sororities. Seventeen of those groups took part in this year's Pledge Night.

In less than two hours, six ambulances from Forsyth County Emergency Medical Services were dispatched to campus to transport six students to local emergency rooms.

. . . All the calls were related to heavy drinking, said Dan Ozimek, the county's EMS director.

The heaviest drinking appears to have taken place on campus by freshmen who were "frontloading," or drinking alcohol before the party, because they would not have been allowed to order drinks at the Millenium Center, where bartenders were checking IDs. Most students participating in Pledge Night were not driving; a shuttle service took students to the . . . Center and back.

Greg Carlyle, the executive director of the Millenium Center, said that several students were not allowed into the . . . Center because they were too drunk. . . .

Entire April 6, 2010 article is at

http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2...y-alter-rules/

[Alumiyum]

Not like I never got drunk, but hangovers and throwing up got old to me VERY fast...I don't understand why people enjoy getting completely plastered. Even when I was a freshman and drank several times a week if I got "drunk" it was an accident. I preferred a happy buzz. And no one else wants to deal with a sloppy drunk. They're beyond obnoxious.

[Amy Kates]

I can clarify that the formal was shut down by chapter officers, not the house mother. I don't know why it was reported this way. The officers, in consultation with their advisors, made the decision to cancel the formal.

[OleMissGlitter]

Originally Posted by Amy Kates

I can clarify that the formal was shut down by chapter officers, not the house mother. I don't know why it was reported this way. The officers, in consultation with their advisors, made the decision to cancel the formal.

Thank you. That makes sense!

[moe.ron]

Originally Posted by Alumiyum

Not like I never got drunk, but hangovers and throwing up got old to me VERY fast...I don't understand why people enjoy getting completely plastered. Even when I was a freshman and drank several times a week if I got "drunk" it was an accident. I preferred a happy buzz. And no one else wants to deal with a sloppy drunk. They're beyond obnoxious.

So true, I prefer to be happy buzzed. Best way to sober up is to have that sloppy drunk in the group. Total buzz kill.