Colorado returns to "Hands On" with GLO's

[DeltAlum]

Looks like the University of Colorado has decided to change its hands off approach to the Greek System after an alcohol related death this year...

The following is from Fraternal News:


"CU sets new Greek policies
By Dave Curtin

Denver Post Staff Writer

Fraternities and sororities at the University of Colorado at Boulder
would push back freshman recruiting to the spring semester and would be
prohibited from using alcohol and hazing in new-member initiations,
under a proposed new contract announced by CU on Friday.

Greek organizations that want to continue to be associated with CU have
until mid-February to accept the contract, said Ron Stump, vice
chancellor for student affairs.

The contract also requires each Greek house to have a live-in CU staff
member and prohibits underage drinking by members and pledges.

Stump had detailed some of the changes in a letter to sororities earlier
this month. But Friday he listed more detailed prohibitions and
confirmed that fraternities will be expected to abide by the same rules.

There are 15 CU fraternities and 11 sororities.

The proposed contract comes after several alcohol-related deaths this
fall at colleges in the state and marks a departure from a perceived
"hands-off" approach CU has taken with Greek organizations that exist
independently off campus.

CU freshman Lynn "Gordie" Bailey died from alcohol poisoning Sept. 17,
the morning after he and other Chi Psi pledges were told to drink as
part of an initiation ritual.

Bailey's stepfather, Michael Lanahan, ripped CU administrators in a
letter this month for inaction in controlling alcohol and hazing abuse
after Bailey's death.

"Every day we regret sending him off to college without teaching him
about forced drinking at fraternities and alcohol poisoning," Lanahan
wrote in the Jan. 6 letter to outgoing CU chancellor Richard Byyny.

NEW RULES POSTPONE RUSH
Under the fraternal organization contract, CU fraternities and
sororities will be expected to:

# Have a full-time, live-in staff member in the chapter house.

# Prohibit underage consumption of alcohol.

# Schedule rush in the spring semester of the freshman year beginning
with the 2005-06 academic year.

# Abide by federal, state and local laws as well as CU's student code of
conduct.

# Meet the national organization's academic standards.

# Prohibit any form of hazing and use of alcohol in new-member programming.
Student Greek leaders were noncommittal Friday about accepting the contract.

"After an extensive review by our national organizations and chapter
advisers, we will be in a much better position to continue a process of
positive change for members of fraternities and evaluate the positive
and negative aspects of deferred recruitment," said Nate Ushio,
president of the Interfraternity Council at CU-Boulder.

While fraternities and sororities are independent off-campus entities,
they are dependent on university services such as office and meeting
space on campus, student lists for recruitment, a full-time campus Greek
adviser and use of campus fields and facilities for sports.

"Our goal is to foster a long and mutually beneficial relationship with
the Greek system," Stump said. "I believe that the entire campus
environment can be enhanced by Greek organizations that follow their
core principles of leadership, scholarship, service and brotherhood or
sisterhood. The agreement is intended to strengthen that relationship."

[Firehouse]

First thing I'd do is ask to see the list of similar regulations placed upon the other student groups with off campus housing. Interesting to see what "contracts" will be forced down their throats. If not, then we'll see how strong the Greek alumni are.

[33girl]

Originally posted by DeltAlum
Bailey's stepfather, Michael Lanahan, ripped CU administrators in a
letter this month for inaction in controlling alcohol and hazing abuse
after Bailey's death.

"Every day we regret sending him off to college without teaching him
about forced drinking at fraternities and alcohol poisoning," Lanahan
wrote in the Jan. 6 letter to outgoing CU chancellor Richard Byyny.

Maybe they should be regretting sending him to college without teaching him to think for himself? These people are amazing....acting like they're taking responsibility while simultaneously blaming it on everyone but themselves.

Wow, just wow.

[DeltAlum]

In my opinion, what the University of Colorado is doing in this case in absolutely necessary not only for Risk Management issues, but for the survival of the Greek System in Boulder.

[Firehouse]

Deltalum, do you not believe that the university has no right to tell student organizations, especially on a selective basis, when and with whom they can associate? Do you not believe that is a threat to the fraternity system to allow a public university to impose this sort of heavy handed, arbitrary control? These are kids. They are going to drink, and once in awhile they are going to do incredibly stupid things. And they are never going to be any older or more experienced than the typical 18-21 year old. Influence? - Yes. Control? - No. it causes resentment and long term damage to the university's most influential alumni base.

[exlurker]

Originally posted by DeltAlum
In my opinion, what the University of Colorado is doing in this case in absolutely necessary not only for Risk Management issues, but for the survival of the Greek System in Boulder.

I agree, based on what I've read and heard over the last several years about the U. of Colorado and its Greek system.

Is the timing of the announcement just a coincidence? I know that one of the recent candidates for Colorado's open US Senate seat had a lower drinking age as a minor part of his platform. Since he lost, is there perhaps a feeling that it's politically OK in Colorado for a state institution to at least push publicly for obeying the current laws on drinking?

[mmcat]

colorado's had its share of black eyes of late.
a pity the university feels it has to....but

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by Firehouse
Do you not believe that is a threat to the fraternity system to allow a public university to impose this sort of heavy handed, arbitrary control?

What I believe is what I have witnessed as a Division Vice President for my Fraternity, a former part-time teacher at the University and a long time resident of Colorado.

Some years ago, The University of Colorado took the attitude that if they gave the Greek System enough rope, it would hang itself. They took a "hands off" attitude -- and they nearly succeeded in killing the system.

I would suggest you take a look at the number of GLOs and compare it to other schools of its size. Consider the reputation as a "party school" and wonder why there aren't more.

One of the reasons, I contend, is that as chapters commit corporate suicide due to hazing, alcohol and drug violations, the big Nationals choose not to return to C.U. because, frankly, without some kind of supervision, the chapters do stupid things.

We closed our chapter there for the final time (after the third colonization) in the 1990's. That was shortly after the "new" chapter trashed the house which had been renovated to the tune of $1.5 million donated by mostly local alumni.

Frankly, it appears that 19-21 year old chapter presidents don't have the experience and maturity to do the job.

I hate to say that, but look at the history.

I think the University is giving the Greek System a final opportunity to save itself.

[WCUgirl]

Originally posted by DeltAlum
...and would be prohibited from using...hazing in new-member initiations...

Okay, call me naive, but there are still schools that allow this? I assumed that if this restriction wasn't already enforced by the GLO's nat'l constitution, it would have been covered in the Greek life policy enforced by the university.

As far as alcohol use during initiations is concerned, I would think that would be a no-brainer, seeing as a majority of the initiates would be underage, so that would be covered by GLO and university policy requiring Greek members to observe state & federal regulations regarding alcohol consumption.

[33girl]

Originally posted by AXiD670
Okay, call me naive, but there are still schools that allow this? I assumed that if this restriction wasn't already enforced by the GLO's nat'l constitution, it would have been covered in the Greek life policy enforced by the university.

As far as alcohol use during initiations is concerned, I would think that would be a no-brainer, seeing as a majority of the initiates would be underage, so that would be covered by GLO and university policy requiring Greek members to observe state & federal regulations regarding alcohol consumption.

Agreed - a lot of these are things the nationals are taking care of already. The school is just including it to make it seem like they are doing more than they are.

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by 33girl
Agreed - a lot of these are things the nationals are taking care of already. The school is just including it to make it seem like they are doing more than they are.

Unfortunately, the Nationals aren't on the scene day to day, week to week.

Colorado needs to do a lot more than nothing.

[33girl]

Originally posted by DeltAlum
Unfortunately, the Nationals aren't on the scene day to day, week to week.

I'm aware of that - I just feel it's rather disingenous of them to act like this is a policy they're enacting when it's something that is already included in every GLO's policy. It would be kind of like a mall saying "employees of all stores will be at least 16" when every store in the mall already has that policy in their corporate handbooks and it applies to all their stores everywhere.

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by Firehouse
First thing I'd do is ask to see the list of similar regulations placed upon the other student groups with off campus housing. Interesting to see what "contracts" will be forced down their throats. If not, then we'll see how strong the Greek alumni are.

The greek alumni at CU aren't that strong. Too many of the fraternity members are from out-of-state, and too few stay behind to remain active alumni with their chapters.

The school is probably taking action so that administrators can claim that they tried to do something, in the event that they are ever sued.

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by PhiPsiRuss
The school is probably taking action so that administrators can claim that they tried to do something, in the event that they are ever sued.

That's certainly part of it. Although I would say "when" they get sued by the Bailey family.

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by Firehouse
...it causes resentment and long term damage to the university's most influential alumni base.

Sorry, I meant to get back to this earlier.

I cannont speak for the alumni of other GLOs at Colorado, but I know a lot of Beta Kappa Chapter Delt alums who are absolutely fed up with the C.U. Greek System and would probably fight recolonizing in Boulder -- and many of them are very influential in the Denver area, the Fraternity and in the university's alumni base.