CMU police patrols: this is outrageous

[hoosier]

(I guess we have to assume that CMU owns these houses, and can do whatever they want, and then charge the chapter for doing it.)




CMU frats say police walkthroughs hurting privacy, membership
4/16/2005, 3:56 p.m. ET


The Associated Press _

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Four fraternities at Carnegie Mellon University say daily patrols of their houses by campus police are violating their privacy and discouraging new members.

But school officials say the patrols at Delta Upsilon, Beta Theta Pi, Theta Xi and Kappa Delta Rho — which happen four times a day during the week and six times daily on weekends — are necessary to curb unspecified alcohol-related problems.

"I don't think anybody would want police patrols where they sleep and eat," said Dan Phillips, 21, of Delta Upsilon. "It's an unnerving, upsetting experience."

The university has used police patrols to discipline fraternities in the past, but the walkthrough patrols begun last fall mark the first time in memory that campus police have randomly inspected more than one fraternity at the same time, said Michael Murphy, dean of student affairs.

"It's unfortunate that any organization would have to face that disruption because the houses are in many ways a positive climate for these young men," Murphy said. "But they need to understand the responsibility that goes with that."

In recent years, the university has seen other fraternities closed because of alcohol problems. The Delta Tau Delta house was closed by its national organization; Kappa Sigma disbanded after hazing problems, but rechartered and opened a new house off campus.

The fraternities say the police patrols are driving down membership, and driving up costs: they pay $10 for each police visit, under the campus policy — or $320 a week.

Delta Upsilon has three pledges this year, compared to 27 two years ago, said Orest Sopka, 21, another member from Cleveland.

"People are a little skeptical when you have a police officer patrolling," Sopka said.

Kappa Delta Rho President Matthew Yeager, 21, of Scott Township, said the police patrols have cost the fraternity about $6,000 over the past four months — or about 10 percent of its budget.

"We've had a lot of trouble making ends meet on our budget," Yeager said. "It's a lot of strain."

Murphy said the only other way to pay for the extra patrols would be raising tuition or fees for all students, which he says would be unfair.

Phillips said the university needs the fraternities because "there's no other way to blow off steam and have a good time" on campus.

But Murphy said only 15 percent of CMU's male students are fraternity members, so students must be finding other ways to entertain themselves. About 550 men and 350 women belong to Greek organizations on campus. About 130 men live in the four houses being patrolled.

"We certainly want our students to have an active social life," Murphy said. "We don't think violating the law is a necessary part of that."

[kddani]

CMU does own the houses.

This is interesting, because as an undergrad, I thought they got away with murder. None of the houses up there followed the 3rd party vendor rule for mixers- so we'd have lots of mixers with them b/c no one ever found out (they're only a couple block walk away from Pitt). One particular mixer a fraternity spent around 1000 bucks on alcohol for us, lol, whatever we wanted. They had open parties all the time.

It's interesting that they fraternities have to pay for the cops patrols. Pitt's cops do walk throughs all the time and actually have a good relationship with the fraternities- they're mainly trying to make sure no one gets hurt.

CMU is a VERY VERY expensive school and if I were a student and having to pay that extra money for the cops to do walk throughs i'd probably be ticked.

CMU is an odd kind of campus... A TON of foreign students, and very heavy on the math, science, and computers. Girls where turtlenecks to parties there, lol, no joking. The guys can't stand the lack of decent girls, lol.

I love how they say that only 15% of males at CMU belong to a fraternity and that the others must be finding other ways of entertaining themselves. Yes, it's called sitting in the computer lab all night working on their computer engineering assignments. CMU is a lot like what I would imagine MIT is.

[PhoenixAzul]

Those costs are ridiculous. They'd probably find the same sort of things in dorms.

CMU is quite odd. You have these amazingly brilliant logical engineers and comp sci students, then you have the INCREDIBLY talented theater students, and the really out there art sudents. There's really no in between.

[kddani]

Originally posted by PhoenixAzul
CMU is quite odd. You have these amazingly brilliant logical engineers and comp sci students, then you have the INCREDIBLY talented theater students, and the really out there art sudents. There's really no in between.

it seems that a lot of the in between are the ones that go greek, lol. One of my best friends went there for undergrad and is a Kappa Alpha Theta... I can't see her joining a sorority on a more traditional campus. She is very normal. Was an English major I believe. lol.

[Tom Earp]

That is very interesting.

Whether is was this group, or the school, it still boils down to what the Greek Organizations are all about.

Suggest try to chek out The Web Site of School to make a decision?

COSTs. Are You not worried about the cost of Costs? Oh, every College is worried on How They are going to Get Students to attend?

[PhoenixAzul]

CMU doesn't have to worry about that...their programs are second to none.

(can you tell that I want to go to grad school there REALLY bad?)

[kddani]

Originally posted by PhoenixAzul
CMU doesn't have to worry about that...their programs are second to none.

(can you tell that I want to go to grad school there REALLY bad?)

what do you want to go for?

[sugar and spice]

Overall, I don't think this will curb fraternity drinking -- I think that eventually the fraternities will just move out of their houses and into apartments where they can have uncontrolled access to alcohol. Personally, I don't think methods like this are very beneficial in the long run. They just cause stress for both the university and the fraternity members, and ultimately the fraternity members will find some way around the rule if they want to drink.

Is it just me, or does anybody else think that four times a day is excessive? Not to mention the fact that to force the fraternity members to pay this much for something that is only hurting their membership and can't be very pleasant for their members (even if they're NOT drinking) doesn't seem fair. It seems like the fraternity and the university could meet and find a solution to these problems that are less financially draining and actually address the alcohol issues in a long-term way.

[mmcat]

that whole story is a big head scratch...doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[alphaalpha]

If there was a problem situation where these specific fraternaties had gotten in trouble for drinking related incidents i guess i could understand the desire from the university to protect, or do what they think will protect people from harm.

Anyway, i do think that 4 times a day and 6 times on weekends is a lot. I could see making random checks and maybe routine "random" checks on the days which might be considered the party days. But 4 times and 6times a day seems like over kill. Especially since they are charging the fraternaties for the visitis. Wow, glad i don't go there.

[honeychile]

CMU is an excellent school for many programs - I have an online friend that was just offered a full scholarship for a Master's there!

If you've ever dated a fraternity guy at CMU, they have formal Saturday night dinners, when dates are invited - and I mean formal! At least, they did when I was in school.

But as has been said, something is rotten in the state of Denmark here. Having to pay for police patrols isn't right; it's bad enough to have one's privacy invaded on a regular basis!

[Tom Earp]

Sounds like excessive Police State.

While the School may be the landlord, the Renters still have rights of intrusion by outside forces. This sounds a lot like harrasment to the optimon. I would consult legal authority for this and possibly and injunction of restraint.

Police usually can inspect an abode only if there is a call for distuptive problems that are going on. To enter without a search warrent or offical call is unthinkable.

WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, here. Something stinks to high heaven.

[hoosier]

I would think the DU or Beta hdqtrs. could put a lawyer to work on this.

It's crazy.

[PhoenixAzul]

Originally posted by kddani
what do you want to go for?

I want to get my MFA either in Photo or in Arts Administration or in Art History, which is unfortunately my terminal degree unless I go into art history, in which case I can end up a Ph. D.

[PhoenixAzul]

Originally posted by hoosier
I would think the DU or Beta hdqtrs. could put a lawyer to work on this.

It's crazy.

DU unfortunately has had some problems/ bad press in recent years....

Lobster boy

before the iraq war

March 20,2005