U. Oklahoma booze ban is toothless

[hoosier]

University Alerts Fraternities Before Searching For Alcohol
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NORMAN, Okla. (AP) _ Fadi Balla never knows when officials may come to search the Pi Kappa Alpha for alcohol. It could be a Tuesday afternoon or 10 p.m. Friday night.
But the searches are never completely a surprise. Whatever day it is, officials at the University of Oklahoma are required to call before they arrive.
They enter through the front door and walk through all the common areas of the house, including hallways in the dorm wings and recreation rooms, scouting for any signs of alcohol, a stray beer can or an empty liquor bottle. They do not search members' rooms.
``The searches have been relatively painless,'' said Balla, president of the Pi Kappa Alpha chapter at the university. ``They don't invade people's privacy, they don't go in people's rooms or people's fridges. If you don't have anything to hide, then you're OK.''
One semester after the university banned alcohol in student housing in the wake of a freshman's alcohol-induced death, officials have searched all fraternity houses at least once and haven't found one single bottle of alcohol.
Critics say the ban is toothless because of the warning period that allows time for possible offenders to clean up any