Definitions Required

[Oldest_Pledge]

In the document openly published on the Beta web site, the following requirements are part of those needed to obtain a charter:

V. Responsible Personal Conduct
A. Have an active Kai Committee governed by its constitution, bylaws, The Code of Beta Theta Pi and Beta Theta Pi’s Risk Management policy.
B. Have one member and one advisor trained in substance abuse annually.
C. Host one event regarding alcohol education annually.
D. Receive a risk management rating of excellent.
E. Where applicable, the colony or chapter shall reside in a substance-free living environment.

I am intrigued by the bold, italicized and underlined words above (I added the B, I and U). No where on the Beta site can I find these words defined.

Yet I can find them defined on several University web sites to include all tobacco products and at some smaller, religious based schools, even includes caffine.

What is the "will be blessed by the US Supreme Court, can not be legally challenged" Beta definition of these words?

Based on the substance abuse education program at my son's middle school, all household cleaning products and aerosoles that are "huffed" would fall into the catagory requiring a Beta chapter to keep them out of the living environment.

If the chapter did not have a house and the members were living in a dorm and the school used cleaning products that fell into this category, the chapter would be in violation.

Also, if the members lived in a dorm and a there was booze or drugs any where in the building (even if not in the Beta's room), this could be viewed as a violation.

Just something to consider.

[Coramoor]

Again, just more draconian rules. Unless something changes, Beta will just be a gay honor fraternity.

[a.e.B.O.T.]

Originally Posted by Coramoor

Again, just more draconian rules. Unless something changes, Beta will just be a gay honor fraternity.

Ok, that was really not necessary coramoor.

Oldest-Pledge, that is interesting, and it up for interpretation, as you proved. I think though that they were talking about the chapter house, not the dorm of individual betas who live outside the house.

Substance-free means no alcohol or illegal drugs. Yes, things like caffeine can be misinterpreted under this, but that assumption is a little drastic. The chapter house is suppose to be a meeting place for the fraternity to gather, a place where rituals take place, a place were business is taken care of. Drugs or alcohol shouldn't take place there anyways, ESPECIALLY if the chapter does their ritual in the chapter house.

[EE-BO]

News to me- and thanks for posting this. "Where applicable" is what I am interested in figuring out.

But in Beta terms, a substance-free house means no illegal drug use (meaning no illegal use of legal drugs and no use of illegal drugs), no alcohol use and no tobacco.

[a.e.B.O.T.]

by tobacco, i assume you mean in doors.

I think the "where applicable" is in regards to those who do not own a chapter house, or those who own one but do not live in their chapter house.

[EE-BO]

Originally Posted by a.e.B.O.T.

by tobacco, i assume you mean in doors.

I think the "where applicable" is in regards to those who do not own a chapter house, or those who own one but do not live in their chapter house.

Indoors or out- the concept, at least as it has been put in practice at some chapters, applies once you cross the property line.

You may be right on the "where applicable" part. I was thinking along those lines plus also in situations where alumni built/bought a house and wanted to make it substance-free.

[Oldest_Pledge]

The document is posted on the Colony Education page at the bottom. It is a Word Document titled "Chatering Requirements." See "Home - Go Beta - Expansions - Colony Education."

As far as my extension of the interpretations, it only takes on incident, one lawyer and one judge. And actually, it was my law class that brought up the "huffing" cleaning supplies.

And the "where applicable" protion of the statement can be read to mean where ever a Beta lives. So even if you are 21 you could not be found with booze in your living quarters (even if it is the non-Beta roommates).

Things that make you think about how crazy the world it getting. I would not been upset if I was told by the AO that my house (if we had a house) had to be drug free and tobacco free when I was an undergrad. And I could accept the no booze rule as well. But if members were truely Betas, the under 21 one crowd would not have problem with those that are of legal age having a drink in the house and the underage members would leave the stuff alone.

That is what Beta Theta Pi needs to be teaching....

[BigRedBeta]

Interestingly enough the tobacco issue was a big deal this past semester in my chapter. The issue came up, several hours were spent discussing it in chapter, with what I'm told was pretty acrimonious conversations, and then failed to pass.

In the end though, our current RM is also the IFC RM and so he just went and talked to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and got language put into the agreement for University Approved Housing that all the chapters have to sign and comply with.

From a risk stand point, I guess it could be argued that it's a good idea (though candles and the like also need to be more closely monitored)...and the dorms on campus are smoke free now too, so it's really not that big of deal.

[Coramoor]

Alcohol is not going to bring any thing to the surface that is not already there. If a chapter acts like a bunch of drunken assholes, even when sober they will be assholes. The only thing this rule is doing is pushing many potential good guys away because they do not want to rush a house that is dry or pushes the no-alcohol clause so harshly.

When you see people drink in their homes or at a family gathering...do you automatically assume them to be drunken rednecks? Why would you make the same assumption about seeing a guy drink on the front porch of his frat house?

Along those lines, if someone is going to judge me purely for that reason and not join my frat...well, chances are I wouldn't have offered them a bid even if they did come and rush. Guys like that are not the men I want in my chapter. We had brothers that did not drink or smoke and there was no problem with that.

The SUV example was awful. Not the same thing at all. I didn't join when it was dry and I think that it is a terrible idea to place so much pressure on this single issue. I know that the GF has to protect itself, yet making it's members give up lawful privileges of age is wrong.

[ZZ-kai-]

Can you give me a real-life example of a Beta chapter undeservingly getting 'substance-free' living put on them?

[Coramoor]

How about every chapter that has been re-colonized in the last few years.

They may have been shut down for various reasons; hazing, low numbers, finances, alcohol/drugs. The re-colonized chapter is all new brothers that were not guilty of making the mistakes that shut down their chapters in the past.

[ZZ-kai-]

So you can't give any real-life examples and all you can do is complain about the way things are?

Good chapters aren't shut down for no reason. 'Bad' (or shall I say troubled?) chapters are given chance after chance and they basically shut themselves down. IE, look at Lambda...I'd rather see chapters shut down, then have someone die and their lawyers take our GF to court and put all of us out of business due to lawsuits.

Re-colonized chapter (or colonies) come on campus, recruit and publicly tell people what they're about, how their house will be, how they're motivated to succeed and not the typical 'animal house'. When members choose to join that said chapter KNOWINGLY when it's substance free, and then complain about it (see some general chit chat within the Beta forum) then they're fucking idiots. Those are the guys who should have kept walking to the next frat house....

Again, the guys who don't like it and hate Beta so much, should just quit. Nobody's going to listen to them anyway.