Curious about Dry fraternities

[HPU PIKE]

On my small campus with only 9 GLO's, none of the 4 fraternities are dry. However, it seems to me that the only issue to be had with having alcohol at any event is what form it is in. It just seems as though no one cares if the XYZ's have 15 cases of Budwieser, but if ZYX has a keg at their function, the sh#t hits the fan...not sure why this is? Any ideas?

[uwwsweetie]

isn't Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia "Dry"

[33girl]

Originally posted by HPU PIKE
On my small campus with only 9 GLO's, none of the 4 fraternities are dry. However, it seems to me that the only issue to be had with having alcohol at any event is what form it is in. It just seems as though no one cares if the XYZ's have 15 cases of Budwieser, but if ZYX has a keg at their function, the sh#t hits the fan...not sure why this is? Any ideas?

I think because theoretically you can buy more beer for less money with kegs, which is what they are trying to prevent, although that's obviously not always true.

Originally posted by uwwsweetie
isn't Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia "Dry"

I don't believe so. Rush events and such are dry, but since the house is unofficial, alcohol is fine there, and was allowed when they had the house next to LXA. For mixers/formal/etc, as long as it goes through a 3rd party vendor it's fine.

[LXAAlum]

Originally posted by HPU PIKE
On my small campus with only 9 GLO's, none of the 4 fraternities are dry. However, it seems to me that the only issue to be had with having alcohol at any event is what form it is in. It just seems as though no one cares if the XYZ's have 15 cases of Budwieser, but if ZYX has a keg at their function, the sh#t hits the fan...not sure why this is? Any ideas?

It's an insurance issue - kegs are considered "mass consumption" containers, or something similar (can't remember the "legal" term you see in policies), where cans/bottles are not.

Never made sense to me - whereas if 150+ people are at a party, what's the difference between 2-3 kegs and 5-10 cases of beer? None that I can see, but the insurance industry must have actuarial numbers to support the distinction.

[FuzzieAlum]

Whether going dry hurts your chapter is going to depend on the kind of guys you were getting in the first place. Several chapters went dry on my campus around the same time. One has stayed the same size, one has grown, and the other initially shrunk quite a bit. But that house was known as a "party house," where you could always find beer and pot. The guys joined for a party, and that's what they recruited for, so all of a sudden their image was pulled out from under them.

[Opie25]

Originally posted by LXAAlum
It's an insurance issue - kegs are considered "mass consumption" containers, or something similar (can't remember the "legal" term you see in policies), where cans/bottles are not.

Never made sense to me - whereas if 150+ people are at a party, what's the difference between 2-3 kegs and 5-10 cases of beer? None that I can see, but the insurance industry must have actuarial numbers to support the distinction.

Kegs, pony kegs, and even cases are all considered bulk quantity of alcohol. Technically all BYO events an individual can only bring a six pack of beer, not 12 or 24 but a 6'er.

And all Phi Delta Theta chapters should have been dry over the past few years...we have no exemption policies like other orgs.

[aephi alum]

Originally posted by Opie25
Kegs, pony kegs, and even cases are all considered bulk quantity of alcohol.

Mmmm... weapons of mass consumption...

[Nhfulmer]

The correct term according to FIPG is "communal source of alcohol" which actually includes kegs and any other form of alcohol where someone can just pick up a drink, can, bottle, etc. If you follow that reasoning, an ice filled tub with beer being kept cold is "communal". Any container holding an alcohol beverage that is available to all (even champagne punch) would be considered "communal". It is all due to liability. If it is being served by a third party vender (make sure he is insured), the liability is on him and not the host GLO.

Phi Kappa Sigma began their "Dry Skulls" program three years ago, I believe. Many chapters have been quite good about following the policies; however, several are on probation and some have lost their charters - either voluntarily (University of Virginia, for one) or by National.

The most difficult to convince that a chapter can live with this policy is the alumni who feel that they can come back to the house and ignore the policy. I know of one Phi Kap chapter who has decided not to hold Parents & Alumni Weekend at the same time any more because the alumni were embarrassing to them in front of their parents.

It is a shame that good behavior has to be legislated but liability dictates that the policies be in place. Sometimes insurance companies will insure GLO's only if a "dry house" policy is in place. It takes a lot of education for a chapter to understand exactly why this is necessary.

[PhiDeltUCI]

going dry was a big deal for Phi Delt when it happened, as far as i know a lot of chapters were lost due to the AFH policy, but as the policy grows to other fraternities it has become less of an issue.

[mrshall28]

HEYthere, just a quick mention on dry Phi Delts, my poor husbands chapter, Phi Delta Theta at West Chester literally dried up and left. When the house had to go dry, the pledges found elsewhere to go. I find it really interesting that it is being discussed and the thought of going "dry" is still out there. I'll tell you one thing, having a dry greek campus would have put a real damper on many of our mixers and whatnot. Although if we were dry, I would probably be able to remember more of what happened during our college years 1996-1998! Well take care to you all and BE CAREFUL, but have FUN


QUOTE] :Children: driving teachers to drink for over 100 years

[Kevin]

Originally posted by LXAAlum
Farmhouse has long been "dry" as a policy (though I've seen the policy violated), Sigma Nu, ATO both nationally went dry (4 years ago?) - Phi Delts and a few others were considering it.

LXA isn't "dry" - though that may change with liability insurance - we may not have a choice in a few years.

We passed a resolution (I think) 5 or 6 years ago that would investigate being dry. We then decided at the 59th Grand Chapter in 2000 to NOT be nationally dry. However, a chapter that does not achieve at least all-men's average GPA (and probably other criteria) is supposed to be dry until they can bring their collective GPA's back up.

But to correct you, the undergrads voted down the nationally dry initiative.

[Tom Earp]

LXA has declared several years ago because of Risk Management that all houses would be dry! Period!

Now, I do not agree with this 18 year old bull shit!! Thank you FED GOVT for that!!

You may go get killed in the Military and this hits so close to home now! OOPS, you are 18/20, but do not drink!

The problem is when it gets over done and stupidity rolls up to the party!

WE ARE OUR BROTHERS/SISTERS Keeper!

Can some of the Fucking Morons do this???!

Our Brothers and Sisters Die Weekly because of Stupid Shit, and that really pisses me off! Get It!

It is not whether you drink, but how far it goes that causes the problems!

[OXdutchy534]

I'm the president of my chapter of Theta Chi and we are now alcohol free as of July. I am split on this desicion, but it is becoming a must for fraternities to go 'dry' these days. Greek Life is a dying breed because of large lawsuits and a 'tarnished' image. Most of this is brought on by problems stemming from alcohol. Now, I am not some conservative bookworm or anything. I love to party and party hard. I respect my fraternity too much to let anything bad happen to my chapter. If it means we must party outside of the house, than so be it. Also, insurance rates per man have not increased at all and Theta Chi pays one of the lowest per man rates in the counrty.

I have reserched AFH and many of the lawsuits that have recently been brought against fraternities. The sad and frightening reality is that since 9/11, there are less and less insurance carriers willing to insure fraternities. If this trend keeps up, there could be a few national men's fraternities that are dropped by their insurance carrier in the next few years. Without insurance, a fraternity cannot exist nationally. The great Greek system could dwindle down even smaller and entire national organizations could cease to exist overnight. This is a 'worst - case' scenario, but it is very possible.... and very likely if more problems persist in the future.

What are my true feelings on AFH?... I don't like it, but I do support it and I support the Greek Life system and want to see it flourish. Is AFH the answer?... only time will tell.

[SparkliiQTMTSU]

our whole campus is supposed to be dry but its not like they actually enforce it. as long as our beverages are kept in a cup and not in a can/bottle then everything is ok. but once the campus cops catch someone drinking out of a can or bottle or anything like that its big trouble for the fraternity. I believe thats why the Pikes are on probation here because at some party with the real world people someone was bringing beer in like a case or something and the cops stopped them. Im not sure of the whole story but thats the jist of it.

Nichole