All Greeks on Social Probation -- Jamea Madison U (to develop alcohol policies)

[exlurker]

http://breezejmu.org/2010/09/07/gree...-on-probation/

Excerpts from article:
Greek life on probation September 7, 2010 • By Ryan Platt,
HARRSIONBURG, Va. — All 24 social Greek organizations at JMU are on social probation until Oct. 5.

As of Thursday, 15 fraternities and nine sororities have been placed under social probation to rewrite their policies “to specifically address the areas of social events where alcohol may be present,” according to Paul Whatley, coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Life.

FSL staff in consultation with several chapter advisers and other university administrators came to an agreement for the probation, Whatley said.

According to Whatley, the reasoning behind the probation period was due to current suspension of policies regarding social events, which are likely to involve alcohol, as well as FSL judicial procedures for holding organizations accountable.

[It] “was a decision rooted in many incidents that have occurred over the past 12 months,” Whatley said.


. . . An e-mail sent to members of fraternities and sororities, obtained by The Breeze, included a one-page report on specific parameters that must be addressed in the new policies, including a guest list limit, a process for monitoring social gatherings and a definition of a party.

According to the e-mail, the social probation prohibits Greek organizations from “engaging, hosting, participating, financing, supporting or otherwise endorsing events where alcohol is present.”

Any violation of the probation regulations will result in a hearing with a judicial board composed of chapter advisers who will review the violations on a case-by-case instance.

The response from the Greek community itself has been a mix of uncertainty, confusion and even anger.

Katie Nowell, a junior health service administration major and president of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, explained the general situation and reaction from fraternities and sororities.

“I feel like there have been a lot of issues in Greek life, and it’s sort of been unsettling for a while,” Nowell said. “It’s kind of reached the breaking point. There were not necessarily any charges to certain organizations, it’s more like a problem within Greek life as a whole.”

. . . “Basically [the administration is] challenging the entire Greek community,” Nowell said. “They’re saying ‘Look, this is your sorority. What do you want to do with it? How do you want to change it?’ They want one cohesive group of Greek members trying to better the entire community.”

Nowell expressed the general willingness in ZTA to improve the situation, which seems to be shared across the rest of the Greek community.

Max Sedghi, a junior finance major, member of Sigma Chi and vice president of administration for the Interfraternity Council, explained the willingness of the Greek community to cooperate and move in a positive direction.

“We’re working with JMU to create a safer environment. And we’re completely willing to work with [Fraternity and Sorority Life],” Sedghi said.

However, he added that bringing up the need for changes was poor timing on part of FSL. Fraternity recruitment starts on Sept. 10 and sorority recruitment begins Sept. 22, according to the FSL website.

“We just don’t appreciate them doing this right now,” Sedghi said. “They had all summer to address the issue with us and work it out then, but they brought it up now.”

Sedghi expressed concern for the effect of the probation on potential pledge candidates.

Nowell, however, felt that rush would go unaffected.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a concern, because if they’re joining for strictly the social aspect of the sorority, then they’re joining for the wrong reason,” Nowell said. “I’m not concerned about losing the girls who just want to go to parties.” . . .

[ree-Xi]

Here are a few questions to think about...

If Greeks were strongly held to underage drinking laws and restrictions (such as armbands, 3rd party checking IDs, etc.), would membership decrease?

(Let's assume that the rules would apply to any recognized organization or group of individuals on campus, and not just members of fraternities and sororities. Obviously, Greeks are more visible as social organizations on campus, so more people would be aware of such events.)

I'm wondering about both the "blow out" parties that fraternities might typically throw, as well as private mixers between two organizations.

Do you think tighter regulations might affect fraternity membership more than sorority membership?

[33girl]

This probation will accomplish nothing. Greeks will ask non-Greek friends to loan them their house for a night. Or else the football and other sports teams will go right on having the ragers I'm sure they already have (which, surprise surprise, are never targeted). Not only that, they can still have "sober mixers" which only mean you don't drink anything AT the mixer.

They're not doing anything that other schools haven't been doing for decades (and that students haven't been getting around for decades).

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

Here are a few questions to think about...

If Greeks were strongly held to underage drinking laws and restrictions (such as armbands, 3rd party checking IDs, etc.), would membership decrease?

(Let's assume that the rules would apply to any recognized organization or group of individuals on campus, and not just members of fraternities and sororities. Obviously, Greeks are more visible as social organizations on campus, so more people would be aware of such events.)

I'm wondering about both the "blow out" parties that fraternities might typically throw, as well as private mixers between two organizations.

Do you think tighter regulations might affect fraternity membership more than sorority membership?

I find this interesting because every year on my campus the Greek community starts the year with a pretty Draconian attitude towards alcohol, which starts slipping halfway through the semester then disappears completely in the spring before May finals when it no longer matters because no one is drinking and partying anyway. So every time a campus tries this sort of action I think about the fall on my campus every year...and how the drinking simply moves to apartments for pre-gaming before going to the bar or a fraternity party. (Then again, all of the sororities have halls and only two fraternities have houses so generally speaking there are only two organizations on campus holding large events where alcohol might be present on their own property).

Originally Posted by 33girl

This probation will accomplish nothing. Greeks will ask non-Greek friends to loan them their house for a night. Or else the football and other sports teams will go right on having the ragers I'm sure they already have (which, surprise surprise, are never targeted). Not only that, they can still have "sober mixers" which only mean you don't drink anything AT the mixer.

They're not doing anything that other schools haven't been doing for decades (and that students haven't been getting around for decades).

Exactly.

And don't get me started on how sports teams behave...without consequence (most of the time).

I believe this is the case for every sorority on my campus, but for my chapter, showing up to a mixer/official event after drinking was taboo. So I have to say, I really don't get the need to drink before or during mixers. I always had fun sober.

Fraternity parties are another story. I would want to throw myself from a balcony if I weren't drinking at one of those. I'm not good at being stone cold sober when everyone else is wasted. I just want to hurt them all.

[exlurker]

Oh yes, it seems that every fall brings out the proposals on what to do about drinking. I'll bet that administrators must get weary of repeating the same ol', same ol' (with slight variations to try to keep it fresh). By the same token, GLOs most likely tire of the more or less earnest attempts to get "buy-in," to make changes (major, minor, or barely evident tweaks), and to swaddle all this effort in meetings, presenations, and so on.

A couple more reports of other current efforts; JMU's certainly not alone in looking at the issues:

Cornell:

http://www.cornellsun.com/section/ne...drinking-rules

http://www.cornellsun.com/section/ne...s-greek-policy

Syracuse:
http://www.dailyorange.com/news/stud...licy-1.1572296

[AGDee]

It's one thing to say "We are exploring new policies regarding parties with alcohol" and another to say "Everybody is on probation". The latter has a real negative connotation as if they are all being punished whereas the former simply says there is a moratorium until the policies are hammered out.

[exlurker]

Originally Posted by AGDee

It's one thing to say "We are exploring new policies regarding parties with alcohol" and another to say "Everybody is on probation". The latter has a real negative connotation as if they are all being punished whereas the former simply says there is a moratorium until the policies are hammered out.

Agreed. Thank you for saying that!