Fraternities Oppose U. of Colorado's New Standards Aimed at Curbing Hazing

[RUgreek]

Fraternities Oppose U. of Colorado's New Standards Aimed at Curbing Hazing

By ELIZABETH F. FARRELL

National and local fraternity leaders have denounced new standards aimed at curbing drinking and hazing problems at the University of Colorado at Boulder. University officials came under increased pressure to respond to fraternity problems following the alcohol-related death of a freshman pledge in September.

Administrators at Boulder approved the standards last week and said Greek organizations would lose their university privileges if they did not agree to the new rules by April 29.

Representatives of the North American Interfraternity Conference and campus chapters said they had no problem with several of the rules. Among those are standards requiring fraternities and sororities to have a staff member in residence at their houses, follow all local and national laws, and meet the academic standards set forth by their national chapters.

But the groups oppose an additional condition that would require them to postpone rush activities for new members until the spring semester. Traditionally, freshman rush takes place during the fall semester.

University administrators say that delaying rush would give students more time to adjust to college life and make informed decisions about joining fraternities and sororities. They also contend that students need more time to concentrate on the academic demands of college before they get involved in fraternity and sorority pledging events.

"With a full semester under their belt, perhaps they will make better choices if or when they are put in challenging situations that they aren't comfortable with," said Laura Strohminger, director of the Greek Liaison Office at Boulder.

About 160 of the 800 colleges with Greek systems have a rule postponing rush until the spring semester, and many have imposed the standard recently in an effort to limit hazing and alcohol-related problems.

Fraternities at Boulder, however, have garnered support from their national organizations to oppose the postponement policy.

"That rule is not going to solve issues of alcohol abuse," said Jon Williamson, executive vice president of the North American Interfraternity Conference, an umbrella organization that represents 5,000 fraternity chapters. "In addition, we feel that it takes away students' constitutional right of freedom of association. ... What's stopping them from deciding that rush can be postponed until six weeks before graduation?"

Ms. Strohminger said that many fraternity leaders were concerned that postponing rush would result in less student interest in their organizations. Many fraternities have struggled recently with dwindling membership nationwide.

The university's ability to control Greek organizations is somewhat limited. Fraternities and sororities at Boulder are completely independent of the institution, Ms. Strohminger said. None of the fraternity houses are on the campus or owned by the institution.

Although Greek organizations do not need the university's recognition to operate, they receive "more benefits from us," Ms. Strohminger said, and they "expect students to make a much bigger commitment than other organizations on campus."

In addition to financing Ms. Strohminger's office, the university also foots the bill for campus office space provided to two groups that represent fraternities and sororities at Boulder, the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council. Any fraternity or sorority that does not sign the agreement would lose access to those offices and other campus facilities and resources.

"We've been in conversation with them, and the hope is that they will sign the agreement," said Ms. Strohminger. "We will be meeting with each fraternity individually to discuss it."

The 18-year-old pledge who died in September, Lynn Gordon Bailey Jr., was pronounced dead in the Chi Psi fraternity's library. According to a Boulder police report, he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.328 percent, well above Colorado's legal limit of 0.08 percent. The previous evening fraternity brothers had instructed Mr. Bailey and other pledges to finish a combined total of 10 bottles of wine and whiskey and informed them that "no one is leaving until the whiskey is gone," according to one witness.
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RUgreek

[AGDee]

The Greeks at the University of Michigan were able to talk administration out of an identical directive about deferred recruitment when the national organizations' representatives and alumni got involved. They need to get those big donors who are greek alumni to get fired up with letter writing campaigns. I believe that's what made the difference at the U of Mich. I believe they accepted the other components (live in supervisors, alcohol free housing, etc)

Dee

[DeltAlum]

I suppose there might be a chance to negotiate away the deferred rush, but it may be that The University of Colorado has suffered enough from all of its internal strife along with the alcohol death this year.

They may be in a position where they have to clean up ALL of their problems, including a Greek System that is thought to be out of control

In our case, it's a moot point because we don't have a presence at Colorado anymore, but our Beta Kappa Chapter was at one time a huge force not only on the Boulder Campus, but all over the state and large parts of the West. It's alumni include one of the original 7 Mercury Astronauts, a former U.S. Senator who was also student body president and later president of the University of Northern Colorado (and most recently considered for the post of interim President of C.U., a number of pro athletes and men who are now in political and financial power positions in the Denver area.

I'm not sure a single one of them would walk across the street to support a new chapter or the fraternity system at Colorado.

In the Delt case, strike three and it's over.

It's sad, but they (the alumni) were burned numerous times because of the atmosphere of alcohol and drugs which at least were rampant in the Greek community at C.U. At one point, they donated $1.5 million to refurbish one of the most beautiful Delt Shelters in the country, only to have the new "brothers" trash it within six months.

I suspect if we ever considered re-colonizing C.U. (which is highly unlikely) that we would be happy with the changes.

Even if they worked just a little, it would be better than our last experiences in Boulder.

It's sad. But I said that before, didn't I?

[BSUPhiSig'92]

I think there has also been so much political fallout as a result of what's happened at CU (can you say bye-bye to the Chancellor?) that those who control the money in Denver are saying to the University "Get your campus under control or else." I think it is ultimately going to come down to a court decision, and I don't think the history of the fraternity system at Colorado is going to do it many favors, just like the case of that one fraternity at Pitt several years ago (I can't remember the name of the case).

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by BSUPhiSig'92
...can you say bye-bye to the Chancellor

The president is already gone, having resigned under heavy pressure from -- well, I was going to say the Legislature, but really from pretty much everyone.

They're looking for an interim right now.

A top candidate was Delt brother and former U.S. Senator Hank Brown, who was Student Body President at CU and has also been president at the University of Northern Colorado. Unfortunately, a legislator allegedly went to Brown and said that his committment to diversity was going to be questioned, and Brother Brown withdrew his name because he didn't want to cause the committee any more problems -- whether the allegation had any merit or not.

I should add that when he was president at U.N.C., he was very supportive of the Greek System there and actually came to some Delt recruitment events -- although he was always very fair to speak highly of the system, not the Fraternity or the chapter.