Fraternities face suspensions for party policy infractions
By Kathryn Spangler
Assistant News Editor

> February 16, 2001

After celebrating Pledge Night on Feb. 2, many fraternities found their social activities limited as a result of suspension.Tricia Richerson, the assistant director of Greek affairs, denied that all of the fraternities had been suspended, as many students had been led to believe. “It wasn’t all of them,” Richerson said. “It wasn’t even half of them.” Richerson did not name the fraternities that were suspended in the interest of protecting their privacy. “I don’t want to give out any of the names of the fraternities that were suspended,” Richerson said. “I’ve met with them, and it was confidential.”

The suspensions for individual fraternities will range from one to two weeks. A suspension simply entails a loss of social privileges. The violations committed by the fraternities covered a wide range of issues, including the use of glass bottles for beverages instead of cans, fraternities allowing more guests into parties than allowed by the fire codes of the buildings in which the parties were held and guests drinking alcoholic beverages without wearing the required wristbands indicating that they are at least 21 years-old. “If you’re twenty-one and you bring alcohol to a function, you are to be handed a wristband, and have a picture ID checked,” Richerson said. “It must be a picture ID. Then you’re supposed to go to the bar and give the bartender your alcohol. They will give you a BYOB card, and give you one beer at a time when you show them your BYOB card.”

Other alcohol issues also brought on the suspension of several fraternities. “Some of them had bartenders that were drinking,” Richerson said. “Party hosts are always supposed to be sober. I want to emphasize that I don’t know if any of them were drunk, but even if they are seen taking one little sip, that’s a violation.

“Some of the groups have difficulties closing down functions,” Richerson said. “They’re supposed to have the lights on and the music off at 1:30, and people out by 2.” In the event evaluations, fraternities are asked a number of questions about the events that took place during the party. Richerson said that no fraternities were suspended as a result of co-hosting a party with a sorority. “There weren’t any (co-sponsored parties),” Richerson said. “They’re not allowed to do that anymore. A rule was passed by the Panhellenic Council that said we would not co-sponsor alcohol-related events.”

Richerson feels that the meetings she held with the individual fraternity presidents to discuss the violations will bring about positive results. “I think that the fraternity presidents that I met with were very open to ideas and suggestions that I provided to them to go back to their organizations to try to make the events more safe and successful,” she said. She emphasized that safety is the key issue in terms of the regulation of fraternity parties. “We’re their biggest advocates,” Richerson said. “We want them to have functions, but we want them to be safe. There are so many liability issues that are attached to violations.” Richerson hopes that the fraternities will understand the university’s rulings. “We’re trying to protect the fraternities and protect the individuals that attend their functions. Anything could happen – someone could get sick, someone could get hurt. We try to be proactive and prevent these things from occurring.”