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Student forum reviews Gym Jam policies, considers proposal
By Will Wingfield
Managing Editor

About a dozen students gathered at 9:30 p.m. March 5 in the Black Student Alliance office to discuss unified party security guidelines for both traditional fraternity lounge parties, and Gym Jams, dry social functions held by historically black national fraternities and sororities.

The guidelines, proposed by the Student Government Race Relations Committee last week, splits on-campus parties into three levels of security. Under current university policy, Gym Jams in Reynolds Gym require a police presence, and guests must present a valid college ID and pass through metal detectors.

At other Greek-sponsored parties in residence hall lounges party hosts must sign students in with a university ID or driver’s license.

During the meeting, community members and black student leaders expressed outrage over the current policies, but also discussed possible methods of remedying the perceived inequality between Gym Jams and traditional lounge parties.

"I don’t think it’s worth the trouble I have to go through to get into a Gym Jam," said senior Sabrina Parker, a Race Relations Committee member.

"It reflects a distrust for black students and fraternities, that they can’t even run their own parties," said senior Nicklaus Spruill, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

The Gym Jam policy, which stemmed from an incident at a similar party held in 1995, was reviewed Feb. 26 by seven administrators and staff members from Residence Life and Housing, University Police and Student Life.

Although the committee’s recommendations are still secret, Barbee Oakes, the director of the office of multicultural affairs said teh recommendations "would provide a positive balance between equity in the policies on campus and the safety for our students."

Ken Zick, the vice president for student life and instructional resources, said he has received the committee’s final recommendations, and plans to discuss the proposal further with students before taking action later this month. The pending policy change must also be reviewed by the university’s legal department before being implemented.

He said, "I want to be able to share some of those recommendations with folks to see how they will respond to them … (so that) those who sponsor Gym Jams are comfortable."

Despite pending administrative revisions, Parker plans to present a race relations committee bill at the next SG General Assembly meeting, to be held March 19. Some of the meeting’s debate centered on whether the third category, which provides for current level of security at Gym Jams, should be taken out of consideration.

However, Parker said the bill will still see a challenge from within Student Government. SG President senior Jordan Brehove ran last April on a platform promoting less restrictive social policies.

According to Parker, "Ryan (Ramsey), the speaker of the house, has said that any bill that is presented to increase party security will not pass."

Should the proposal be defeated, other ideas presented at the forum included holding a Gym Jam with no off-campus guests, or hosting a traditional Alpha Phi Alpha party with alcohol in rented lounge space, which Spruill said was allowed under the organization’s national charter.

"I think that the majority (at the Gym Jams) would say that they still want metal detectors, still want cops, just to feel safe at their parties," Spruill said.

Parker disagreed. "Thugs are not partying at Wake Forest."

Noting that mostly students go to Gym Jams, Kelly added, "Thugs don’t go to college."

"

As Kelly added, "Thugs don’t go to college."