Universities with Greek Life Activities Suspended
 

This morning, the University of New Mexico announced that it will suspend most Greek activities until Feb. 19.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-sta...ife-activities

At this point in the game, I thought it would be easier to create one thread showing all the campuses that have suspended Greek Life activities instead of the multiple threads we currently have.

The University of Idaho announced yesterday that it is instituting a moratorium, unanimously supported by the Greek councils, on all alcohol-related Greek activities until further notice: http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/l...189474189.html

University of West Florida

Penn State

I'd be interested in hearing in general what things are changing at these schools before the FSL organizations are cleared of the suspension. What is changing?

I thought that was only two individual chapters. ΖΦΒ and ΤΚΕ?

I’d also be interested to hear from current Chapter Advisors—in light of the insanity going on in a few places and the subsequent threat to all GLOs, are Chapter Advisors taking a proactive approach and reiterating to the collegians how important it is to take extra care right now?
It makes me very angry how GLOs at some schools have done a seemingly good job of implementing new guidelines and others can’t even be bothered to check on drunk pledges. No one should be dying under the circumstances experienced this fall.

On that level, yes, I've already had communication with our FSL office re a current (maybe recently former) fraternity which engaged in some pretty horrible behavior (allegedly) as I wanted to get the FSL office and IFC to take strong public stances as to not receive a system wide shutdown order from on high. This is definitely something which crosses my mind every time I hear about any member of any FSL organization doing something stupid.

Regarding your second paragraph, with underage drinking being illegal, we can't have guidelines to check on drunk pledges because theoretically, all of our pledges are under the age of 21 and therefore shouldn't ever be drunk. In other words, our organizations can't adopt policies to ensure our members' safety when our members are violating the law. Their violating the law was their own choice and the organization can never be responsible for underage drinking.

Same here. I would also love to hear examples or best practices of schools and/or GLO's that have successfully implemented and sustained new guidelines. We need more positive models to point to.

Having just moved back to the US, I stupidly forgot about that.
I completely understand the legality issues you brought up.
But—I wish it wasn’t the case.

I know many schools have implemented alcohol awareness training (Think Drink, etc.), but that doesn’t go very far. I think it would be wonderful if GLOs trained their members (while never supplying alcohol themselves) how to behave IF they were to come across a group of people who had magically become inebriated.

If, for argument’s sake, the drinking age were 16 and it was acknowledged that drinking would occur, there ARE things that can be done—designated sober pledges required to monitor the intake of guests (hand stamps, etc), cut them off if necessary, drive them home, look out for drunken coeds. Teach all members never to leave a drunken friend, how to recognize signs of alcohol poisoning, etc.

I know of some places these practices are starting to be seen, but I’m also aware we’re in a world where some GLOs are still bruising people, so...

Teach it as part of a seminar on entering the work force. "Networking Away From The Office: Be Social, Not Sloppy." Targeted of course to post college behavior when everyone will be nice and legal. (But you can use it before then, nudge nudge wink wink.)

I think that more and more kids are coming to college with zero experience around alcohol (gone are the days when parents bought a keg and took keys to keep things safe, or even a beer or cooler at a family gathering) and they're going from zero to sixty in about a minute and a half. Couple that with the increased isolation-that's-saturation from social media, and it's no damn wonder things are the way they are.

Ohio State is for fraternities only.

Why couldn’t all University IFC offices work with each fraternity HQ to identify which groups are having issues? (Yes, initially, it would be much work to coordinate, but after that, it could be a monthly/bi-monthly report sent via email.) Each university IFC office could report incidents to the individual HQs and vise versa.

If this does already happen, it’s not working well.

Then, any verified issues for that campus could be given to PNMs prior to recruitment.
Just read the heartbreaking article of the Gruver parents who said if they had known the past hazing incidents of the LSU Phi Delt chapter, they would have asked their son if that group was the best to join. Plus, young men going through recruitment could ask members how they are addressing issues (hazing, low GPA, social probation, etc.).

If could help with accountability. Plus, the rest of the Greek groups on each campus already KNOW which groups haze, but most other groups wouldn’t “gossip” as it's considered bad form. Please don’t say Rush Disadvantage. With each misdeed, that chapter makes its bed.

This goes for NPC groups too.

Kevin - any legal concerns with this?

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/...464433723.html

Florida International University will suspend all Greek activities for at least one month.