Universities with Greek Life Activities Suspended

[LaneSig]

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.

[CaliAggie]

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

[KSUViolet06]

Indiana University

University of Michigan

Ohio State

Florida State

Texas State

University of New Mexico (new, as of today.)

[Benzgirl]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Indiana University

University of Michigan

Ohio State

Florida State

Texas State

University of New Mexico (new, as of today.)

Ohio State is for fraternities only.

[clemsongirl]

University of West Florida

[ASTalumna06]

Penn State

[APhi2KD]

Originally Posted by clemsongirl

University of West Florida

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

[Kevin]

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?

[APhi2KD]

Originally Posted by Kevin

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’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.

[CaliAggie]

Originally Posted by APhi2KD

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.

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.

[Kevin]

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.

[APhi2KD]

Originally Posted by Kevin

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.

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...

[33girl]

Originally Posted by APhi2KD

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.

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.

[NYCMS]

Originally Posted by 33girl

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.

Agree. And binge drinking is a massive trend over the past 10 years or so - yes, college students have always been drinking a lot, but the binge drinking is a newer trend. That and students - not just girls, guys too - not eating before going to parties (to avoid weight gain) so they're drinking on empty stomaches. In the mental health field, a term has been coined for this: "Drunkerexia". Way worse consequences.

[mkaytay]

A student at my alma mater Case Western wrote a very thoughtful letter to the editor of the paper on this in 2016.

http://observer.case.edu/gurian-greek/

While a large percentage (usually about 1/3 of the 5000 undergrad students) of CWRU students are greek, as a whole it is a much smaller group of students to work with than the larger schools mentioned in this discussion, CWRU had membership reveiws for several fraternities, with one eventually also having charter revoked by nationals in 2016 (though looks like they're set to come back in 2020). From the alum rumor mill this (and an increase in required programming by the GLO) seem to be keeping things in line.

Like everyone else I don't know what the answer is. College kids are going to binge drink. I live near Ohio State and have heard rumors about fraternities or just a group of members going "underground" and off campus to live like they used to. I'm sure most of this is just an expression of frustration, but if the desire to belong to greek institutions exists, students will find a way to do it, so is it better to have it regulated?

I think about the OSU tradition of jumping into mirror lake before the Michigan game. The university did everything it could to try to stop it or try to separate themselves from liability but students still participated and one lost his life in 2015. After that, even with USG saying they wanted to end it, the Univeristy basically had to drain mirror lake and has been redeveloping the entire site for three years with no certainty that once it's reopened students won't go back to jumping in it in late November.

The threat of or actual closing probably still needs to be on the table as a stick in case the carrots don't work, but I don't know if a middle ground exists.