If alcohol is present at a Greek organization event, there need not be worry. That, at least, is the aim for a new guideline implemented for sororities and fraternities at Loyola.
According to the new off-campus events with alcohol policy, the maximum number of guests at an event with alcohol may not exceed two guests per member. The new guideline is a revision of a rule. It was an update of a policy that went into effect during the 90s.Originally the ratio was based on non-drinking monitors and was 25:1. Director of Co-Curricular Programs and the Danna Center Heather Roundtree said the decrease in the ratio stemmed from problems encountered with the original. Assistant Director of Student Leadership Jenna Rae Vercillo said the new rule is based on standards met by other schools as well.
“This isn’t just a Loyola thing. It’s like what our Jesuit peers that have Greek organizations are doing. What are our local peers doing. We look at that,” Vercillo said. The new rules were based on policies promoted by the Fraternity Insurance Purchasing Group, an organization that provides insurance and risk management policies to fraternities.
Roundtree said that the larger events hosted by the smaller Greek organizations are not good for them, nor do they reflect the FIPG guidelines the school wishes to follow regarding the consumption of alcohol at fraternity events. Some Greek organization members have reacted negatively towards this.
Theatre arts and mass communication junior Lauren Patton thinks these changes are negative. “I think that it ruined what used to be really fun around Halloween, like Magical Mystery Tour. Everybody got excited about MMT, not just the sororities, not just the fraternities,” Patton said.
Despite the complaints that may arise relating to the new guideline, Roundtree said that Greek organization input was incorporated in the decision-making process.
Additionally, for those worried about the size of the events, reducing them should be little concern. “One question that we’ve gotten from chapters is ‘If I have a group that is smaller, won’t I have an event that’s much smaller?’ Our push back to them is that you can always co-host an event with another organization,” said Roundtree.
Many of the on-campus chapters should not be very affected or surprised by these changes. According to Roundtree, some organizations on campus already have some of these standards in place from their national chapters.Roundtree said that the new guidelines are a good thing for the organizations. “Ultimately the goal is to help them effectively manage their event. Hosting an event with alcohol is one the riskiest things that Greek organizations do, and so that’s why those guidelines are set there to help them keep their event as safe as possible,” she said.
Etefia Umana can be reached [email protected]
