Rule may curb alcohol use at fraternity charity events

By Jill Lowthian

At a meeting of Interfraternity presidents Wednesday, the Interfraternity Council proposed additions to the Kolusis Guidelines and Policies, a set of risk management rules all council fraternities must follow.

If the fraternity chapter presidents vote to pass the proposed additions Feb. 6, it will affect the guidelines regarding fraternity philanthropy events, specifically influencing alcohol presence, registration and council monitoring of the events.

According to the proposed additions, the goal is to make sure philanthropy events are held in the spirit of the charities they benefit.

“It’s something that I haven’t had a problem with, but my predecessor told me there was a need for this,” said Doug McDonald, who began his term as the council’s vice president of service this semester.

The first of the three-part potential addition states that alcohol must not be present at any philanthropy event unless the event is hosted at a third-party vendor, McDonald said.

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“There have been several instances of the inclusion of alcohol at philanthropy events that have been problematic,” said Ashley Dye, assistant dean of students for fraternity and sorority affairs.

At the council meeting, McDonald encouraged chapter presidents to hold philanthropy events involving alcohol at a third-party vendor, such as a bar, instead of a fraternity house.

This will help to avoid having the philanthropy event perceived as a party and will hold the bar responsible for alcohol distribution, he said.

The second part of the potential addition states that all philanthropy events must be registered with the council at least two weeks before the event.

This will make it possible for the event to be publicized better, McDonald added.

The final part of the proposed addition requires that Kolusis monitors, fraternity men who oversee social events to ensure the guidelines are followed, attend all philanthropy events. The monitors will also take note of attendance and the amount of money raised, McDonald said.

“I don’t want this to sound like we’re trying to restrict anyone’s philanthropy events,” McDonald said. “It’s not a watchdog sort of deal.”

The proposed revisions were previously a part of the Kolusis Guidelines, formed in 1998, but were removed at some point throughout the years for unknown reasons, McDonald said. Despite this, the council does not expect any problems with enforcing the revisions, said Tariq Azam, the council’s vice president of risk management.

“Philanthropy events are the more public aspect of the Greek community because they’re open to everyone,” Azam said. “It will most likely be enforced, and I would be surprised if we have any problems with it.”