It's last call at UNT fraternities

Harry · November 1, 2002

Last modified: 02:00 AM CST on Friday, November 01, 2002

Officials cite 'culture' of drinking for ban; students wanted input

11/01/2002

By JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News

Animal House at the University of North Texas just got tamed.

Officials have banned alcohol from all common areas of the university's seven fraternity houses because of a rise in underage drinking.

In addition, UNT announced Thursday that it was suspending the local chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha for the rest of the school year because of a hazing incident involving underage drinking.

"We just finally realized that a culture was formulating that was not a healthy environment for our students," said Bonita Jacobs, UNT's vice president for student development. "We very much needed to get their attention."

Consider them attentive.

People are upset," said Nick Carter, vice president of UNT's Interfraternity Council. "I don't think underage drinking is any worse in the houses than in the college as a whole."

The policy says that fraternity members older than 21 may drink alcohol in their rooms. But drinking in the halls, dens or any other common area is banned.

Dr. Jacobs said that the ban is temporary and that if fraternities show a commitment to improved behavior, drinking might be allowed back within a year.

The university was pressed into action by a marked increase in the number of underage drinking incidents. So far this semester, six of the 10 fraternities have faced university charges for violations of alcohol policy. In previous years, typically only one or two fraternities would be facing such charges at this point, Dr. Jacobs said.

"We've been keeping an eye on it all semester, and it was getting worse," she said.

She said the campus' Greek groups had made significant progress in recent years toward a more controlled atmosphere, but that "something changed in the culture this year."

One of the six fraternities accused this semester is Lambda Chi Alpha. The university said the group violated a number of school policies, including those on hazing, public intoxication and intimidation, and unspecified state laws. It's the third fraternity suspended by UNT since April 2000.

Lambda Chi Alpha members could not be reached Thursday. A phone number listed for the chapter has been disconnected.

During the last decade, a number of hazing- and alcohol-related incidents on campuses nationwide have led to a backlash against the excesses of Greek life. Some universities have banned fraternities and sororities; others have insisted that their houses be completely dry.

"Everyone is concerned about the risk management that goes on in the houses," said Stephen Hirst, Texas Tech University's fraternity adviser.

Dry by choice

Fraternities often have been willing to go along with stricter rules. Several national fraternities demand that their chapter houses be alcohol-free, and several of the UNT houses are dry by choice.

"We want other people to take pride in our houses as much as we do," Mr. Carter said. "So we've all been becoming more politically correct, you could say."

The new policy applies only to members of the Interfraternity Council, which includes the school's 10 historically white fraternities. It does not apply to the campus' sororities or its historically black or Latino Greek organizations, in part because none of those groups have houses of their own.

Only seven of the 10 IFC fraternities have houses, meaning the policy's impact will be minimal on the other three.

Historically, universities have had a stronger hand in regulating on-campus fraternities than those with houses not on university property. But the new policy applies equally to the five on-campus frats and the two off campus.

The university also announced that fraternities may still hold events with alcohol at places other than their houses, but only if they hire a third party such as a bar to serve the alcohol and check IDs.

Mr. Carter said that fraternity members were concerned less by the new policies than by how they were imposed.

"It's the fact it was handed down to us without our input," he said.

He said that the fraternity council is not informed when alcohol-related allegations are made against members, meaning the group cannot be proactive in fixing the problem.

What's next

The next step will be an evaluation of the existing rules governing fraternity parties to determine if they're strict enough. Already, many fraternity events must be approved by university officials, including advance submission of a guest list, designated drivers, and someone to check students' identification.

"I don't think it will be a lot of new rules and regulations as much as making sure they follow the rules already in place," Dr. Jacobs said.

In January, UNT plans a "leadership summit" with local, alumni, and national representatives of all the campus fraternities. Dr. Jacobs said she didn't want to estimate when drinking might return to the houses, but she said she hoped it would be measured "in months, not years."

E-mail jbenton@dallasnews.com

It's Last Call at UNT

DeepGreen · November 1, 2002

Omigosh! Drinking at UNT?

UNT96 · November 1, 2002

Maybe they will suspend the Greenbackers next. Stupid officials trying to justify their existence. Happens with any public service worker. Good thing my fraternity house a house off the row, maybe we can throw some massive parties now.

The AFLAC Duck · November 1, 2002

bahahahahaha!

FirefightnRick · November 1, 2002

This does not surprise me in the least. And I don't have a problem with it either. Whenever you have gatherings with alcohol there's a good chance that things can get out of hand. But the groups who do this and are associated with the university have been expected to monitor themselves since their membership includes those who are not of age. However, their efforts to keep a handle on it has failed leaving officials who are responsible to end it. They have a responsibility to provide a safe environment and are the ones who get sued by the parents every time a kid gets drunk and falls off of a balcony or dies of alcohol poisoning. Same thing with the hazing. It gets out of hand leaving those who are in charge no other options but to step in and apply the strong arm. The groups who are affected have no one to blame but themselves.

Surely this doesn't surprise anyone?

Rick

the green rokemi · November 1, 2002

it makes sense to me, if you can't control your crowd someone will do it for you....the last thing we want is for some major incident to happen and UNT be known nationally for it...

hmmm....the next step is to serve alcohol at games and viola! we have better attendence...

SilverEagle · November 1, 2002

I like the theory that more of the frats will start showing up at the tailgating as a result. Of course, the next step will be getting them to go into the stadium.........and then stay for the whole game. Dare we hope for them to yell (coherent yelling, that is) for the team during the game?

UNTLifer · November 1, 2002

I like the theory that more of the frats will start showing up at the tailgating as a result. Of course, the next step will be getting them to go into the stadium.........and then stay for the whole game. Dare we hope for them to yell (coherent yelling, that is) for the team during the game?

Not to get into the for and against arguement here, but my Fraternity has taken this stance from the beginning. We just completed construction of our house this fall, and have followed this from the start.

In reference to your post SilverEagle, Sigma Chi has always supported UNT football and entered the stadium and cheered together. So hopefully we will see you there. Better bring your binoculars if you are on the pressbox side, you know how far apart the stands are!! I agree and hope all the Fraternities follow suit, but from my observation at all the games at Fouts this year, the Fraternities has a large contingent in the stands.

Let's all support UNT and UNT athletics. Afterall, it is the University that prepared us for the real world.

Go Mean Green Eagles.