The Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Association are gearing up to officially present their revisions of the proposed social policy to university officials, and their strategy takes a page out of Student Association President Andrew Thomson’s book.

The new policy, which was crafted by the Campus Security subcommittee on greek life last spring in an attempt to minimize the risks faced by fraternities and sororities, would place new restrictions on greek parties and the serving of alcohol. The policy would ban greeks from holding parties at local bars on weeknights and would keep bars from sponsoring greek philanthropic events, among other things.

IFC President Tom Toole, a senior finance and accounting major, presented the changes to the SA Assembly Monday and said that the greek community’s strategy in trying to win university support for the revisions will mirror Thomson’s successful promotion of SA’s scheduling paradigm promotion.

Toole said the revision emphasizes self-governance by greeks, including the registration of parties with governing greek councils and allowing the greek review board to determine whether chapters will be allowed to hold parties where alcohol is served on weekdays. Other changes include eliminating the ban on philanthropy sponsorship by bars.

‘This is probably one of the biggest issues that IFC and Panhel have had to face,’ Toole said.

While SA has no official jurisdiction over the social policy, Thomson said the Assembly is looking to support the greeks. SA will look at the policy over the next week and may pass a resolution endorsing either the specific revisions or the general move towards greek self-governance, Thomson said. The policy presents a challenge for SA representatives, who may not be familiar with the minutiae of greek governance.

During his presentation, Toole leveled criticism at the Campus Security subcommittee on greek life, saying that the ideas brought up by the three students serving on the committee were ignored by other members. Joe Oravecz, associate dean of students in the Office of Greek Life and Experiential Learning, countered that claim and said that while the student’s ideas weren’t blatantly ignored, some were not feasible. Some of the student’s recommendations did make it into the proposal, and students will have an opportunity to give feedback on the policy through a website.

‘This is not a done deal, by far,’ Oravecz said.

Toole will update SA on the subcommittee’s response to the revisions at the next Assembly meeting Nov. 24.

Published on November 17, 2003 at 12:00 pm