As part of the University's continual efforts to improve safety and living conditions in the Greek system, the Center for Alcohol and Substance Education was awarded a grant Friday from the U.S. Department of Education for programs to prevent high-risk drinking among fraternity and sorority members.
The $257,424, two-year grant titled "GEM: Preventing High-Risk Drinking Through Greek Environmental Management" outlines a variety of strategies to educate Greek members in responsible drinking.
One of the plans is to train one member of each Greek chapter in risk management skills. These would include knowledge of alcohol liability policies, training in drug and alcohol overdoses, and knowledge of eating disorders, among other skills.
"The grant will enable students to care for one another," said Aaron Laushway, director of the Office of the Dean of Students/Fraternity & Sorority Life.
Other programs include educational speakers followed by peer-led discussions, "mini-grants" for alcohol-free Greek events, and increased funding and training for Party Patrol, the Inter-Fraternity Council's enforcement group.
The grant is a "tremendous resource. It can only bring about terrific and effective results," Laushway said.
The chapters included in the grant are the organizations in the IFC, the Inter-Sorority Council, the Black Fraternal Council and the Multi-Cultural Greek Council.
Susan Bruce, director of CASE, said the grant is supported strongly by students. Bruce said the former IFC and ISC presidents wrote letters of recommendation to the Department of Education supporting the grant and that student involvement was one of the reasons the University was among the 14 schools out of 107 who won the grant.
"If we didn't have student support, we wouldn't have written it," she said.
She emphasized that students will be integrally involved in every step of the program.
Bruce said she applied for the grant in January, thinking the mood was right for some major new programs at the University.
In the last year, University administrators and national fraternity and sorority officials have been trying to de-emphasize the role of alcohol in Greek life. Resolution 2000, a national rule adopted by most sororities last summer, prohibits sororities from co-sponsoring social events with fraternities that include alcohol. Many national fraternity offices also have begun to adopt "dry" policies in their houses.
When asked if the Greek chapters will be required to participate in the program, Laushway replied, "it's an expectation"
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