In another series of steps to make the Greek social scene safer, the Charlottesville Fire Department has begun working with University officials to prevent overcrowding at parties held at fraternity houses.
The Charlottesville Fire Department has begun measuring the floor space area of fraternity houses so that a limit can be determined for the number of individuals allowed inside.
Deputy Fire Chief Charles C. Werner said the Charlottesville Fire Department will work alongside the University when inspecting houses.
Fire officials "are going to be working on what the occupancy level should be," Werner said.
According to Aaron Laushway, assistant dean of students for fraternity and sorority life, a recent overcrowding incident at the Beta Theta Pi house precipitated the move to control admission to parties.
Laushway also noted that the new Charlottesville fire marshal is focusing on overcrowding at fraternity houses.
"The new fire marshal takes his job very seriously," Laushway said. "Occupancy is something he has been talking about."
Sept. 9, the Inter-Fraternity Council passed a resolution prohibiting non-Greek organizations from renting out fraternity houses for social events. The move comes in response to a number of recent incidents involving Greek houses and parties.
Before the IFC passed the resolution prohibiting non-Greek members from renting fraternity houses, the hosting fraternity was responsible for any major incidents that occurred in its house.
According to Laushway, when a non-fraternal group rents a house and holds a party, it risks reaching a certain number of occupants, making it a nightclub by definition. When this occurs, the house must abide by a different set of laws than those that apply to a simple residence.
The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs only is focusing now on rent-outs because of the increased liability for the fraternity. Liability increases when a house rents itself out rather than hosting its own party.
Laushway explained that if a fire were to break out, the fraternity would be held responsible. Last week's resolution banning rent outs, which went into effect this weekend, ensures that the fraternity is only responsible for its own parties.
Werner noted that the regulation of crowds is merely a safety issue. "Our main concern is that no U.Va. student or visitor dies," Werner said.
It still has not been determined how this resolution will be enforced.
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