ZETA PSI, a member of the University's Inter-Fraternity Council, was recently found guilty of holding an unsanctioned rush event last fall that involved providing alcohol to underage first year students. After this event, a first year student with a BAC level of .22 was allowed to drive himself home, endangering both his own life and those of others. While that student is certainly responsible for his own actions, the gross negligence of Zeta Psi in holding this event cannot be stated enough.
Despite a recommendation from its judiciary committee to remove IFC recognition of Zeta Psi, the IFC's President's Council voted last Thursday to ignore that recommendation and hand down a lesser punishment in the form of social probation, fines and community service. While IFC president Andy Paradis is quoted as saying these sanctions "will offer the fraternity a chance to rehabilitate," a critical person cannot take this statement seriously. The most serious of these sanctions -- social probation -- can easily be evaded by Zeta Psi through the use of satellite houses and informal parties. Zeta Psi has been in and out of trouble with the IFC for various offenses in the past several years, including guests dressing up in blackface at a Halloween party.Despite its history as a problem fraternity, Zeta Psi has managed to avoid any serious trouble with the IFC. Instead of sending a message that irresponsible behavior will not be tolerated, the IFC's actions basically state that real consequences can be avoided by its fraternities.
While this may seem like an isolated incident, it signifies a larger problem within the IFC: the inability of fraternities to hold themselves accountable to the standards they themselves have set forth. All IFC fraternities are required to attend six educational programs a year, called FOAs, to maintain a relationship with the University. A good idea in theory, but it doesn't work very well in practice. At the IFC's sexual assault FOA earlier this semester, not enough rooms were booked in Cabell and fraternity members were allowed to sign in and walk away, learning absolutely nothing about that day's topic. Last Wednesday at a hazing FOA, numerous fraternity and sorority members simply signed attendance sheets and left Newcomb theater before the presentation even started. The IFC's approach to membership education is completely inadequate and needs revising.
While IFC officials will gladly state that Greeks are only exceeded in community service by Madison House, the commitment to community service is a joke. According to the IFC website, fraternities "raise over $50,000 for local and national charities" annually. There are 32 fraternities in the IFC. So the average fraternity donates a paltry $1,562.50 a year to charity. The average fraternity probably spends more than that on alcohol in a semester, let alone a year. While the IFC sponsors a few service events, such as the Crimson War blood drive, it displays no real commitment to encouraging fraternities to step up to their individual service obligations.
The IFC's vaunted Party Patrol is the most cited example of fraternities' ability to govern themselves. Under an agreement with the local police, fraternity members are allowed to regulate their own parties. A few brothers from different houses will patrol fraternity parties on weekend nights, making sure houses are checking student IDs and not serving alcohol to students under 21. As someone who has done Party Patrol, I can attest to the fact that most fraternities' method of verifying a partygoer's age is by simply asking them "Are you 21?" with the expected answer always being "Yes," and no attempt being made to check an actual ID. Open parties are central to the Greek social scene, and it is understood that Party Patrol will turn a blind eye to these practices.
Although an entire column could be written about it, it suffices to say that the prevalence of hazing is an open secret at this school. Those pledges on your hall aren't leaving the dorm at 1 a.m. to go for a run. Hazing is practiced by many of our fraternities, and the IFC is unlikely to take any serious action to combat it. What these examples illustrate is a lack of true accountability in the fraternity system. The IFCJC took a principled position in recommending Zeta Psi's removal from the IFC, only to be shot down by the IFC President's Council. Too many members of the IFC are only interested in protecting the status quo, and anyone who attempts real change is met with resistance and hostility.
To any Greek man who questions why any of this is important, I would refer him to the indefinite ban on first year fall rush by the University. The decision to ban fall rush was directly related to the inability of Greeks to manage their own affairs responsibly. Student self-governance is an important ideal but it is not and never has been a right, and in this day and age it will not perpetuate itself. It has to be taken seriously by those entrusted with governing. Fraternity leaders who make irresponsible decisions jeopardize the privilege of self-governance for future generations.
Ezana Teferra is a third year in the College.
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