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IFC approves new risk policy

Bradley’s Interfraternity Council is one step closer to lifting the moratorium that was placed on fraternity social events early last week. 

A new risk management policy was unanimously passed at an emergency IFC gavel meeting Wednesday evening.

A representative from each chapter was present for the vote and IFC president senior Alex Kapustka said he had no doubt the policy would pass.

“Everyone understands [the new policy] and that it is for the best interest of their chapter and will protect them,” said Kapustka. “The chapters also wanted the moratorium to be lifted.”

Although IFC voted and approved a new risk management policy, Interim Vice President of Student Affairs Nathan Thomas said the moratorium will be lifted within the next week.

“We’re going to communicate the announcement to chapter presidents and then they would spread the word to their houses,” he said. “We are still working with IFC to finalize the enforcement and education processes, so the completion of that will dictate when the moratorium is lifted.”

The policy is very similar to the previous policy in place; however, there is a stronger focus on enforcing the policy.

“The new policy flushed out a lot of the gray areas of the old policy,” said Kapustka. “It now explains how the policy will be enforced as opposed to the old policy that just said it should be.”

The risk management policy will enforce a BYOB policy, only allowing those of legal age to bring alcohol, and prohibits hard alcohol to be consumed in open party rooms at fraternity parties. In addition, chapters will be required to have guest lists for all fraternity parties.

“Honestly there is no good way to have a house party anymore,” said Delta Tau Delta Chapter President junior Alex Goergen. “Part of Bradley’s alcohol policy is that you are not allowed to walk with alcohol on campus, thus making it impossible for BYOB parties to even exist… We would check both their driver’s license and Bradley ID. If they are carrying a bag we will ask to check their bag to make sure that there is not any hard alcohol in them and then let them in.”

Goergen said he thought the transportation of alcohol wasn’t the only problem with the new party policy.

“The difficulties I see with this new policy is the amount of people that will be crowded in our front room waiting to come in,” he said. “I don’t see how I will be able to organize such chaos.”

While a BYOB policy was included of the previous risk management policy, it was never enforced, Kapustka said.

“It wasn’t enforced because no one wanted to follow the policy, both IFC and chapters,” he said. “No one cared enough.”

Because this will be the first time Bradley’s IFC community will collectively follow a BYOB policy, Thomas said he expects there to be some difficult adjustments.

“There will certainly be a learning curve,” he said. “We know that and we expect that. But this will be a continual learning process. We are at a good starting point where we can move forward consistently.”

Kapustka said those chapters who may take longer to effectively execute the policy will not be punished.

“Over the next month [IFC] will be patrolling parties every week,” he said. “There will be a grace period for chapters to go through these growing pains because they have never had to do this before, and IFC and the university doesn’t want to punish them for that.”

Thomas said communication is key to ensuring that chapters understand and follow the new policy, but IFC members are the leaders in this student driven process.

“Chapters will be responsible for implementing the BYOB and guest list policies,” Kapustka said. “But if IFC finds they are not complying to the policy there will be charges brought against them through [IFC] judicial board.”

While the enforcement of a new policy may change fraternity social events on campus, Theta Chi Chapter President junior Zak Thompson said he sees it as a positive change.

“I think this new IFC risk policy shows how well our greek community can come together and create a policy that will keep not only our members safe but our guests as well,” he said.

The Perfect Party, a training opportunity for greek members to experience what the ideal risk management-compliant party should look like, will be hosted at Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike) on Friday, Feb. 22.

“[The new risk management policy] really gives all of our chapters a fresh start and allows us to move forward,” said Kapustka.

 

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