UpDate - Vol. 14, No. 8, Page 2
October 20, 1994
'Party' demonstrates risk-management techniques

     Sigma Phi Epsilon and members of the Interfraternity Council
(IFC) hosted a first-of-its-kind party Oct. 11 for administrators,
faculty, members of the University community and officers in campus
Greek organizations.
     The party, or rather mock party, was actually a demonstration of
risk management techniques mandated by the Fraternity Insurance
Purchasing Group (FIPG) for holding campus parties where alcohol is
served.
     Mike Piacente, president of the IFC and a brother in the Sigma
Phi Epsilon fraternity, said the party had two purposes: To show
concerned members of the community how fraternities attempt to
guarantee both the safety of their guests and compliance with the law
and to demonstrate for all fraternity presidents exactly how the risk-
management procedures mandated by the FIPG should be implemented.
     The mock party was an informal gathering and did not serve
alcohol, but FIPG guidelines-which are the official policy of the IFC
and which must be used at all alcohol-serving Greek social events-were
strictly adhered to.
     In the six-part registration/check-in process, all guests were
required to have valid invitations, checked for both state and
University identification, and required to sign in. Piacente explained
that guests at typical parties also would be required to give their
Social Security numbers, which aids in tracking down anyone
responsible for trouble at a party. Door checkers are generally senior
members of the fraternity executive board, Piacente said.
     A brother doing line control duty noted that lingering outside
the door was not permitted. Guests must be in or out, and out meaning
gone.
     Dean of Students Tim Brooks agreed, stating that one aim of the
party regulations was to keep potentially troublesome groups of people
from forming outside buildings.
     After being checked for IDs, guests were assigned a blue hospital-
style wristband if they were over 21. Younger guests were clearly
marked with large Magic Marker letters on the backs of their hands.
     Once inside the mock party, guests were conducted through a tour
of the house, and the various "duty stations," used to keep order and
minimize risk at parties, were explained.
     Robert Moore of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity explained that his job
was to keep fire doors clear and to prevent anyone, brother or guest,
from using any entrance or exit but the monitored main door. Other
brothers acted as bathroom and stairwell monitors, keeping traffic
moving smoothly, watching for disruptive behavior and making sure that
exit routes would be clear in case of emergency.
     Piacente explained the parties' formal alcohol-redemption
policies. He stated that all parties are "bring your own." Guests over
21 years of age are allowed to bring a maximum of six cans of beer. No
glass bottles, hard liquor or wine are permitted into the house.
     Guests give their drinks to a beer collector stationed at the
door in exchange for a number of tickets corresponding to the number
of cans of beer brought, and beer runners bring the beer straight to
an area behind the bar. Piacente emphasized that all brothers
responsible for handling alcohol must be at least 21 years old.
     Inside the house, bartenders give guests one beer for each
ticket. Only one drink may be redeemed at a time, and guests are not
permitted to hold more than one beer at one time. Jay Dickens of Zeta
Beta Tau, one of the party's bartenders, noted that both bartenders
and roving monitors keep an eye out for underage drinking.
     The walls of the fraternity house featured large, clearly
lettered signs pointing out where safe rides/safe walks, non-alcoholic
beverages and food could be obtained. Dickens said that hosts are
required to provide alternative beverages for non-drinkers and
underage guests, and non-salted food must be available at all times,
he said. (Salt increases thirst, which may cause a guest to drink more
or more quickly.)
     Many of those involved with the event said it was very important
to let concerned members of the University community see that
fraternity parties are, as Brooks said, "not wide-open and out of
control." He stressed that if FIPG guidelines are followed correctly,
social functions can be conducted safely and without breaking any
laws.
     Both Brooks and Christine Cook, coordinator of greek affairs,
said it is important to dispel misconceptions and to provide clear
answers and information to those who have an interest in or concerns
about the Greek community.
                                                    -Kathleen Therrien