Dean of the College Lee Pelton said the College plans to review Dartmouth's current alcohol policy next fall, a little more than a year after it went into effect.
"It was our plan when we made these revisions that we'd have a review of the revisions after the first year," Pelton said. The policy went into effect in the beginning of Spring term 1993.
Pelton said there will be no changes before he begins the review next fall.
Though Pelton said it is "too early" to say how the review will be structured, he said a committee, composed of students, administrators, faculty and alumni, will be created to oversee the project.
Under the current alcohol policy the number of kegs allowed at a party is based on the number of students over the age of 21 on campus at the time. The previous alcohol policy did not allow kegs or other common sources in Greek houses.
Houses now must register parties and the number of kegs with the Office of Residential Life.
Student monitors greet partygoers at house doors and give students who are of legal drinking age brightly-colored bracelets. The system also requires roving student monitors to patrol the parties.
An organization is allowed to register alcohol for a party lasting up to a maximum of five hours. The mathematical formula is designed to allow one beer each hour for every legal-age drinker.
Although there have been no major complaints since the policy began, students and administrators admit the policy has flaws.
"It's kind of a very stretchy formula to begin with," said Guy Harrison '94, the former president of the Interfraternity Council, in an interview with The Dartmouth in Oct. 1993.
The IFC, which oversees the College's fraternities, was instrumental in the development of the policy.
Associate Dean of Residential Life Deb Reinders previously told The Dartmouth that it is possible for more kegs to be on campus than the formula is supposed to permit.
That means every student of legal drinking age could have more than one beer an hour, but Reinders said, "I am not sure that there will be so many kegs out."
The policy also cannot stop organizations from purchasing kegs that they do not register.
Reinders would not speculate as to how an organization might conceal kegs from the College. She did explain that in the past, if an illegal keg was found, the Coed Fraternity Sorority Judicial Council has doled out $100 fines and social restrictions.
The CFS Judicial Council adjudicates Greek house offenses. It is made up of four students and Dean of Residential Life Mary Turco.
Pelton said he would not surmise what changes would be made or upon what the discussion would focus.
Reinders also declined to speculate what changes the review committee might consider.
Matt Miller '96, president of Alpha Delta fraternity, said believes the current system works well.
"It is much better than what we had before and it seems to be working," Miller said. "The best thing about the current policy is the student monitors."
