Due to recent announcements by Hanover Police that the department would implement alcohol law compliance checks at campus Greek organization events, Greek organizations are reviewing their security and alcohol policies but have not cancelled any Winter Carnival Greek events, representatives from Greek organizations, the Panhellenic Council, the Greek Leadership Council and the Inter-Fraternity Council said.
In a press release Wednesday, Hanover Police Chief Nicholas Giaccone later announced that Hanover Police would indefinitely delay its implementation of the compliance checks.
At a Feb. 4 meeting with Greek organization leaders and advisors, Giaccone announced that the department would launch a new alcohol law enforcement policy in the coming months to address a perceived rise in alcohol use and abuse by underage individuals.
Prior to Giaccone's announcement this week, members of the Dartmouth and Hanover community met with Hanover Police to address concerns over the new policy, according to Inter-fraternity Council Vice President David Imamura '10.
Statements made by Brian Walsh '65 Th '66, the chairman of the Hanover Town Select Board, at the Monday Board meeting influenced the decision to delay the compliance checks, according to the release. Walsh said that students will be charged with forming "meaningful measures to reduce alcohol abuse" during the meeting.
"The town shares with the College the goal of reducing the risks to student health and safety posed by excessive alcohol consumption," Giaccone wrote in the release. "From the statements made in recent days, it is clear that the Greek Leadership Council and other involved student groups also share this goal and are committed to working energetically to achieve harm reduction."
Following the initial policy change, Greek presidents from each house agreed in a Jan. 6 meeting that every organization would follow the same policies regarding ID checks at Greek house doors. This shard policy would ensure that all students "know what to expect when they go out," GLC Public Relations Chair Eli Mitchell '10 said.
"We are really going to enforce that students show their Dartmouth ID," Mitchell said. "If they don't have a Dartmouth ID, like alumni, they'll need to show a government issued ID showing that they're older than 21."
Students should also expect Greek organizations to wrist-band those students over 21 years of age, Mitchell said.
While these policies already apply to registered parties, Greek organizations will implement them during non-registered parties as well, Mitchell said. "The GLC is making recommendations of best practice' guidelines for houses to follow, but enforcement may vary from house to house," she said.
"Nothing really changes, but under these circumstances, everyone's going to be a lot more stringent, a lot more careful," Chi Gamma Epsilon fraternity's advisor Jim Adler '60 said.
Despite the press release Wednesday, Greek organization leaders have said their organizations will continue to reassess their alcohol and risk management policies.
"In light of the recent press release, I feel that now more than ever is a time for vigilance in regards to serving alcohol," Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity president Eric Schwager '10 said in an e-mail to The Dartmouth. "This is a huge opportunity for the Greek system and the student body at large to show both the College and the town that we are in this together and striving for effective risk-management policies that protect students."
Chi Gam has not altered its plans to hold an open registered party Friday night, Adler said in an e-mail to The Dartmouth. Students will be required to present proper identification, and students over 21 years of age will receive wristbands.
"We welcome Chief Giaconne's decision, and we look forward to working with the College and [Hanover Police] to find effective ways to reduce an acknowledged problem unsafe, high-risk alcohol consumption," he said.
Several campus-wide e-mails that advertised Winter Carnival parties at Greek houses requested that students bring Dartmouth IDs to registered events.
We're all in this together the whole campus," Panhell president Amaka Nneji '10 said following the initial policy change. "Greek, unaffiliated, everyone. This directly impacts the Dartmouth experience."
