Greek leaders proposed policy changes related to high-risk drinking, sexual misconduct, freshman safety, house renovations, faculty advisors and inclusivity in a letter sent to senior College administrators earlier this week.
A draft of the proposal was published on Dartblog Wednesday morning, though Greek leaders said that version is outdated and subject to change. The final proposal will be released publicly Thursday, Inter-Fraternity Council public relations chair Brett Drucker ’15 said.
Panhellenic Council president Rachel Funk '15 said proposals related to high-risk drinking, sexual misconduct and inclusivity will be different in the final draft, declining to specify further.
“My instinct is that the general framework is accurate,” Drucker said.
The leaked proposal recommends that Greek organizations hire third-party bartenders to serve hard alcohol at registered tails events, strengthen punishments for members found serving hard alcohol to underage drinkers, encourage the use of kegs instead of bottles and cans, require College-paid, third-party bouncers to monitor large parties and work with state officials to track who buys hard alcohol. The proposal requests an exemption to the bartender policy for coed Greek houses that have not been found responsible for an alcohol violation in more than three years to incentivize membership.
The draft also proposes that Greek organizations remove a member from their organization if he or she is suspended by the College for sexual misconduct and organize a summit to produce bystander intervention guidelines. Easily identifiable, trained sober monitors should monitor Greek house events with more than 50 attendees, according to the published proposal.
The proposal also recommends a termly discussion between Greek organizations and non-Greek student groups to educate members on race, gender, class and sexual orientation, as a way of promoting inclusivity.
The draft describes a number of Greek financial aid policies. Panhell is working to establish a scholarship fund through the Development Office, while the IFC plans to begin providing 70 financial aid grants of $100 per year based on an anonymous application process, according to the draft.
As of Wednesday morning, the IFC was still debating parts of the financial inclusivity section, Drucker said.
The document outlines policies designed to protect freshmen through increased contact between Greek houses and undergraduate advisors, suggesting that Greek representatives speak at a freshman floor meetings. The proposal also indicates that Greek organizations should provide UGAs with contact information for all presidents and risk-managers and that freshmen receive hand stamps upon entering Greek houses.
The document asks the College to help Greek organizations renovate their houses and promises a reduction in the number of pong tables in return. Adding seating in Greek houses could lead to “more diverse social interaction” and slower alcohol consumption, the proposal suggests.
The draft recommends that each Greek organization have a male and female faculty advisor, who could hold open office hours, attend academic events and review the chapter’s academic performance, among other things.
In a statement from Panhell, the proposal notes benefits of all-female organizations, which it says provide safe spaces for women and provide them with leadership opportunities
“There are problems in it that the Panhellenic Council has not agreed to,” she said.
The Gender-Inclusive Greek Council, formerly known as the Coed Council, has not yet decided whether it will vote to sign the final document, Cramer said.
“This is not official,” Cramer said. “There are some changes that are being made and probably some inaccuracies.”
Drucker said the proposal leaked on Dartblog was a “collaborative draft” among Greek presidents and councils that was accessible to a number of people.
IFC president Wil Chockley ’15 sent the draft to College President Phil Hanlon, interim Dean of the College Inge-Lise Ameer, special assistant to the President Laura Hercod and Board of Trustees Chair Bill Helman, copying Cramer and Funk on the email. Chockley could not be reached for comment by press time.
Drucker is a member of The Dartmouth senior staff.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
Correction appended (Nov. 5, 2014):
The application process for the70 grants of $100 per year is through the IFC, not through individual houses.
