PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Brown University’s Campus Life Advisory Board Subcommittee on Alcohol and Other Drugs released a report in August that may have a profound impact on how fraternities conduct social events.
The report was released at the request of former Vice President for Campus Life and Student Services David Greene after last November’s Sex Power God party and a shooting the night before. It outlines a new alcohol policy that may be adopted campus-wide.
The most controversial component of the new report recommends a mandatory policy compelling all fraternities to implement a per-drink charge at social functions. Currently, fraternities are only required to charge flat cover fees.
The recommended policy has received mixed responses. While some fraternity leaders believe the per-drink charge could keep the level of unruliness down at fraternity parties, others believe the new policy would only encourage students to “pre-game,” an activity where students arrive at a party already intoxicated. And while organizers are required to prohibit intoxicated individuals from entering the party, organizers say it is very difficult to determine whether someone is sober until they are already inside.
Other recommended policies would forbid re-entry into social events, require party organizers to maintain a log of how many drinks a person has consumed at each party and require party organizers to undergo extra training, including certification for bartenders.
