Greek-letter alcohol policies top the list of problems with which fraternity and sorority leaders must deal, according to a report recently published by the Student Association’s ad hoc Greek Affairs committee.
The report, which has not been officially released, has caused tension in the Greek-letter community, fraternity members and administrators said. The committee was created by SA undergraduate Sen. Aaron Chacker (CSAS) to explore and resolve issues in the community.
Committee members heard testimony from student leaders and administrators. Chacker, who is a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, compiled the information in the report.
Seth Greenberg, a Kappa Sigma member who served on the committee, said Chacker wrote the report.
“The committee was given the chance to look at it first and for the most part, it’s reflective of the testimony given,” Greenberg said.
The social rules that govern the Greek-letter community create confusion, according to the report. GW should re-evaluate its alcohol policy, making it “concise and clear so that students are not confused about the rules and regulations.”
“Greek community members explain that the policies are full of unnecessary redundancies and other similar problems that make the policies very confusing,” according to the report.
Tracie Analzdi, GW’s coordinator for Greek Affairs, said she agrees with the committee’s findings that GW’s alcohol policy can be confusing.
“My opinion is that the University alcohol policy in its current state is pervasively regulatory,” she said.
Interfraternity Council President Neil Smith said the University already is addressing alcohol policies. He said he and SA President Carrie Potter serve on the new “Task Force on Campus Alcohol Abuse.”
The committee recommends the creation of a “dummy’s guide to planning a house party on campus,” which would be included in the Social Responsibilities Manual, the handbook for Greek-letter members.
GW is the only academic institution that details the bring-your-own-beverage policy and the only institution that prohibits the use of “common source containers,” according to the report.
But Anzaldi said it is the University’s responsibility to protect its students.
“Just about every other University does not permit kegs,” she said. “The University has a duty to protect the students at this institution.”
Chacker said the report is not in final form and will not be complete until it is approved by the three Greek-letter governing organizations. He said the National Panhellenic Council, which represents historically black fraternities and sororities, has approved the report. He expects the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council to approve the report soon.
The committee said GW should hire a staff member other than Anzaldi to oversee the historically black fraternities and sororities represented by the NPHC.
“(The community) needs someone who understands the NPHC, someone who can take the existing programs and adapt them to suit the NPHC’s needs,” NPHC President Crystal Akens said in the report. She did not formally testify before the committee and was interviewed by Chacker at another time.
In the report, Akens said the NPHC’s member organizations have been “excluded from Greek Week and other important programs.”
Anzaldi said it is always important to consider communication.
“It takes two to communicate,” she said. “All parties involved need to work at the communication.”
Smith said Anzaldi has done a good job dealing with all of the Greek-letter organizations.
“A separate adviser for (NPHC) organizations would undermine the efforts at unity,” Smith said.
