The Interfraternity Council and administrators are evaluating fraternity self-governance as the first year under the policy comes to a close. Self-governance allows the IFC to hear cases about minor infractions involving on-campus fraternities instead of Student Judicial Services.
“I think that self-governance is a good system,” IFC President Jared David said. “I think that the system as it stands now could be changed for the better, but it is a good system.”
Before the IFC and the University established the self-governance policy this September, SJS heard all judicial cases, placing a member of the IFC on the hearing board when it heard fraternity-related cases.
Under the existing self-governance policy, the IFC handles infractions by the Greek-letter community, including alcohol and other minor violations. SJS retains the right to overrule the IFC hearing board’s decisions and the right to hear more serious infractions, including sexual harassment and incidents of hazing.
“I think it works really well. The biggest problem with it is that it has to work through SJS, where it’s like you are guilty until proven innocent,” Delta Tau Delta President Bob Simon said. “It’s better that we decide the punishments because we know what is best for us.”
David said that students who are not affiliated with fraternities often have a different perception of the process.
The IFC ruled in its first hearing this month to put Delta Tau Delta on social probation until fraternity members complete alcohol education training for alcohol violations during a February party.
“I think they did a good job,” SJS Manager David Pine said about the IFC’s handling of the case. SJS accepted the IFC’s sanction recommendations.
“I believe strongly in self-governance,” said Mike Gargano, assistant vice president for student academic and support services. “It allows the Greek system to put their own system of checks and balances in place.”
Gargano said the recommended sanctions handed down by the IFC are often more extreme than those issued by SJS. He said SJS plays an important role in the process because of its “horizontal perspective” in dealing with fraternity-related cases.
“We promote education,” Simon said. “Knowing how to prevent something from happening is better than being slapped with a fine.”
The IFC disciplinary procedure can be improved, David said.
“I think that we should meet with SJS on a regular basis, and have more of a role within the process,” he said. He cited better communication with the University as key to facilitating a smoother running organization.
SJS could hear another case involving a discriminatory remark said outside the Delta Tau Delta fraternity house Friday. David said the IFC is not trained to deal with cases of discrimination, but he hopes SJS will allow the group into the process if there is a hearing.
“If the relationship between (SJS and the IFC) is good, self-governance will succeed,” Gargano said. “The problem with focusing on the judiciary aspect (of the process) takes on a `police force mentality’ that we are trying to stay away from.”
Gargano said the current system that resembles the “police mentality” is not the design of the program and that alcohol cases are best handled by the University.
“It will work,” Gargano said. “As soon as everyone understands that collectively the frats are a great asset to the University.”
-Becky Guyon and Russ Rizzo contributed to this report.
