Alcohol-related issues spur debate in greek system

In the last three years, two IU students have died after drinking alcohol at fraternity houses. When Joseph Bisanz, a fraternity member, died of asphyxiation Dec. 13, 1999, alcohol he had consumed at Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity was found in his body. \nFour months later, students and faculty gathered in Dunn Meadow for "Not Here ... Never Again," part of a national program advocating the prevention of alcohol abuse and alcohol-related deaths on campus.\nYet less than two years later, Seth Korona died Feb. 4, 2001 from a head injury he suffered after performing a keg stand at Theta Chi Fraternity.\nSenior Ben Schmidt, Interfraternity Council President, recalls how just four years ago, freshmen could walk down North Jordan Avenue and Third Street and attend any fraternity party they wanted.\nToday, he said, the greek system has changed dramatically.\n"Freshmen have stereotypes as to what greek life is all about," Schmidt said. "Our organizations contribute more to campus than just wild parties."\nWhile parties can still get out of hand, freshmen are no longer permitted inside fraternity houses before men's rush and parties have gotten much smaller, Schmidt said. \n"Chapters are being more responsible since there is greater liability over them when they make mistakes," Schmidt said. "Fraternities and sororities are finding new outlets for social interaction."\nIU administrators say they have also seen positive signs of change in the greek system.\n"What we have seen in the past is that we have a student culture that is not that supportive of campus policy," said Dean of Students Richard McKaig. "Over time, students start getting back to a 'business as usual' attitude, and the effects of a tragedy start to wear off."\nStudents, especially freshmen who might not have been exposed to the publicity surrounding each death, tend to take on the attitude that "it won't happen to me," McKaig said.\nMcKaig said IU has conducted surveys that show 80 percent of students consumed an alcoholic beverage in the last 30 days, but he acknowledged students seem to be behaving in a more responsible manner compared to year's past.\nIn the Bisanz and Korona cases, McKaig said that finding the responsible party is not as easy as it sounds.\n"There is a reality to what extreme you can regulate an individual's behavior," McKaig said. "We must always ask ourselves if we are making a reasonable effort to monitor the activities of our students."\nBut for some, IU officials do not put in enough effort to make sure students are safe and behaving in their best interest.\n"If (IU) was serious about making their campus safer, my son Joseph and his classmate Seth Korona would not be dead," Gary Bisanz, Joseph's father, told the IDS in September.\nIU spokesman Bill Stephan said he stands behind the University's attempts to promote alcohol education and awareness.\n"We work very closely with law enforcement, and we have taken a health and education approach," Stephan said. "Alcohol education begins before students arrive at IU."\nIncoming freshmen receive materials about the University's alcohol policies, and Stephan said he feels a number of opportunities exist on many different levels for students to increase awareness about the dangers of alcohol.\nRegardless of the University's current effort, there will always be room for improvement, Stephan said.\n"Educating students about alcohol is a continuing task, and we have a responsibility to work with the community in our efforts," he said.\nThe Bloomington community has also adopted a sense of heightened awareness after the deaths. \n"People no longer hesitate to contact law enforcement if they see someone stumbling out in front of a greek house," IU Police Department Lt. Jerry Minger said. "There have been multiple requests for increased alcohol education."\nIUPD's role in the greek system during the past few years has primarily been as a monitor but also as a conduit to the Dean's office.\n"We're more mobile than the Dean's office," Minger said. "We're out on the streets, and we know when problems arise."\nMinger has found that while the frequency of problems with alcohol and the greek system has declined, problems still exist.\n"With every kind of issue, it's a small percentage of the population causing the problems," Minger said. "Under no circumstance is the entire greek system to blame for the problems caused by a few."\nRegardless of their personal opinions, students and administrator alike admit the greek system is changing. \n"I think the changes have been very positive," Schmidt said. "Houses have adopted a more responsible approach to the way they conduct themselves and their chapters"