Interfraternity Council supports 'BYOB' party policy

The Interfraternity Council is pursuing a policy that would allow anyone 21 and older to bring alcohol into fraternity parties.\nFor more than a year, the IFC has been working on projects to improve safety and responsibility at fraternity parties. This project is known as the Social Responsibility Policy.\nIFC President Justin Sloan said this policy would reduce the number of lawsuits brought against fraternities and the number of people getting hurt at parties. The policy is currently in place at other schools, including Purdue.\n"We want chapters to practice good risk management," Sloan said. "We realize that right now our current policy is inadequate for IU. \n"The Social Responsibility Policy would allow frats to sponsor (bring your own beer) functions and third-party functions inside their chapter (houses)."\nDean of Students Dick McKaig said the administration is willing to consider the program, but declined to comment on whether his office would initially support or oppose the policy. \n"We want the appropriate groups to have a chance to say whether they support it or think it will make the situation worse," he said.\nJunior and IU Student Association presidential candidate Betsy Henke said by her Hoosier ticket supporting the "Bring Your Own Beer" policy, the party is supporting IFC.\nSloan said it's important to have IUSA's support for the policy because almost 20 percent of the student body is in the greek system.\nBut Junior and IUSA treasurer candidate Scott Ottenheimer, on the other hand, said his Red Hot ticket would not support the program. After talking to fraternity and sorority members, he said he has found that many do not support the program.\nHe added that the "BYOB" policy would bring even more alcohol into fraternity houses and underage students will begin using fake IDs at fraternities. And, he said, the policy will be costly to fraternities.\n"Letting people bring in their own liquor is not going to solve the problem -- that's adding to the problem," he said.\nMcKaig said while IUSA support would be helpful in passing the program, it is more important that greek groups support it. But he stressed that the program has not been approved or denied yet.