Last weekend, DePauw’s Public Safety crime blotter revealed 13 freshmen alcohol violations and three ambulance runs to Putnam County Hospital with students blowing a BAC at .3 or above.
And this weekend, freshmen are allowed on fraternity property during registered events beginning Saturday.
BACk Down, a new alcohol project on campus, hosted two meetings in every freshman dorm to educate freshman about DePauw’s greek social scene this past week.
Freshmen gathered in Longden’s lobby ready to hear about what it’s like to venture to fraternities.
“Go big or go home,” freshman Grace Quinn jokingly exclaimed.
Senior Tyler Witherspoon, President of Interfraternity Council, and two members from CATS – DePauw’s risk management project – senior Paul Dugdale and junior Stefani Cleaver, spoke to a group in Longden earlier this week.
Focused around safety, the speakers wanted freshman to know the rules and how to be smart while at fraternities.
“It’s a new class and they might not know the rules, and we wanted this to be a source of information [for them to be safe],” Dugdale said.
This meeting provided the freshman with another resource for them to take advantage of.
“It’s a brand new scene since [they] haven’t been out before, and they’re huge buildings with a lot of crazy people running around,” Cleaver said. “It can be overwhelming,”
Many freshmen thought the meeting was helpful and something they will keep in mind when they go out.
“They let us know that we don’t have to drink if we don’t want too. DePauw isn’t about peer pressure. It’s an opportunity to meet new people,” freshman Madison White said.
Quinn thought the meeting provided a positive experience.
“It was a great introduction to the DePauw party culture,” Quinn said.
Freshmen at every dorm gathered to meet with upperclassmen about what it means to go on greek property for the first time. They are encouraged to be safe and respectful when out at fraternities.
“It’s a time to have a good time with friends and make new friends. The point is to make memories, not black out,” Cleaver said.