Fraternities’ chapter grade point average could limit the amount of parties with alcohol that they can host, according to DePauw University’s new drinking policies.
If a house’s GPA is lower than the average fraternity GPA, which is currently 3.08 per the Spring 2018 Grade report, that house will be restricted in the number of parties they can host.
Fraternities that manage to stay above the average GPA will have no limit on how many parties they can have with alcohol. The houses underneath the average GPA are limited to one party with alcohol in the chapter house and one party with alcohol outside the chapter house.
This rule is an updated version of a previous rule, which restricted fraternity parties on a semester basis. Now, fraternity parties will be restricted per month, rather than per semester.
“Additionally, each organization that wishes to register an event with alcohol must fill out an online form via Campus Labs”, Julia Sutherlin, assistant dean of campus life and director of alcohol initiatives said.
University policy specifies that the Office of Alcohol Initiatives receives reports from DePauw Public Safety about events with alcohol that have not been registered.
“Those reports are also forwarded to the Community Standards Office for review for potential charges related to violating University policy,” Sutherlin added.
New rules are not just being added, but old rules are being reiterated and revised by the University.
No fraternity-hosted events with alcohol are allowed until the end of the first full week of classes. Also, fraternities cannot rely on money from their members in order to purchase alcohol for their events. Sutherlin said that fraternities must go through a third party vendor, almost like catering, or events must be held B.Y.O.B. (bring your own beverage ) style.
A revised rule that may seem new is the requirement of security at parties with alcohol. Sutherlin said, however, that the security does not necessarily need to be hired security. An alumnus that is an official of the house or chapter, like a landlord, is considered a valid security party.
So far, however, the effects of the new and updated rules are unknown. Campus Living and Community Development Coordinator and Interfraternity Council Advisor Evan Downey and Phi Kappa Psi President Tawfiq Anabtawi said in an email to The DePauw that he “was unable to comment at this time.”