Starting next month, hard liquor will be banned at fraternity events held on chapter property — including date parties, band parties, rush events and big brother nights — after a high number of alcohol-related medical calls and conduct cases.
Auburn's Interfraternity Council of Presidents, a panel made up of the presidents of IFC fraternities that serves as the group's legislative branch, recently voted to implement the ban, beginning May 5, 2018.
IFC said the move would be a step toward a healthier fraternity community.
"We feel that there are steps that other schools have
McGettigan said the IFC executive board, the council of presidents, Student Affairs and the office of student conduct have been working together on this initiative since the current IFC exec attended the Southeastern Interfraternity Conference in Atlanta in February.
“I am proud of the IFC for taking the lead on measures to ensure a safe environment in our Greek community," said Vice President for Student Affairs Bobby Woodard. "That initiative is what makes Auburn students a valuable asset on campus and after they leave our campus.”
The decision to ban hard liquor comes after what IFC said has been an increase in IFC Judicial Court cases and transports to the hospital from fraternity events. IFC said the increase in cases and transports was at least partly because of the overconsumption of hard liquor on fraternity properties during scheduled events.
The ban does not affect alcohol with less than 15 percent ABV. And well-run fraternity events held at third-party venues will still be allowed because that has not been identified as a cause for the increase in Judicial Board cases this year, McGettigan said.
If caught with hard liquor at any fraternity event held at a chapter facility, an immediate cease-and-desist may be put on the fraternity along with a conduct case being submitted to the proper judicial authorities.
"We also recognize that this is another rule that people need to follow," McGettigan said. "But, it is our hope that we have exemplified self-governance in the truest form and that this step is one big enough to cause a lasting, positive change that preserves all that is good in our Greek community."
While Auburn has not had any high-profile issues with fraternities on campus, Greek communities across that country have been plagued over the last year with student deaths that were the result of the overconsumption of alcohol and hazing.
At least four pledges died from drinking-related incidents at Penn State, LSU, Florida State and Texas State, and all of those schools later suspended Greek activities on their campuses.
Penn State sophomore Tim Piazza, 19, died after drinking a large amount of alcohol and falling down a flight of stairs during his first night of pledging the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. His death resulted in criminal charges against some brothers of that fraternity, some of which have been thrown out by a judge.
In November 2017, Florida State indefinitely suspended all Greek life on their campus after the death of a 20-year-old Pi Kappa Phi pledge who had attended a fraternity event and was later found unresponsive.
Just a few weeks later, Indiana University and Texas State suspended Greek life events there.
The ban at FSU came only weeks after several fraternities were suspended at LSU after 10 students were arrested and charged with the death of a freshman Phi Delta Theta pledge, who died of alcohol poisoning after a night of playing a drinking game during his
Some of those bans, including the one at Florida State, have since been partially lifted.
Other universities have, like Auburn, moved to ban the consumption of hard liquor or all alcohol at fraternity events. In January, UCLA fraternities banned parties with alcohol and Lehigh University self-imposed a ban on hard liquor at all fraternity events.
The new ban at Auburn is an effort to make sure nothing like that happens on The Plains and comes after former IFC President Duncan Asbury released an executive directive in fall 2017 that toughened rules regarding alcohol and safety requirements at fraternity events.
"Like the Executive Directive released in fall 2017, many of the points in the liquor ban are reiterations of current chapter and IFC policy, but we felt it was necessary to eliminate any confusion on the expectations of liquor at the fraternity events," McGettigan said.
Greek Life adviser Chris Lucas said the new rule is a "natural step" in the right direction to ensure student safety after IFC sought advice from both medical and law enforcement professionals, who said they saw a great risk to students overconsuming alcohol.
“IFC is always looking for ways to help facilitate a safer and healthier fraternity experience for Auburn men," Lucas said. "The step of removing hard-liquor from events at fraternity houses is a step in that
The hard liquor ban includes the sale of hard liquor by third-party vendors at events on chapter premises.
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Chip Brownlee, senior in journalism and political science, is the editor-in-chief of The Auburn Plainsman.
