IFC Sets Constitution for Reform
by: Christopher Turpin ‘12Deans and fraternity presidents address “draconian” punishment for rule
Over the past several years, the Inter-Fraternity Council (IFC) has been trying to improve the image of Greek life here on campus. With several chapter closings, most notably Chi Phi in 2008, the appearance of the college’s fraternity system is in desperate need of an overhaul. In pre-term meetings to develop a plan to reinvent Fraternity Circle, members of the IFC agreed that the best way to accomplish this goal is to observe every regulation as it stands. This policy seemed to be working until two freshmen were caught on the circle at an unauthorized time.
According to the Dean of Students, David Klein, members of the IFC judiciary committee sat down with John Ramsay, Dean of Greek Life, in order to issue punishments to the guilty freshmen. At this point, a particularly harsh rule was discovered. The IFC Constitution states: “no freshmen are permitted at fraternity houses or on Fraternity Circle until after the Introduction to Fraternities meeting on the first Thursday.” Once formal rush does begin, freshmen may only attend “registered rush events and registered weekend social events.”
It is worth noting that a “registered rush event” is, by definition, dry.
Additionally, the IFC Constitution spells out a specific punishment for both the offending student and the fraternity enabling him. “Any fraternity which… violates this statute will be placed on social closing for no less than 60 days. Any freshman who violates this statute will be denied the privilege of pledging a social fraternity for the first three semesters of his attendance at the College.”
In past years, this statute was overlooked, but since the IFC has decided to promote an image of lawfulness, it could no longer ignore rules. Once this rule was discovered, the Inter-Fraternity Council had two options. It could either simply accept this statue, or change it. After much consideration, the IFC decided that it would be better to rewrite the statute. It settled on this route because the rule regarding freshmen activity on the Circle is too harsh and prevents freshmen from engaging in fraternity life except in a party atmosphere.
Once the IFC approved a new statute, it had to be sent to the Student Affairs Committee (SAC), which is made up of several faculty members and students. After weeks of writing and rewriting the rule, SAC approved it for review by the general faculty. This is where the statute currently sits. The new rule, which aims to eliminate the defined punishments of the old statute, as well as increase freshmen opportunities to engage in fraternity life, was brought to the floor at the last faculty meeting on 5 October. It was subject to much debate and time ran out before the faculty could vote.
Despite the many challenges the new statute has faced, the IFC is still hopeful. Jimmy Wood, Inter-Fraternity Council Chairman, is sympathetic to the faculty’s concerns. “They are afraid that pledging and fraternity life will start to take over the lives of freshmen,” Wood says, “but if you look at the leaders of student government, everyone, with the exception of the Chairman of the Senate, is a member of a fraternity.”
The IFC is adamant that it is not trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the faculty, and is simply trying to reform the IFC constitution through legitimate channels.
Dean Klein is also in favor of amending the rule. “To the best of my knowledge,” he says, “this is the only rule in The Key that has a mandatory punishment.” He even goes as far to say that the old regulation is “draconian.” He says that right now, a certain tension seems to exist between the faculty and the Circle. While a certain amount of tension is healthy, “this amendment would go a long way to bring the tension back down to a point where it is productive.”
The faculty doesn’t, and perhaps shouldn’t, have universal trust for the IFC, but it seems that changing this rule is a good faith effort on the part of the leaders on the circle. Fraternity Presidents are eager to reform their image, and changing this statute would certainly encourage fraternities to enforce the IFC constitution. Regardless of the outcome, Dean Klein says that he is “proud of the IFC” for using the proper channels to realize change. “No one can condemn them for that, and I would be ashamed of anyone who did.”
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