Zeta Psi fraternity has voted to adopt a similar alcoholpolicy to Beta Theta Pi fraternity's revised Good Samaritan rule.
Zete will now cover the medical costs of intoxicated brothers who choose to spend the night in Dick's House or the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center for safety reasons.
Zete's Summer President Bill Hinsdale '97 said the policy passed easily at a meeting of fraternity executives the same day they read the announcement of Beta's policy in The Dartmouth.
"A couple of the execs, including myself, had read the article and it seemed really logical," he said. "There really wasn't any debate at all -- it was a unanimous decision."
Hinsdale said some members of the executive board were worried about the funding involved, but he said the house has enough money to support the policy.
"We can't fathom a scenario where this is going to be used, but the point is if it were to come up we wouldn't want the safety of a brother jeopardized because of an economic consideration," he said.
Other fraternity presidents cited lack of funds as the primary obstacle to the adoption of the new policy.
"We would love to be able to do something like that, but we have very little alumni support and just don't have the funds," said Alpha Chi Alpha fraternity President Matt Richardson '97. "But we would like to be in the position where we could help out a brother if he needs it."
Sigma Nu fraternity president Brian Hickey '97 said his house would have trouble implementing the policy because it is expensive.
"Beta is fortunate in that they are much bigger than we are and it is easier for them to put money into a fund," Hickey said. "But it is definitely something we should explore because it is a fantastic idea."
"The burden when you look at someone who is really drunk is you don't want to be the person who sticks them with the bill and [the policy] relieves that responsibility," he said.
But some presidents feel their houses do not need such a policy.
"It's a pretty solid idea, but we wouldn't implement it ourselves because it's not an issue at our house, said Theta Delta Chi President Mike Fahey '97. "Our group tends to stay out of trouble."
Phi Delta Alpha fraternity President Josh Jarrett '97 said, "It doesn't seem to be an issue that people are insisting be looked into. As an issue, it's not pertinent."
Alpha Delta fraternity president Jeff Woods '97 also said the issue "has never really come up" in his house.
Some presidents expressed concern that the new policy addressed the financial issue but not the deeper issues involved, such as who is responsible when a person drinks to excess.
"It shows brother support and all, but in certain situations if someone does get drunk and gets caught it is usually because they are doing something foolish," Chi Gamma Epsilon fraternity President Eric Newton '97 said. "I don't know if getting bailed out by your brothers is necessarily the right thing."
Jarrett expressed a similar view. "I feel it is important for a fraternity to take some degree of responsibility for the behavior that goes on in its house by and to its members, but in so doing I don't think the fraternity should necessarily absolve its members from behavior that doesn't coincide with college policy," he said.
Sigma Delta sorority President Jodi Scarpa '97 said, "It's a nice idea but their policy should be 'I'm responsible so that they never get so intoxicated that they have to go to Dick's House' not 'I'll pay for their stay.' "
"I can't see Sigma Delta adopting this policy because if it gets to that point we have already failed to do our job," Scarpa said.
Cai Boldt '97, Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority president, said it would be difficult for her house to implement a policy like Beta's because they would need the approval of Kappa's strict national.
Coordinator of Health Education Programs Gabrielle Lucke will speak at Kappa on Friday as part of the "risk-management" program, Boldt said.
Although Delta Gamma sorority President Kim Papa '97 said she hasn't discussed the policy with any officers to decide whether or not it is appropriate for their house, she feels it is "a wonderful policy."
"Especially because during the summer Dick's House is not open so you have to go to DHMC which might be a deterrent at $1,200 a night," she said. "To know that that would be taken care of if necessary would be a big help."
Assistant Dean of Residential Life Deb Reinders declined to comment on Beta's Good Samaritan Policy.
