The annual Psi Upsilon keg jump will likely no longer be a part of Winter Carnival weekend following an insurance company's withdrawal of coverage for the event as well as the ice rink on which it is held.
The Office of Residential Life was informed late last Wednesday of the insurance company's decision and officially informed representatives of the fraternity on Friday that the 20th annual keg jump must be cancelled.
According to Dean of Residential Life Martin Redman, the insurance company -- which Redman declined to name -- is requiring Psi U to immediately sign an endorsement acknowledging that the ice rink and keg jump are now specifically exempted from the fraternity's coverage.
According to a letter sent to the College from their independent insurance agent, other insurance providers contacted about furnishing high-risk coverage specifically for the ice rink and keg jump were not interested.
Without insurance coverage, Redman said the Psi U keg jump simply cannot take place because of the liability potential the event possesses.
If someone were to get injured, he said, a lawsuit would be likely and damages against the fraternity corporation, house members and possibly the College could be in the millions.
Members of Psi U, however, are still hopeful that some compromise can be reached to allow the keg jump to occur.
"Discussions are still continuing and hopefully we can reach some kind of resolution that will be for the best for Psi U and for the community," said Ty Garland '02, the Psi U house manager, adding, "We want to work with the College as much as possible."
Some, however, have already expressed disapproval of the process that led up to the decision as well as the way in which it was communicated to the fraternity.
Chris Hummel '01, a member of Psi U and the Greek Life Steering Committee, suggested in an "open" BlitzMail message to Assistant Dean of Residential Life Cassie Barnhardt that College officials could have tried harder to work with the fraternity to find a way around the insurance problems.
Redman said he was surprised by the news of the insurance company's decision. "It came as much a surprise to me as it did to anyone else ... I'm sorry to see traditions that seem to have a life of their own disappear from campus."
Redman did, however, note problems at last year's keg jump and repeatedly called the event "high risk."
Last April Psi U was put on probation by the Judicial Committee of the Coed Fraternity Sorority Council for six weeks after last winter's event for allegedly violating Dartmouth's Community Standards of Conduct and the Student Alcohol policy.
Specific allegations against the fraternity included creating an environment at the keg jump that threatened the safety of College members and serving alcohol to underage and intoxicated individuals.
Speaking to The Dartmouth yesterday, Redman pledged to work with the fraternity and said his office is willing to subsidize an alternative event to replace the keg jump, an offer he made directly to the fraternity in his letter informing them of the insurance company decision and its ramifications.
Redman said the insurance company gave a number of reasons for excluding the ice rink -- which fraternity brothers begin creating on their lawn at the beginning of winter term -- from its coverage, including the fact that it is generally unattended and blocks several entrances to the building.
As far as the keg jump itself was concerned, Redman said, "The risk is too high, period ... [The company's] rationale was pretty minimal other than it's a dangerous activity."
The College and its interests are covered by many different insurance providers organized through an independent insurance agent that can turn to a large number of major carriers to provide the most appropriate policy for a given situation.
The company whose coverage previously included the ice rink and keg jump is in the midst of conducting an annual review of its coverage areas at Dartmouth.
Michael Holick '02, the president of Psi U, was out-of-town and could not be reached for comment.