Despite a dearth of student attendance -- several tables originally intended for small group discussion remained empty and only a single student showed up -- the Social Event Management Procedures committee proceeded with a community hour in Collis Commonground on Tuesday, discussing kegs, parties and pre-gaming.
The committee has scheduled a question-and-answer session for Tuesday, Jan. 17, at Phi Delta Alpha fraternity.
Both meetings come in the wake of a fall incident in which Greek leaders expressed outrage over what they deemed to be inadequate keg allotments.
Associate Dean of Student Life Joe Cassidy, however, denied that the committee's formation was the result of any one event.
Last week the committee met with between 50 and 60 coed, fraternity and sorority system representatives but is looking for a broader cross-section of the community to provide their input.
The SEMP committee was created in October by Dean of the College James Larimore to evaluate current policies on social events involving alcohol, with a focus on making them healthier, safer and more efficient. Six seniors, three of whom are members of the CFS system, were appointed to the committee and are expected to finish a report by the end of Winter term with recommendations on how to improve the SEMP.
"What we're doing has the potential to change the culture," said committee member Mallory Fosdick '05, who serves as Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority's social chair.
The committee spent the Fall term learning about the College's current policies, alcohol-related statistics and the practices of peer institutions.
"We started this semester soliciting feedback from the community to find out where they'd like us to focus our time," said Cassidy.
At Tuesday's meeting, the committee discussed keg allotment and party registration guidelines, which apply to gatherings with over 40 guests or more than the sponsoring group's membership, whichever is fewer.
"A lot of Greeks perceive that the administration is coming down on them at all times from every angle," Phi Delt President and committee member Rob Freiman '05 said.
He also noted that "a lot of people are afraid to speak because they don't want to get their organizations in trouble."
SEMP committee members also addressed the implications of limiting beer at parties had the unintentionally adverse effect of increasing student drinking elsewhere before they go out.
"The problem that organizations are facing is that no one is getting drunk at our house -- they pre-game," Freiman said, noting that at parties it is usually difficult to get more than one beer anyway.
Fosdick said that she does not want to "spearhead a beer campaign," but that if keg allotment rules allowed for student organizations to purchase more kegs for registered events, the trend of students "boozing in their rooms" could be ameliorated.
College Proctor Harry Kinne said most Greek organizations do the right thing and contact Safety and Security when clearly intoxicated students come to their doors.
In revamping the social event policies, the committee members are also hoping to make party registration more efficient and alcohol rules easier to comply with.
"[Alcohol rules] are very hard to follow," Freiman said of keg restrictions. "It's like setting someone on a course for disaster."
Others have complained that administrators do not generally approach student social events with a constructive attitude.
When student organization reps meet with administrators to register parties, "it feels like there's an implied mistrust," Fosdick said. "You go in feeling like you're arguing."
Students also have the opportunity to go online to submit their suggestions about the SEMP. Instructions for doing so can be found on the Student Activities website.
