Two months before the Social Event Management Procedures review committee makes its formal recommendations for policy reform, Director of Student Activities Linda Kennedy has solicited co-sponsorship for a list of changes to the College's policy.
In a private memo obtained by The Dartmouth, Kennedy suggested several changes to the College's existing social event management procedures that, if approved by Dean of the College James Larimore, would change longstanding and currently controversial College policy. She forwarded her recommendations, many of which are technical revisions and clarifications of existing policy, last Thursday to multiple social organization leaders, asking if they would be interested in co-sponsorship.
The changes Kennedy will suggest to the SEMP review committee would largely affect co-ed, fraternity and sorority houses and undergraduate societies, who frequently host large events that often serve alcohol.
One major change includes striking a provision that allows CFS and undergraduate societies to host unregistered social events serving alcohol if the event "does not exceed the number of members of that organization, or 40 people, whichever is fewer." Instead, Kennedy would allow social events to go unregistered if "the amount of alcohol available is one keg, its equivalent, or less."
According to SEMP guidelines, one keg is roughly equivalent to 120 servings of alcohol, or six 30-packs of beer -- meaning a social event with more than six cases of beer would need to be registered. It is not clear what "available" would be defined as in Kennedy's proposed changes.
While Greek leaders have widely criticized the existing "40-or-fewer" policy as unreasonable, because it makes virtually any basement subject to College sanction, Kennedy's suggestion apparently did not rouse excitement from social groups.
By Monday afternoon, only one sorority, Sigma Delta, and one campus group, AREA, supported Kennedy's suggestions. The Sigma Delt sponsors -- both social chairs -- who offered to support Kennedy's recommendations either refused to comment or did not respond to calls made by The Dartmouth.
In an interview with The Dartmouth, Kennedy said she proposed limits on the quantity of alcohol instead of on the number of people present because of the existing policy's disfavor.
"It's been a source of unhappiness for students ever since the policy came out," Kennedy said. "This idea would stop following people and instead follow the alcohol."
Greek Leadership Council moderator Jonathan Lazarow '05 supported Kennedy's suggestion.
"We'd be foolish to think that [the administration] doesn't know we break the rules on Wednesday nights," Lazarow said. "This doesn't totally set us up for failure; it's a step forward."
But some Greek leaders disagree. One social chair that spoke to The Dartmouth on the condition of anonymity for fear of upsetting Kennedy said the change in the 40-or-fewer policy would invoke "huge and undeniable changes in the enforcement of Greek social life."
Whereas the current policy merely limits the number of individuals that consume an unlimited quantity of alcohol, Kennedy's suggestion would limit alcohol quantities regardless of the number of people, the source explained.
The SEMP review committee, which includes some students, is also likely to take issue with a modification that would allow walk-throughs "occasionally" throughout a registered event instead of a maximum of twice.
While Kennedy defended the language, noting that Safety and Security officers can now claim cause to enter an event even after two walk-throughs, students might view the proposed change as a loophole for increased vigilance at typical social venues.
Lazarow said he understood the administration's desire for greater authority in safeguarding its students but insisted there should be defined limits on Safety and Security's walk-throughs.
"What's in place now is very fair," Lazarow said. "'Occasionally' is certainly vague."
Another grumbling point for many social groups is the existing process of standard event registration, which requires groups to fill out an online form and schedule a formal meeting for approval and review. In her suggestions, Kennedy offered to allow events hosted by organizations in good standing for four consecutive terms to register through a personable, "drop in" process.
Kennedy said that despite a lack of input and support, she would formally submit the recommendations with her limited co-sponsors, which total three organization representatives, to the SEMP review committee.
When asked whether she was frustrated by the squabble over event registration and its often futile outcome, Kennedy said that events like the one that unfolded at Chi Gamma Epsilon fraternity this weekend, resulting in the hospitalization of one student and clinical care of two others, mandate her continued involvement in event management registration.
"What students really want is freedom; what the College really wants is people to be safe," Kennedy said. "We're looking for middle ground here."
Associate Dean of Student Life Joseph Cassidy, who chairs the review committee, said he welcomed Kennedy and her co-sponsors' recommendations. When asked whether there were particular issues which the committee was charged to reform, he cited two priorities.
"We'd like to make social events safer for the community and registration processes more effective," Cassidy said.