College-sponsored pizza and nonalcoholic drinks found their way to several fraternity parties last weekend as part of a new Student Activities Office effort to highlight options besides beer at evening events.
The so-called "party packs" consist of 20 pizzas and 100 drinks delivered at midnight from Everything But Anchovies. The money for the packs comes from the Student Activities fund, or discretionary money employed for students' benefit. Social Event Management Procedure guidelines already require registered parties to provide food and nonalcoholic drinks, but the party packs make fulfilling this requirement much easier for houses.
"I had an inkling that if there was something better to drink that people would sometimes drink that instead of beer," Director of Student Activities Linda Kennedy said.
Social chairs were informed of the option during their training at the beginning of this term, Chi Gamma Epsilon fraternity social chair Adam Rauchut '06 said. Rauchut requested the party pack when registering Chi Gam's dance party last week.
Student Activities-funded beverage options debuted at Alpha Delta fraternity's lawn party last Green Key. Kennedy worked with AD's social chair, Mike Liroff '05, to have EBAs deliver 500 cold drinks to the party. Every drink was used, Kennedy said.
Party packs in their present form, including pizza, sodas and bottled water, went through a test-round at the end of Winter term, Kennedy said. Theta Delta Chi fraternity and Gamma Delta Chi fraternity were two of the houses that first used the packs, which received a good response according to Kennedy.
This spring, while looking at the budget, Student Activities determined it was feasible to dedicate a couple thousand dollars to the pizza venture, Kennedy said.
"If you drink too much alcohol, you drink too much alcohol, but it does help if there is something in your stomach," Kennedy said.
The Greek houses have been receptive to the addition of the party packs to their events. In addition to Chi Gam and AD, Phi Delta Alpha fraternity and Kappa Kappa Kappa fraternity also took advantage of the party packs at their parties last weekend.
"Students were very pleased with the pack. I've never seen 20 pizzas disappear that fast," Tri Kap social chair Karan Danthi '07 said. "I have no qualms about using the pack once again, as it's a simple but effective way to make the party safer and more enjoyable."
The continuation of the party packs after the current discretionary money runs out depends on the overall outcome of the program. However, Kennedy said she remains unsure how to determine the packs' effectiveness.
Judging by the feedback from social chairs alone, the midnight pizza deliveries appear to be a smashing success for the Dartmouth party scene.
"I thought the party pack was a great addition to the party," Rauchut said. "It simplified the managing of the party and seemed to go over very well with the students. I received numerous comments from party-goers."
