The policy will go into effect on Aug. 30, when Section A of First-Year Trips returns to campus, and will expire at noon on Oct. 14. During this time, first-year students will not be allowed to attend any Greek-sponsored functions involving alcohol and may only enter houses for events approved by the GLC.
Students found in violation of the new policy will have their rush privileges revoked until after they complete their sophomore year, with repeat offenses potentially carrying higher penalties. Greek houses found in violation will be fined, and three or more offenses in one year could result in College-level sanctions.
Greek Letter Organizations and Societies director Wes Schaub said this period will allow first-year students to establish strong relationships with each other, ensuring they have reliable friends to look out for them after Oct. 14.
"It's designed to keep them away from the alcohol-social part of what's going on the first couple weeks of class so that they can figure out a little bit who they are first, before they jump into the basement culture here on campus," Schaub said. "This gives them the opportunity to see what it's really like here, before they get caught up in those impressions of what it is."
GLC moderator Elliot Sanborn '14 said the policy prohibits freshmen from entering the physical plants of Greek houses, except during GLC-approved substance free events. He said that freshmen women are sometimes selectively allowed into private rooms where they are less likely to be in control of their surroundings. The new policy helps address this problem.
"Statistically, at Dartmouth and across the country, freshmen are disproportionately likely to engage in dangerous drinking during the first several weeks of term," Sanborn said. "Freshmen are also disproportionately likely to become victims of sexual assault during the crucial first weeks. Alcohol and sexual assault often overlap."
Sanborn said one of the policy's goals is to reduce these effects by facilitating substance-free events and slowing freshmen's introduction into "mainstream" college life.
"Since no Greek house wants to be a host for either dangerous drinking or sexual assault, slowing freshmen's entrance to the Greek scene has a risk-mitigating effect on Greek houses as well as on freshmen," he said.
John Engelman '68, Alpha Delta fraternity's house advisor who originally recommended the policy, said similar rules existed during his time at the College and forced him to find his own social environment.
He said fraternities and sororities are vulnerable to problems caused by first-year students who are picked up by the Hanover Police or Safety and Security for under-age drinking. The period of time in which students are banned from entering Greek houses will allow students to better understand the potential problems they may pose for the Greek system, he said.
This policy seeks to incentivize a substance-free introduction to Dartmouth and Greek life, Sanborn said. GLC has worked with the administration to create a budget subsidizing GLC-approved events to be hosted by Greek organizations.
Engelman said residence halls, freshman floors and other venues, such as the Hopkins Center, will play a larger role in organizing events this fall. The Dean's Office will provide some funding for Greek-oriented social events without alcohol.
Inter-Fraternity Council public relations chair Sam Bauer '14 said Greek organizations will plan alcohol-free events to allow freshmen to meet upperclassmen and experience the Greek community.
Engelman acknowledged that freshmen may drink before events, a potential downside to the policy.
Bauer said although he was skeptical of the policy at first, he believes it will help keep first-year students safe during their transition to college life.
