The “Moving Dartmouth Forward” hard alcohol ban, which prohibits any undergraduates, regardless of age, from possessing or consuming alcohol with a proof higher than 30 on campus, was officially implemented this past Saturday, and Greek leaders are planning for how the ban will affect their individual organizations and social events.
Summer president for Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity Taylor Watson ’16 said that the policy makes sense to him.
“The person most likely to fall off a roof is the person on the roof, and the people who are getting the most drunk are the ones drinking hard alcohol,” Watson said. “It is hard to deny that it is going to lower high-risk drinking.”
Watson said that the Greek Leadership Council policy banning freshmen from attending Greek events serving alcohol during the six weeks of fall received similar criticism, namely that high-risk drinking would be driven underground, yet campus saw a drop in Good Samaritan calls and alcohol-related incidents involving freshmen.
Watson said that his house will be compliant with the rule, due in part to the severity of the punishments. Prior to the ban some Greek houses auctioned off their hard alcohol, he said.
Watson is also a co-chair of the “Moving Dartmouth Forward” social event and alcohol management working group.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity social chair David Bassali ’16 said that the ban will change how his house operates in terms of events. SAE sent out a survey gauging responses to the ban among its members last term, Bassali said, and a majority were not opposed. Bassali said he was not sure how effective the policy would be at curbing student drinking, but he trusts administrators to implement the proper policies.
The house will turn to buying other forms of alcohol allowed under the new policy and continue to have a similar social scene as they had prior to the ban, he said.
SAE president Adam Grounds ’16 sent an email to members of SAE advising them to remove any hard alcohol they may have from the house, Bassali said.
Watson predicts that another side effect of the ban could be that more houses host non-alcohol related activities, Watson said.
“Part of the policy will be a continuation of a trend promoted by [College] President [Phil] Hanlon and the administration of Greek houses being more of organizations that exist in the daytime as they do in the nighttime,” Watson said.
For example, Watson said Phi Delta Alpha fraternity showed movies on their lawn during the summer, and said he could foresee more daytime events being held, which could promote a more open social scene on campus.
Tabard coed fraternity social chair Julie McConville ’17 said the ban would not have a large effect on Tabard, as the organization is not as “drinking-oriented” as other houses may be. The house is promoting awareness among members of the ban through emails, meetings and spoken word, she said.
Tabard will also start registering more kegs, as opposed to liquor, during the week, along with buying more wine as a result of the ban.
McConville said she thinks the ban will have the greatest impact on the freshman social scene and predicted that pre-gaming in dorms, for example, may become less frequent.
McConville said that she did not think the policy would be effective in curbing student drinking.
Chi Heorot fraternity social chair Nick Ruppert ’16 said he does not think students need hard alcohol to have a good time and that other forms of alcohol can be safe and fun. Ruppert said that members of Heorot are accepting of the ban.
The change will not have a large impact at the house, which sees a lot of beer pong and beer consumption, Ruppert said. The house will continue to host dry dance parties and hold tails events featuring alcohols permissible under the current rules.
Interim Dean of the College Inge-Lise Ameer sent an email last Friday to remind students that the policy was going into effect.
Penalties for violating these rules vary. If a student is caught for possession or consumption of hard alcohol or public intoxication, they will be placed on probation. The next incident results in a one-term suspension, while a third offense will warrant a two-term suspension. Additional violations will see escalating punishments up to and including expulsion.
If an individual provides hard alcohol to others he or she will immediately receive a one-term suspension, followed by a two-term suspension for the next violation.
The first incident for an organization incurs a one-term suspension of recognition along with a specific period of time where they may not serve alcohol. The second incident results in a one-year suspension. The first incident within three years after that organization returns results in permanent loss of recognition.
