The document summarizes Northwestern University's new risk management policy for Greek life. It requires guest lists be submitted in advance for parties, limits guest lists to 450 people, and prohibits open parties. While some students see it as limiting social life, Greeks say it reduces their liability if accidents occur. Other universities have implemented similar policies to manage risk and reduce underage drinking at Greek events. Though policies face resistance, they emphasize reducing risk over banning underage drinking and are becoming stricter at colleges nationwide.

2. ,.I
/ Wednesday, February 15, 1995
Risk
management
maybe
dirty words
on coHege
campuses
but students
nationwide
;are realizing
such a policy
is
Page 3
By Jason Bohle/Dailyfilephoto
A Necessary EvilBy Joshua D, Nathan
Doily SlaffWriter - • • • ' ....� I
It was a Friday night and CAS sophomore Michael An­
drews h;ul 11anncd lo party with some friends. They
tn-kked north. But when they reached the steps of Chi Phi
fraternity, they were turned away. Instead of drinking and
dancing, Andrews said, U1ey had lo spend the evening hang­
ing out in someone's room. They were not on the guest list
When U1e lnterfraternity Council and thePanheUenicAs­
sociation Risk Management Policy first look effect in Octo­
ber 1994, some Greek social chairs said the new regulations
were just another way the administration was cracking
down on Northwcslern's social life.
Students complained then, and many continue to feel,
that guest lists are exclusionary and elitis� and greatly limit
a powerful social outlet for non-Greeks. Its alcohol regula­
tions are "cutting down" on a college experience, students
said, and those responsible for its creation are unre;tlistic in
believing it can be followed.
But as the policy has begun to permeate student life,
some students are coming to understand why it is neces­
sary and the real purposes it serves. After a few months of
workingwith the policy, students can now answer for them­
selves some common questions: Are the guestlists elitist? Is
U1e policy effective? Why is it necessary? .
In a l(}minute meeting Sunday, fraternity social chrurs
learned how to throw parties in compliance with the policy.
A.s mandated in Section V of the policy, a course in "Risk
Management 101" is given every quarter to social chairs.
Mike Murphy, IFC risk management chair, spoke to a group
this quarter in the Technological Institute. Those not in at­
tendance at the roundtable will be suspended until they
meet with the risk management chairs.
This part of tl1e policy focuses on education - explain·
ing the regulations as well as their purposes. It is essential,
some Greeks say, in continuing to implement a policy Uiat
still faces resistance from boUt Greeks and non-Greeks.
THE POLICY
"Parties arc a big part of college life,.. said Liza Berger, a
CAS sophomore who is not in a sorority. "Sometimes you
just want to go and dance."
Now one needs to know someone in a Greek house in or­
der to go to a parly, Berger s.,'licl. And even then, the maxi­
mum guest list of '150 people forces chapter members to
pick and choose who they invite.
In a four-way exchange between two sororities and two
fraternities, each chapter member could be limited to plac­
ing as few as two names on the guest list
"It's a numbers game." said Allison Harned, Kappa Alpha
TI1eta sorority social chair. "Everyone has more than one
friend. IL is elitist, but it is necessary."
Harned, a CAS junior, called it a "cover-your-butt" policy.
She and other Greeks said the policy has not eliminated
some of the problems it sought to attack, such as underage
d jnking. . : :· .... ;· .,. 1.:. ,
"Everyone is still drinking." said Miya Murata, a pledge
at Delta Delta Delta sorority who said she has no problem
ternity Council at Washington Univer,iity in St.Louis also
.;11as�d. a.pe>'!J!°isk·ll3fl8l!'.t:n1e11t policy. It, too, eliminated
open parlles.
..National fraternities are at the end ofIheir ropes with re­
gard to litigations and chapters not holding up lo national
standards," said Lee Clark, a coordinator for Greek affairs at
Washington University. "111ere are a lot of mixed emotions
here. People see the necessity, but the difficulty in accepting
it is more on the practical side of the policy - Ute ramifica­
tions on the social life."
:'. • oi,en parties th�t se;ve a1c�hot 11�d j;r; ·1:
,specific invitations arepro,hibited.
•' • Host chapters must provide a
·university�supplied birthdate list to
distributors ofalcohol so ihat tney can prev�t
underagedrinking:"-"· · -· · :,,. -.· . .
•All parties providing alcohol must be
registered three days prior to the event.
•A typewritten guest list must be submitted 24
•hours in advance and include.no more than
450 people other than chapter members:· ·;
•:Fjve guests can be added I? .thelist durin�
. tne party. _ · · - .•,," " , · :· ·_ ·
. •JFC and Panhel will patrol each event at least
•; twotimes. . . ' .
By Ann Layne/Daily Graphic,
gelling beer at parties even though she is underage. "I don't
think Ute policy is very effective."
. But Harned said the policy is more effective than people
think because it reduces the risk fraternities and sororities
take during a party. If an accident were to occur at a party,
sponsoring organizations would receive less blame if they
followed risk-management regulations.
•1t can't stop accidents, but it can minimize risk," said
Corey Perman, president of Kappa Sigma fraternity. "If
some drunk person says, •Get out oi my way. l'm coming in
to your party,' you now can sa.y, 'No! ..
The policy forces houses to take more responsibility for
who is in the house, said Perman, a Speech senior. That
alone, he said, minimizesthe risk.
Even though the policy was enacted in October, Perman
said greater compliance wiU come with time.
"As far as everyone's concerned, this thing's only been
around sinceJanuary; he said.
OTHER CAMPUSES
Northwestern is not alone. College campuses all over the
countr,, are developing increasingly stronger, more viable
risk-management policies.
"I think most schools are moving toward what we've
µnple,;nented." said Steve Dealph, NU assistant director for
fraternity affairs.
In the same month NU's policy was passed, U1e Interfra-
Even large state schools known for their raucous parties,
such as the University of Colorado at Boulder and the Uni­
versity of Wisconsin at Madison, have adopted stricter risk­
management policies. Open parties are prohibited and
guest lists are stricUY enforced and are limited lo 100 people
for a party involving two houses.
"(Houses) have to know who is coming to Ute party,"
said Tom Lorz, associate Greek liaison at the University of
Colorado.
Lorz said all infractions are dealt with by a GreekJudicial
Board.
"Each year, they are becoming more and more stri�" he
said.
The real emphasis is not on underage drinking but on re­
ducing risk, Lorz said.
"Underage drinking is untouched as a subject," he said.
Kathy Giswold, a member of the Panhellenic Associa­
tion's risk-management team at the University of Wisconsin,
said it also adopted a new risk-management policy in March
1994. It is now being considered there by ll'C.
"It focuses not on past incidents, but on what could oc­
cur," said Giswold, a junior. "Fraternity· and sorority.wise,
we are working to foUow betterrules."
STUDENT REACTION
Many students said they are against Nlf
s risk manage­
ment policy. Some have argued that the policy is ineffective
and eclipses NU's social scene. But Greeks say the policy is
here to stay.
"The guys (in Kappa Sigma) may_ nol be crazy about it,
but U1ey understandit.·Pem1ansaid.
Because it limits social outlets for non-Greeks, Berger
said other outlets should be opened.
"Speaking for non-Greeks, I think Nortl1western could
do a much better job improving the social life on campus,"
she said.
The university should sponsor more dorm parties, she
suggested. Perman also recommended that fraternity
houses have nonalcoholic parties. He said his house had
one with the same setup as an alcoholic event and it was
very successful. · .
"For those who wen(we had a b)as4" he said.
Harned said it is a shame that rulesneed lo be so strict at
alcoholic events. She said her chapter members have ac­
cepted the rules, even if they don't alwaysfollow themlo tl1e
letter.
"The best thing about it is that people are thinking
more," Harnedsaid.