The Keg's Last Stand? THE AFC HAS ITS OWN PLANS TO BAN THE BOOZE AT U.VA. by Trey Powers photo by Landon Nordeman You walk into a large beer-soaked room where packed masses of college kids attempt to dance to the bass line pumped out by the huge speakers in the corner of the room. As you make your way through the crowd, you stumble into the next room, propelled by a surge of impatient students. Noticing two vague lines forming behind a high table with a large cooler on top of it, you get in line. By the time you finally make it to the pledge working the keg, you're half-soaked by those served before you. You get your beverage and sip cautiously, recognizing ... Oh yes, Natural Light. This scenario may be familiar to those who frequent fraternity parties at U.Va., yet such scenes will come to an abrupt halt if a proposal introduced by the Alumni Fraternity Council (AFC) takes effect. The proposed rule would disallow the use of kegs at fraternity parties and prohibit the use of fraternity funds for the purchase of alcohol. The reason for this proposed action is to limit the liability for accidents caused at or because of a fraternity party. Fraternity alumni could now be held liable for mishaps that are caused at frat parties where alcohol is served. Undeniably, this is a serious concern of such alumni. Kegs have been banned at college campuses across the nation in a sweeping attempt to avoid frat party-related injuries and underage drinking liabilities. However, such reforms do not necessarily make weekend nights any safer for students. Drinking is going to occur no matter what. Moreover, other keg-banning schools have yet to see dramatic results from their more stringent alcohol policies. At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, all common containers of alcoholic beverages including kegs, cases, beer balls, and punch coolers are prohibited. All parties are BYOB, and security guards must be present at all fraternity-sorority mixers. Students at UNC complain of the rigid policy and violate it routinely in spite of the consequences (however insignificant they may be). If the ban were to take effect here at U.Va., fraternity members and their guests would most likely resort to off-Grounds parties, resulting in an increase in drunk driving incidents. The ban would only serve to free alumni fraternity members from liability, a seemingly reasonable objective. Though the high dues currently charged by fraternities are used for a variety of purposes, one of their primary functions is the purchase of alcohol. Many members are concerned that if the proposed rule would disallow the purchase of alcohol with fraternity funds, there would simply be an "under the table" pool of funds for the purchase of alcohol. Moreover, it is unlikely that fraternity social dues would drop significantly, evidenced by the similarity of average dues at U.Va. and dues paid by fraternity members at UNC. This proposal, although designed to control injury-prone and underage drinking, proves difficult to enforce. The best thing the Alumni Fraternity Council and the Inter-Fraternity Council here at U.Va. can do is to make the current system of on-Grounds parties as safe as possible for those who attend. A unique state school, U.Va. not only offers some of the best academic programs in the country, but it also offers some of the most diversified social aspects of any university. Because of its small town location, students here turn inward for social life rather than outward as in many urban schools. And in what is often described as a "work hard, play hard" atmosphere, weekend drinking, perhaps most typified by the keg, is the centerpiece of social activity. Top prospective students from around the country are often turned off by the stuffy, extremely competitive, and cold atmosphere of our Ivy League "friends" and look to schools where a healthy balance of studying and social activity exists. With competititors like Princeton and UNC, U.Va. has filled a void by offering a highly selective academic structure with state school features, including a strong Greek system. Part of the university's appeal to many prospective students is the enormous party scene on Rugby Road. With the well known, oft-stereotyped Rugby scene coming under attack, the modern frat party is an endangered species. To many potential students, the fraternity party scene is an important part of what U.Va. offers and can be a determining factor in their ultimate decision to come here. Could there be some way to continue the tradition of alcohol at fraternity parties while allowing a more reasonable means of assigning liability? The Inter-Fraternity Council and Alumni Fraternity Council have opened the lines of communication, thanks to the work of IFC President Joe Altman. The aggressive pursuit of this issue has helped demonstrate to the Alumni Fraternity Council that steps are being taken to control the parties on Rugby and to make them aware of the IFC's commitment to safety. So far this has allowed fraternity parties to continue unhindered. Fraternity members and the Inter-Fraternity Council regulate their parties closely with strict guest list enforcement. In addition, there is the Party Patrol, a small group of students who patrols mixers and parties to ensure that fraternities are not serving alcohol to minors, as well as following the safety guidelines set by the Inter-Fraternity Council. This crucial regulationcould not take place if the parties moved off-Grounds, which would almost surely be the case if the proposed rules were set in place. "The ball is in our court," says Altman, "It's our responsibility to make it work." With the cooperation of fraternity members and with common sense safety precautions of guests and members alike, students should be able to enjoy fraternity parties in their current form for quite some time.

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