As Executive Vice President and a Judicial Board member of the InterFraternity Council, I have become acutely aware of some of the misconceptions associated with Greeks or Greek Row that were/are regularly expressed by the typical college student.

I thought this attitude would begin changing this semester as the judicial board took a more publicized and stronger more aggressive position on alcohol as defined in the IFC’s alcohol policy. But as recently pointed out to me by letter to the editor on Dec. 1, in which a freshman associates some serious problems in NIU’s alcohol policy with Greek row, the information is just not flowing fast enough.

The student asserts that “Greek row is the most popular place to go on weekend nights. After a night of pounding beers, the student then has to find his or her way back to the dorms.” This statement disturbs me, for I know it was made in ignorance and that the IFC has placed rules providing for this mutual concern.

To get into a party on Greek row one must first receive a ticket in advance to the event. Next, there will be no charging for the event for cups, entertainment, drink tickets, etc… (The only thing that will occur at the door is a check of the student’s I.D.). The chapter must provide food and non-alcoholic beverages throughout the event.

The chapter sponsoring the event must clearly post the phone number of the Late Night Ride Service, a schedule of the Huskie Line bus route for the number three and four buses and make a phone availble for individuals to contact the ride service free of charge.

No person who appears to be intoxicated will be served. No one attending the event will be allowed to serve themselves alcohol. Sober monitors will be present who are educated to respond to potentially dangerous situations, and who will not drink during the event. Lastly, any event must be registered with IFC prior to the event.

If any student sees anything contrary to this policy being practiced by a chapter he or she merely needs to contact any executive member of the IFC. This can be done by simply writing a short note on a piece of paper, including a name and phone number, and dropping it off in the NIU University Programming and Activities office.

We, as Greeks, have begun educating and enforcing rules concerning alcohol, for we have realized both from a national down to chapter’s own level the dangers involved with alcohol and its accompanied liability.

Gregg Mylin

Executive vice president

InterFraternity Council