BYOB policy set to begin

Roughly half of the University's undergraduate fraternities tonight are expected to sign a trial Bring-Your-Own-Beverage policy, similar to the agreement signed last December by nine sororities.

"Many fraternities are not ready to go into the BYOB policy 100 percent," said Brad Holcman, Interfraternity Council president. "Most of the fraternities were willing to have a BYOB party with those sororities who have signed the policy."

The policy differs from the sorority BYOB contract in minor language changes and a new clause, Holcman said. The clause allows fraternities to hold parties with all sororities, regardless of their BYOB commitments.

"Because it is a trial period, a lot of people will find out what works for them and what doesn't work for them," Holcman said.

Holcman said that about 15 of the University's 32 fraternities will sign the policy at tonight's IFC meeting, with nearly all the fraternities expected to sign in the coming week. The trial period begins tomorrow, but fraternities may sign the policy at any point during the trial period.

"If a chapter decides halfway in, we don't want to exclude anyone who wants to give it a try," Holcman said.

Theta Chi president Wes Cornwell said the clause allowing fraternities to hold parties with both BYOB and non-BYOB sororities may sway him to sign the policy.

"Under these changes, I'm interested in hearing more about it ... I think it's worth testing out," Cornwell said. "If I went ahead and signed the policy, it would not affect our party schedule what-so-ever."

Panhellenic Association President Mary Gray said the sorority presidents will meet after the IFC meeting tomorrow to discuss and finish signing the Panhel BYOB policy.

Gray said she expects the remaining 13 sororities to sign the policy sometime this week.

"A few people have to talk with their nationals," Gray said. "We'll have the majority (of sororities) on board by the end of the week."

The BYOB policy requires that each time a fraternity and sorority hold a party, a contract must be signed by either the organization's chapter president, social officer or treasurer. The contract must state the starting time and place of the event, as well as the fact that it will be BYOB. Within 24 hours of the event, the contracts must be re-signed and the evaluation submitted. If an organization is found to have broken the contract, it will be responsible for the cost of the party.

After each party, evaluation sheets will be given to the fraternities and sororities involved to help gauge the policy's effectiveness.

"Right now, we have a mock evaluation form for both fraternities and sororities," Gray said. "It talks about procedures at social functions, themes, attendance, DJ, what procedures worked well and what problems occurred."

The evaluations will be read by a committee of fraternity and sorority presidents, as well as other members who want to participate, Gray said.

"This evaluation committee will discuss changes that need to be made to the policy," Gray said. "A lot needs to be worked out over the next three months."

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