MSU greeks meet to plan vote

Michigan State University's Interfraternity Council and Panhellinic Association will vote on whether to prohibit alcohol at chapter houses later this week. The organizations' executive boards planned to meet last night to decide when the vote on the alcohol ban will take place.

The Greek vote comes at the completion of a 30-day moratorium, which ended March 12 - while MSU students were on spring break. During the moratorium, the 29 fraternities and 16 sororities at MSU suspended all social functions.

The social suspension spawned from a string of national and local issues that required members of the Greek system to re-evaluate their position on campus, said MSU's Coordinator of Greek Life Billy Molasso.

In addition to discussing their alcohol policy, Greek leaders' reached several other conclusions during the moratorium. Panhel President Rebecca Gillespie said they addressed academic issues, including raising the minimum grade point average required to rush. They also decided to ban all guest list parties from chapter houses.

"We created the Greek Coalition, where Greek leaders and campus and community officials will discuss how to go about dealing with current and future issues. (MSU) President (Peter) McPherson has agreed to sit on the coalition," Gillespie said.

MSU officials said they support the Greek leaders and the steps they are taking. "I am encouraged by the leadership of IFC and Panhel during the moratorium. They want to be seen not as part of the problem but the solution. They are on track to not only change but reform," Vice President of University Relations Terry Denbow said.

The University of Michigan's Greek system held a task force forum about alcohol policies last week. About 30 fraternity and sorority members met to make suggestions and ask questions about a new alcohol policy that is currently being drafted, said Panhel President Cindy Faulk.

"The forum was a chance for fraternity and sorority members to voice their opinions, because only the opinions of presidents had been heard before," said IFC President Rohith Reddy.

To become standard procedure, the fraternities and sororities must vote the policy into the bylaws, Reddy said. But if all of the proposals are passed, the alcohol policy may see major changes. Fraternities may not be able to hold "friend's" parties - guest lists parties not held in conjunction with a sorority - until fraternity rush concludes, and a limited number of people would be allowed to attend a party.

"The task force met on Thursday to start discussions on the issues brought up at the forum," Faulk said. "We hope to have a finalized policy by the end of March."

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