Delta Sig to become dry house By Caitlin Nish Daily Staff Reporter The national chapter of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity has announced that all alcohol will be banned from all chapter property by Dec. 10. Following the reinstatement of the campus Delta Sig chapter, national authorities noted in a written statement that the removal of alcohol is part of the Delta Sigma Phi Challenge, an initiative "that provides a values-based experience for all members." "Our organization isn't about alcohol and we need to make sure the chapter houses which are living and learning environments are not about" alcohol, Delta Sig Executive Director Jon Hockman said. "They are not bars." "I think that going dry is a move a lot of frats will have to make," said Steve Lezell, Delta Sig president. "It is necessary in order to improve our image and standing within the community. There is a misconception that frats are only about drinking. People need to realize we are about more than that." Delta Sig is not the only fraternity to initiate dry chapter houses. Interfraternity Council Adviser John Mountz said Sigma Alpha Mu and Theta Chi are among several campus fraternities that are scheduled to be substance-free. "Substance-free means that if there is a social event in a house, there is no alcohol. If they have a party at any other house which is not substance free, they can have alcohol. As long as they follow national fraternity guidelines, they can do whatever is allowed," Mountz said. Hockman also said that removing alcohol from chapter houses does not mean that the fraternity can not serve alcohol at parties held in other locations. "By removing alcohol from chapter property we are not saying that our members can not make their own choices," Hockman said. Theta Chi Executive Director Dave Westol said the national organization, including its Ann Arbor chapter, has adopted a plan to have all houses and facilities alcohol-free by July 1, 2003. "We are part of ... a risk management consortium of 50 national fraternities and sororities which have all agreed to follow several alcohol policies," Westol said. "They are basically no open parties, the chapter can't provide alcohol, they either have to have it BYOB or hire bartenders and there must be limits in the size of the event." IFC President Adam Silver said he does not believe that dry chapter houses will dissuade students from rushing and pledging the fraternities. "People look to join a brotherhood for the people who they will be surrounded by," Silver said. "I don't think that it will affect rush at all." Westol said he agrees that rush will not be affected by the initiative to remove alcohol from Theta Chi's chapter houses. "Our expectation is that for every guy we lose, another says 'I like this.' This way the house stays clean, the alumni give more money and the guys will be a significant cut above some who get in now who join purely for alcohol," Westol said. The Social Responsibility Committee, the organization responsible to ensure alcohol policies are obeyed by all member organizations, will not be responsible for checking to be sure alcohol is not present in substance-free houses. "Substance-free houses are implemented by the individual organizations of the national fraternity. It is not with the IFC to monitor that," Mountz said. Hockman said that the substance-free chapters of Delta Sig will be enforced by "landlords, alumni who advise the chapter and the chapter itself." Although IFC will not be regulating substance-free chapter houses, all fraternities and sororities on campus must still adhere to the IFC and Panhellenic Association's Social Environment Management Policy. According to the policy, "no bulk quantities of alcohol such as kegs, party balls, punch bowls or any communal alcohol container of more than two liters are permitted at any social event." In addition, "the hosting member chapter(s) will require all those attending the event to present proof of legal age in order to consume alcoholic beverages." According to the policy, all sponsoring organizations must also provide food and alternative beverages, other than water, in plain view and be of a "quantity reasonable" with the potential attendance. Originally on page 1A in the 1-19-2000 issue of the Daily.