This semester's alcohol-related incidents have heightened awareness about alcohol-related issues within fraternities and strengthened their focus on risk management, said Trey House, president-elect of Interfraternity Council and economics and Chinese junior.

"There is definitely a renewed focus on risk management and a heightened sense of community for people to look out for each other," said House.

Bart Shelley, vice president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and business management junior, said the change came after the alcohol-induced death of freshman Blake Adam Hammontree at the Sigma Chi house Sept. 30.

"I think it's changed everyone around Norman," said Shelley. "It's made everyone so much more aware. It's made it so much more real. Anytime that kind of thing hits so close to home, it makes people realize the danger-what could happen."

A couple of alcohol-related incidents this semester have tainted the image of the greek system, House said.

"I think the majority of the greek system is good, and they do follow the rules," he said. "When we do have problems, it's sad because so many people are affected, and a lot of people make a lot of assumptions about the greek system without really knowing how it works."

Every chapter is taking huge steps to increase alcohol awareness, House said.

Some fraternities in the OU community are bolstering their efforts in prevention policies, programs and enforcement, and at least one fraternity is trying to divert the focus away from alcohol.

"We try to take the focus off of drinking and partying and let the kids realize that there is more to being in a fraternity than partying," said Danny O'Connell, president of Kappa Alpha fraternity and business graduate student.

Kappa Alpha has had eight different functions with sororities this semester, all of which have been alcohol-free, he said.

In addition, IFC rules are now being more strictly enforced, Shelley said.

A chapter's national policies, however, are more restrictive than anything IFC has, House said.

Shelley said his house abides by IFC rules when hosting parties.

Under IFC rules for house parties, three guests are allowed for every fraternity member and must be on a list to gain entrance to the party, he said.

"The list has really helped," Shelley said. "We know every single person in there. We know what guy put what girls on the list, and we can trace it back to that specific guy."

All alcohol at parties is limited to 3.2 beer and served by third-party vendors who also check IDs, Shelley said.

Shelley's fraternity has also increased the number of security guards at parties from six last year to eight or nine this year, he said.

"You're never going to be able to cut down all the risks, but it's cut down tremendously I think," Shelley said.

While the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house has hosted some parties since Hammontree's death, many fraternities, including Beta Theta Pi and Sigma Phi Epsilon, have refrained from them, House said.

"Some people have had date parties, but the social scene has decreased significantly at OU in terms of greek parties," he said.

House said his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, has had one date party since the Hammontree incident.

Beta Theta Pi fraternity has also chosen not to have any parties at its house since Hammontree died, said Michael Kurtz, president of Beta Theta Pi and sociology senior.

"I don't want the heightened responsibility that has now come with having a party," he said.

Kurtz said that throwing a party at the current time is not worth the risks involved.

"It's a hard change, but [the members] realize the situation we're dealing with," Kurtz said. "We're trying to be as responsible as we possibly can, and we haven't had any problems at all."

Another fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon, has also abstained from throwing parties, said Maury Birdwell, Sigma Phi Epsilon member and letters sophomore.

"We haven't had any since that happened because the culture on campus hasn't been very conducive to that," he said. "It just doesn't seem like a good thing to do."

Liquor has also been banned altogether in the house, Birdwell said.

"No matter what age you are, there is no liquor allowed in the Sig Ep house," he said.

Birdwell's fraternity is also taking an extra step toward prevention with a Training and Intervention Procedures program, which will teach members how to deal with situations and problems that arise with alcohol.

On Saturday, seven members of the fraternity, including Birdwell, will go through the program to become TIPS trainers. Afterwards, the seven members will take their entire fraternity through the program, Birdwell said.

Sigma Phi Epsilon does not want to host parties until everyone in the fraternity has gone through TIPS training, he said.

If the TIPS training produces positive results, Birdwell said his fraternity's hope is that other fraternities and sororities will also go through it.

While fraternities are taking steps in the right direction, House said, all IFC can really do is minimize bad behavior.

"Do you think we can really eliminate party culture? I don't think that is realistic," he said. "I think we can take positive steps to minimize high-risk events."

IFC has not revamped its policies yet because they are waiting to find out what actions the university recommends it takes, House said.

OU President David L. Boren will announce his recommendations during the first week of December.