OU Interfraternity Council is concerned with the new Student Conduct office, formally known as Judicial Affairs, and its policies enforcing OU’s Student Alcohol Policy, the IFC president said.
The Student Conduct office now oversees every aspect of compliance checks, investigations and punitive judgments, said Daniel Jones, IFC president and communications junior. Until the beginning of the semester, fraternity chapter presidents would receive a call from Student Life 10 minutes before a compliance check was performed. IFC no longer receives the 10-minute warnings.
“It’s definitely an issue of concern for my presidents and chapters,” Jones said. “Having a group of individuals brand new to the process perform checks that could potentially damage a house’s reputation is quite stressful, to say the least.”
The procedural changes were created and implemented at the beginning of the semester without notification from the university, Jones said. IFC met with university officials to discuss the changes and make their concerns known Friday. Jones said during this meeting, he was told 10-minute warnings would no longer be given.
Though the 10-minute warnings were never officially part of the compliance check policy, the fraternities had grown accustomed to the warnings, Jones said.
“The success of the transition process of moving compliance check responsibilities from Student Life to Student Conduct will be key in determining how we as the IFC view these changes,” Jones said. “We’ve been assured by the university that there will be no changes in the ways these compliance checks are performed, even though it’s a new university entity’s responsibility. If that is in fact accurate, it will be an easier pill to swallow.”
Changes to the alcohol policy have not been made or proposed, Andrea Kulsrud, Student Conduct director, said by e-mail.
“The purpose of all aspects of policy is the safety and well-being of our students,” Kulsrud said. “Our efforts are designed to reduce the illegal and overconsumption of alcohol. With these goals in mind, the compliance check teams will now call as they arrive at a chapter house and receive timely admittance into the house.”
The Student Alcohol Policy states fraternities are dry and alcoholic beverages are not allowed inside the houses. Fraternity officers and members sign agreements to abide by this policy.
Jones said the IFC is less concerned about the 10-minute warning change and more focused on the lack of communication between the university and IFC.
“Hopefully some avenues of communication are opened up,” Jones said. “We want more transparency from the university as far as the procedures for compliance checks, the investigation process and the process by which punitive judgments are issued. The university has definitely listened to us and will be working to provide us with that information. I’m sure there are many things the university would like us to do better, and I’m all ears.”
The Oklahoma Daily is pleased to provide you the opportunity to share your thoughts about this article. We encourage lively debate on the issues of the day, but we ask you refrain from using profanity or other offensive speech, engaging in personal attacks or name-calling, posting advertising, or straying from the topic at hand. To comment, you must be a registered user of OUDaily.com. Thanks for taking the time to offer your thoughts.
You must be logged in to leave a comment. Log in | Register
ston9794 2 years, 3 months ago
Why exactly do fraternities need a warning call for compliance checks in the first place? So they can have time to hide or dispose of paraphernalia and alcohol? I'm guessing that it's not so they can put a batch of cookies in the oven for the inspectors...
JJanowiak 2 years, 3 months ago
Sorry, that should be "without", not "with".
Flux 2 years, 3 months ago
If you all are so ready to condemn every fraternity member, I hope the cops bust every single one of your GDI apartment parties since you obviously never drink or condone underage drinking of any kind.
Fakin 2 years, 3 months ago
Exactly, these pompous pampered BROs expect special treatment their entire lives, and the sick thing is they'll probably get it. a 10 min warning is a joke! just gives the bros a chance to hide all the Keystone and Natti Light cans(bro, im watching my figure) and all the ball gags and dildos they probably have lying around. (sarcasm coming) OH!, we must stop the injustice perpetrated on frats, what about their "reputation" (as spoiled arrogant rapist pricks)?
Paige 2 years, 3 months ago
Maybe if you remain compliant, you won't have to worry about compliance checks.
blakegriffin 2 years, 3 months ago
What a joke, you do not need a 10 min warning. These inspecctions are a joke anyway, everyone knows heavy drinking by everyone including minors still goes on in these houses. It is just a way for the University to look like they are trying to prevent any issues.
Sadly it will take another tragedy for people to understand this.
WalkingMan 2 years, 3 months ago
^ That's exactly what they need a warning for, to hide things. What was the point in even doing checks if they were being warned in advance. That's like a judge who just issued an arrest warrant calling someone to tell them the police are on the way. I'm sure they are really concerned with "the lack of communication between the university and ifc".
JJanowiak 2 years, 3 months ago
"Hopefully some avenues of communication are opened up,” Jones said. “We want more transparency from the university as far as the procedures for compliance checks, the investigation process and the process by which punitive judgments are issued."
I'd also like to point out that this is the kind of arrogant doublespeak that should enrage anyone who cares about our university. THERE SHOULD BE NO COMMUNICATION. OU should post what the consequences for alcohol are and that should be the end of it. Greeks should have absolutely no idea when inspections should occur nor should there be any sort of back-slapping relationship between inspectors and Greeks. Inspections need to happen because Greeks, like corporations, are incapable of maintaining their own reputations with responsible and independent oversight. The first step is throwing this idiot on the curb.
JJanowiak 2 years, 3 months ago
See, I called this guy a dumb, arrogant douchebag when he wrote his whiny pretentious letter to the Daily a few weeks ago and here he is, trying to dress up this request for a policy that is an absolute affront to anyone who is capable of thinking. There's a name for Jones' behavior: corruption. He tries to talk a good game but this whole issue is about him trying to protect his university-sanctioned turf from any kind of meaningful oversight by the university. This guy is going to be a great politician some day...
TheJR 2 years, 3 months ago
One thing I'll never understand is why people in the greek system are generalized as much as they are. Clearly as one commenter posted, every person in a fraternity must be a spoiled, arrogant, rapist prick. You know, sort of like most influential people around the US who were all in fraternities. You know, like presidents. Those rapist bastards.
Anyway, as far as being on-topic, it seems like this article is more focused on the questionable process than the "10 minute warning". Compliance officers sitting in parking lots for half an hour before making their presence known is pretty shady, if not trespassing.
theramblingscot 2 years, 3 months ago
so if the frats are supposed to be dry, i don't see why they should need a warning of any kind. i mean, surely none of them are drinking in their houses?! bahahah
sooner12 2 years, 3 months ago
“Having a group of individuals brand new to the process perform checks that could potentially damage a house’s reputation is quite stressful, to say the least.”
If you've got nothing to hide, there shouldn't be a problem with compliance checks. If you really want your "reputation" intact, then maybe you shouldn't allow your underclass members to participate in doing things they shouldn't be doing. I applaud OU's efforts to ensure that this is a dry campus, and I hope that the fraternities and sororities will act accordingly.
TheJR 2 years, 3 months ago
JJnowiak - so what you're saying is compliance officers should be able to determine strikes at their own discretion with no communication with the fraternity as to their investigative process or the results they reach, a decision that would displace 50+ people from their houses as well as remove an organization they are an active part of? (If it got to the point of 3 strikes) Yeah, that sounds like a legitimate option.
WalkingMan 2 years, 3 months ago
The JR: As several people above have pointed out, none of this should be a problem because this is a dry campus and there shouldn't be anything for them to find on their inspections.
blakegriffin 2 years, 3 months ago
What these people don't get is that while they live in Frat houses they are part of OU. If something should happen it is OU's name on the line. OU has to protect itself at some point from this foolish behavior.
blakegriffin 2 years, 3 months ago
Live by the rules and you wont have to worry about anything.
These rules were put into place because a young man lost his life. Why doesnt Jones go ask that mans parents how they feel and how they were effected? If you cant drink in the house go out to a bar and drink there. If you are not 21 then find something else to do with your time. OU spends so much money on programs like SafeRide that there should be no exucuse to say you cant go out to drink.
ston9794 2 years, 3 months ago
No, I think JJanowiak is saying that there shouldn't be a buddy-buddy relationship between inspectors and fraternities, and that there shouldn't be flexibility in the consequences if the rules are violated. You know, the same setup for residents that live in the dorms, or for US citizens being held responsible for following the law. Police officers don't call you when you're on the highway and say, "I'm watching I-35 south just past Moore, so you probably shouldn't be doing 90mph there," so why should fraternities get that advantage?
If Greeks were as righteous and mature as they claim to be, then unannounced inspections should not be an issue. They're not, and they need the heads-up to help uphold the image that they portray.
Tiberius 2 years, 3 months ago
There's nothing wrong with the tactics enforcement uses to catch people breaking the law/rules. If you break them, you need to take responsibility for your actions. Even if the majority of the members have done nothing wrong, they need to hold their brothers in the minority accountable.
koatz 2 years, 3 months ago
The logic used to support a change in policy regarding notification is sickening.
How many of those arguing that the university should NOT give notice of an inspection, would support acts whereby the police hid behind signs, used speed traps, and engaged in other underhanded tactics to catch speeders?
After all - according to the logic of those against notification - because we are all safe drivers who would never go over the speed limit, why should we be concerned if the police use morally bankrupt practices to catch those who are speeding? It's a very slippery slope when you think about it.
The bottom line is, giving notice of an impending inspection is the ethical thing to do.
red1raven 2 years, 3 months ago
koatz: I thing the ethical thing to do would be to follow the guidelines set by the university regarding alcohol use on campus.