New safety rules announced for University of Virginia fraternity parties

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Last edited Wed Jan 7, 2015, 12:54 PM - Edit history (1)

New safety rules announced for University of Virginia fraternity parties

Education
By Nick Anderson January 6 at 8:20 PM
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New safety rules for fraternities at the University of Virginia would require at least three “sober and lucid” members to monitor behavior at parties, prohibit pre-mixed alcoholic drinks and implement guest lists to control entry to the houses during an event.

The rules, made public Tuesday, also stipulate that one of the sober party monitors must be posted at a staircase leading to bedrooms and have “immediate key access to each room” in the house. That measure appears designed to prevent situations that could lead to sexual assault at U-Va’s fraternities.

The safety initiative arose in response to a Rolling Stone magazine article in November that depicted a female student saying she was gang-raped at a fraternity house during her freshman year. That article unraveled last month as key elements of the rape allegation fell into doubt and the magazine’s managing editor apologized for journalistic lapses.

But university officials and leaders of Greek organizations, among others in the U-Va. community, pledged to continue a push to improve safety at U-Va. regardless.

ETA this link:

University announces new Fraternal Organization Agreements, lifts social activity suspensions

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1. All 31 U-Va. fraternities sign agreements with school, including two holdouts

All 31 U-Va. fraternities sign agreements with school, including two holdouts

Grade Point
By T. Rees Shapiro January 16 at 7:13 PM
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Two fraternities that had initially resisted approving updated agreements with the University of Virginia said Friday that they had signed the new contracts under pressure from the school’s administration.

The Kappa Alpha Order and Alpha Tau Omega fraternities joined the 29 other U-Va. houses in signing the Fraternal Order Agreements with the university by Friday’s deadline. Inter-Fraternity Council president Tommy Reid said that all 31 members of the organization had agreed to accept the new rules, which were designed by the university to discourage binge drinking at parties and enhance campus safety.

Kappa Alpha and Alpha Tau Omega officials said in a statement that a campus-wide ban instituted by the administration following a Rolling Stone article detailing sexual assault allegations at a U-Va. fraternity was unfair to the Greek system at large. The two fraternities said that the administration had coerced the local chapter into signing the documents and that the Greek organizations are “exploring the right to pursue any legal remedies.”

“It is extraordinarily disappointing to see a university of this caliber sacrifice the ideals of freedom of association and due process on the altar of public opinion,” the statement says. “The University has made it clear in writing today that our organizations will remain suspended if we do not sign the new FOA immediately and have rejected our requests for an extension to continue discussing our concerns. Given the threat of further sanctions and retaliation by the University the chapters reluctantly have agreed to sign the FOA so that our students can resume normal operations.”

All Greek organizations sign new FOA addendum, including KA, ATO