This year’s official buzz-kill award goes to theInterfraternity Council’s revised risk management policy.Rules mandating the use of bus transportation have been commentedupon at length by students, including letters to the editorcomplaining about a very long wait at the buses that ruined anight’s worth of partying.
Remember the good ol’ days when finding a party was aseasy as stumbling your way to a college’s fraternity row?
Suppose it’s Friday or Saturday night and you want to havea little fun. First, those innocent days of just showing up to aparty you heard about on campus are gone; from here on out,it’s invite only.
Step 1: Get a wristband.
What’s that? You’re a freshman, and you don’treally know anyone, or you’re a non-greek? I’m sorry.This makes things tough for you, huh? The guest-list-invite-onlycertainly makes greeks seem very exclusive, even when theyaren’t at all.
Step 2: (assuming you make it past 1) Get through security atthe buses. Be prepared for a wait. Each person entering the busmust be individually checked and given a wristband. So, bring acoat if it’s cold, an umbrella if it’s wet, and acatheter if you have a small bladder because even if you have topee, you can’t leave the bus or the line after receiving thewristband.
An aside: Supposedly any fraternity member caught dispensingwristbands ahead of time will be subject to severe sanctions fromthe IFC judicial board. Of course early handouts will never, everhappen; those innocent little frat boys would never even think ofit.
Whether you like to admit it or not, sororities and(traditionally) to a greater degree fraternities have a large partin fueling the campus’ social life. In terms of participationand attendance, the new rules will undoubtedly affect the SMU partyscene for the worst.
Yes, it’s all about your safety. Yes, fraternities careabout the students, but national fraternities, IFC and theuniversity all care very deeply about liability.
In a time when suing house presidents over an incident at aparty appears to be more popular than the parties themselves, thedays of a wannabe Animal House, crazy guys doing keg stands andlate night drunken pranks are fading fast. Maybe you’re gladto see the end, or maybe you’re mourning the loss of whatseemed great college pastimes.
Pour some out for the old-time homies, but only if you have awristband.
