Rutgers students’ reactions to ban on Greek house parties

Rutgers University students seem accepting of the recent ban on fraternity and sorority house parties, president of Rutgers' Panhellenic Association Erin Kearns told NJ Advance Media. 

According to a statement by the university, all Greek organizations are prohibited from holding house parties for the rest of the semester due to alcohol-related incidents. However, end-of-the-year formals will be permitted, including events with third-party alcohol vendors.

NJ Advance Media reported that university officials gathered leaders from the school’s 86 Greek organizations to announce the ban. The meeting took several hours as students voiced their concerns. Some were worried that graduating seniors would be prohibited from enjoying their last weeks of school. But Kearns said that after much discussion, the students appeared to accept the decision.

“It kind of became the idea of what are we willing to risk our community for? Is it really worth it for the last three weeks of our semester," Kearns said in comments to NJ Advance Media.

However, Ken Thompson, a member Delta Chi fraternity, thinks the positive aspects of Greek life have been overlooked.

“Granted, any press is good press,” Thompson said in an interview with NJ 101.5. “But still, they don’t talk about the money we raised for philanthropies, all the thousands of hours we do for community service.”

Some students unaffiliated with Greek life said they are largely unaffected by the news, but are unsure if the university would be able to enforce the rule.

“I learned that they often hold their parties in houses that are not registered with the university, so it’s going to be rather ineffective,” said a Rutgers student.

In regards to off-campus parties, E.J. Miranda, the director of media relations at Rutgers, expects that the organizations will adhere to the decision.

"We expect that the fraternities and sororities will follow the rules -- as the overwhelming majority of them do at all other times," Miranda said.

The announcement to ban the parties came after the Rutgers chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon was shut down due to an underage drinking incident last month. Officials said a member was taken to the hospital in an “intoxicated state.” Last year, a 19-year-old student died at a Rutgers party due to alcohol.

According to Miranda, if the university receives or witnesses any organization breaking the rule, the incident will be formally reviewed. Next year, he said, the university will be working with leaders of Greek organizations regarding their responsibilities.