Some Schools Move to Ban Alcohol at Fraternities

Some colleges and universities are moving to ban alcohol at fraternities to reduce misconduct, according to USA Today. North Carolina State University recently banned alcohol at fraternity events.

This week, Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, announced it is banning all fraternity and sorority parties for the remaining three weeks of the semester. The university said in a statement the decision came “in light of a number of alcohol-related incidents this year involving Greek organizations,” NBC New York reports. The 86 recognized fraternities and sororities will still be allowed to host formals and other events where a licensed third-party vendor is used to serve alcohol, but they cannot host parties in their houses.

USA Today notes studies have shown fraternity members are more likely to drink and to have alcohol-related problems than their peers who are not fraternity members.

The Phi Delta Theta fraternity has banned alcohol at all of its houses since 2000. Since then, the average GPA of its students has risen from 2.7 to 3.1. The fraternity has gained more members, and more alumni have been supporting the organization, according to Robert Biggs, Executive Vice President of Phi Delta Theta. “The one common denominator was the use of alcohol,” Biggs said. “We believe that the number one problem on a college campus is the misuse of alcohol.”

Since 2000, the fraternity has had a 65 percent decrease in the number of insurance claims filed against it. Claims that are filed are smaller—an average of $24,000, down from $400,000. “It’s interesting because today we’re attracting a more serious-minded student,” he said.