Fraternities Oppose U. of Colorado's New Standards Aimed at Curbing Hazing

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National and local fraternity leaders have denounced new standards aimed at curbing drinking and hazing problems at the University of Colorado at Boulder. University officials came under increased pressure to respond to fraternity problems following the alcohol-related death of a freshman pledge in September.

Administrators at Boulder approved the standards last week and said Greek organizations would lose their university privileges if they did not agree to the new rules by April 29.

Representatives of the North American Interfraternity Conference and campus chapters said they had no problem with several of the rules. Among those are standards requiring fraternities and sororities to have a staff member in residence at their houses, follow all local and national laws, and meet the academic standards set forth by their national chapters.

But the groups oppose an additional condition that would require them to postpone rush activities for new members until the spring semester. Traditionally, freshman rush takes place during the fall semester.

University administrators say that delaying rush would give students more time to adjust to college life and make informed decisions about joining fraternities and sororities. They also contend that students need more time to concentrate on the academic demands of college before they get involved in fraternity and sorority pledging events.

"With a full semester under their belt, perhaps they will make better choices if or when they are put in challenging situations that they aren't comfortable with," said Laura Strohminger, director of the Greek Liaison Office at Boulder.

About 160 of the 800 colleges with Greek systems have a rule postponing rush until the spring semester, and many have imposed the standard recently in an effort to limit hazing and alcohol-related problems.

Fraternities at Boulder, however, have garnered support from their national organizations to oppose the postponement policy.

"That rule is not going to solve issues of alcohol abuse," said Jon Williamson, executive vice president of the North American Interfraternity Conference, an umbrella organization that represents 5,000 fraternity chapters. "In addition, we feel that it takes away students' constitutional right of freedom of association. ... What's stopping them from deciding that rush can be postponed until six weeks before graduation?"

Ms. Strohminger said that many fraternity leaders were concerned that postponing rush would result in less student interest in their organizations. Many fraternities have struggled recently with dwindling membership nationwide.

The university's ability to control Greek organizations is somewhat limited. Fraternities and sororities at Boulder are completely independent of the institution, Ms. Strohminger said. None of the fraternity houses are on the campus or owned by the institution.

Although Greek organizations do not need the university's recognition to operate, they receive "more benefits from us," Ms. Strohminger said, and they "expect students to make a much bigger commitment than other organizations on campus."

In addition to financing Ms. Strohminger's office, the university also foots the bill for campus office space provided to two groups that represent fraternities and sororities at Boulder, the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council. Any fraternity or sorority that does not sign the agreement would lose access to those offices and other campus facilities and resources.

"We've been in conversation with them, and the hope is that they will sign the agreement," said Ms. Strohminger. "We will be meeting with each fraternity individually to discuss it."

The 18-year-old pledge who died in September, Lynn Gordon Bailey Jr., was pronounced dead in the Chi Psi fraternity's library. According to a Boulder police report, he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.328 percent, well above Colorado's legal limit of 0.08 percent. The previous evening fraternity brothers had instructed Mr. Bailey and other pledges to finish a combined total of 10 bottles of wine and whiskey and informed them that "no one is leaving until the whiskey is gone," according to one witness.