Opinion
 

Greeks shouldn't need alcohol to have fun

by Don Heard

On Jan. 28, Judge Mitch Crane spoke in the University Center's Houston Room to nearly 250 men and women on mending the perceptions of Greek organizations and other groups that have been perpetuated on television and in movies. For nearly 90 minutes, not a person stirred as Crane told of his travels speaking to Greeks, student athletes, students and at national conventions. The event was sponsored by the UH chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon, the Interfraternity Council, the Houston Collegiate Panhellenic Association, the NCAA and the Activities Funding Board. 

Throughout his lecture, Crane spoke of Greeks at Penn State who raised $2 million for cancer research. But he also told of a rape at FSU and a suicide at Washington. Everyone in the room agreed these types of hideous acts must end. At the end of his talk, the crowd rose to their feet to give Crane a much-deserved standing ovation. Following his talk, Crane joined Sigma Phi Epsilon and Chi Omega groups for a continued discussion and question-and-answer session at the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house. 

In the vast majority of incidents involving Greeks, alcohol is a factor. During the conference, Crane said, "The stupidity that (Greeks) carry out is almost always related to alcohol abuse." The University of Houston, its food service provider Chartwells, UH Athletics, Budweiser and other alcohol vendors should step up and accept responsibility and end the sale of keg alcohol to student groups at the University of Houston. College students, sports, activities and beer will always be intertwined. However, Texas law is very clear on the subject of host liability when an incident occurs as a result of alcohol abuse. 

Almost every Greek organization has evolved to "dry recruitment." Sigma Phi Epsilon was one of the first groups to make the change in 1987. At the same time, a coalition of Greek headquarters organizations formed the Fraternity Insurance Purchasing Group to assist them in purchasing cost-effective insurance for their chapters to avoid high premiums. One of the first actions the group took was to eliminate the purchase, use or possession of bulk-quantity beer or kegs because the amount a single person consumes cannot be monitored. Nearly every national fraternity or sorority represented at UH is either a member of FIPG or follows its own rules.

This weekend, nearly 200 members of Sigma Phi Epsilon from six states gathered at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott for 24 hours of activities based on developing team building and organizational skills. They ended the night with a ceremony performed by the Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter from UH, a scholarship awards dinner and a showing of the movie Miracle on Ice. Everyone had a great time without alcohol.

Don Heard, UH alumnus class of 1993, 
can be reached viadccampus@mail.uh.edu