Sigma Alpha Epsilon is one of the fraternities that is instituting changes to its bus loading policies to stem the numbers of uninvited guests and the amount of disorderly conduct for students going to off-campus parties and events, SAE President Scott Miller said.
The changes are being enacted after an e-mail was sent to TCU fraternities Feb. 14 from Interfraternity Council adviser Keith Becklin. Complaints included public urination, disorderly conduct, public intoxication and open containers of alcohol, according to Becklin’s e-mail.
“There were some individuals who show up to events that act in an unruly manner,” Becklin said, adding that problems were sometimes caused by guests of chapter members, rather than the members themselves.
Miller said that one change SAE is implementing is having an officer within the fraternity present at each bus to help security officers ensure that loading runs smoothly.
“That way, the TCU Police aren’t immediately having to deal with the situation and maybe we can, so we’re preventing someone from getting an alcohol violation or getting in other trouble,” Miller said.
Miller said SAE had also committed to improving its guest list policy in an attempt to stem the influx of unwelcome guests.
“It’s very difficult to prevent people who are not invited from showing up to the bus loading,” Miller said. The problem of uninvited attendees had been tackled in the past by loading the buses at an off-campus location, but Miller said he did not see that as a safe alternative, as it might cause intoxicated people to drive to the location. Becklin said TCU fraternities have been working toward improving risk management at bus loading for about 16 months.
Becklin said Greek organizations are responding well to the new procedures, and he said he received no complaints about a fraternity event last weekend that adhered to the new policies.
“Obviously change is difficult for anybody or any group,” Becklin said. “But overall they’ve been receptive.”
Miller said members of SAE were supportive of the new changes, and he did not foresee any major complaints from his chapter.
“The chapter is pretty on board because they’re essentially tired of people who don’t pay dues deciding they’re going to go anyway,” Miller said. He said uninvited guests often follow the bus to the event location in cabs or personal cars.
Miller said he would like his chapter to become a leader in managing bus loading policies and reducing the need for outside security.
“We would like to maybe start setting an example for how it can be done really well,” Miller said. “Because, all it takes is a little bit more initiative, a little bit more conversation with the TCU Police and with TCU to have things run really smoothly.” Miller said.
Becklin said that IFC’s goal was for TCU fraternities to police themselves.
“It’s to reduce the need and eliminate the need for staff and police and other folks to be there,” Becklin said. “If the organizations can manage to process themselves, then there’s no need for additional support.
“When they get to the point where they’re governing themselves, we have a much more successful community.”
Calls to the IFC president and executive vice president about how the new system would affect Greek events were not immediately returned as of Tuesday night.