by Echelle Avelar
Photography Editor
Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity says it has taken a new look at alcohol awareness, which means cleaning up things not only in Greek life but around the University of La Verne as well.
SAE says it does not provide alcohol at its functions and strictly enforces a dry six-week pledge period, which was started last semester by senior Herman Barahona.
“All our parties are ‘bring your own.’ This takes us as far from the alcohol chain that we can get without throwing a completely sober party,” said senior Jason Wallace, SAE president.
Inter Fraternity Sorority Council (IFSC) has no rules regarding alcohol at parties off campus. All rules are given to fraternities and sororities by their national head quarters but all have some form of risk management policy.
In response to an accident at Louisiana State University in late August in which a student, who was a member of SAE fraternity, died after leaving a fraternity party and attempted to drive home drunk, SAE decided to make a major change. SAE decided to make the change at a three day non alcoholic weekend retreat up in the mountains.
“This is La Verne, not Louisiana. What happened was an awful incident and every fraternity should be doing this,” said sophomore Steve Candela.
“We wanted to reach out and do more positive things. We want to erase some of the stereotypes,” said Robert Yount, a senior.
“We are in the spotlight but we didn’t do it because we are in the spotlight,” said Candela.
At Friday’s party, SAE carried its risk management into the new school year.
“We took keys at the door and if anyone that we thought was ‘too drunk’ to drive we made them find a ride home,” said Wallace.
SAE says it feels that drinking is a part of college and it does not want to preach that drinking is “right” or “wrong,” but that drinking and driving is against the law, and so is underage drinking.
“We want to enforce the law, and for people to be responsible,” said Yount.
On Thursday, Sept. 4, SAE sponsored an alcohol awareness barbecue entitled “Think when you drink” and provided speakers on the subject.
“It was a better turnout then I expected. Faculty and students were very receptive,” said Yount.
“I think it [the Barbecue] opened up a lot of eyes,” said Wallace.
“We wanted to show that the Greek community cares. Next time we want IFSC to help. Greeks should be together, not like last year,” said Wallace.
