Wristbands are now required to drink alcohol at fraternity social events.

According to the Interfraternity Council (IFC) constitution, "Guests 21 years of age or older must be wrist-banded."

The council is now modifying the policy to include checking identification cards and denying intoxicated guests entry to parties.

The new policy will also enforce that every event be watched by social monitors -- fraternity members trained by the IFC to attend social events and check that all requirements are met.

IFC Vice President of Standards Jonathan Sagot said the policy was difficult to enforce in the past because of a lack of participation by members.

"The IFC is in a period of social reform," Sagot said. "We are changing the social policy from what it has been in the past to really curb underage drinking."

Under current policy, each house must have a sign-in sheet, guest list and clearly posted numbers for police, fire departments and the Penn State Escort Service at all social functions. It also restricts fraternities from serving alcohol to minors and requires that an alternative beverage be available.

"I was at Delta Sigma this past weekend, and it was the first time I had ever seen a sign-in sheet or wristbands at a fraternity party before," Rachel Carver (freshman-premedicine) said.

Susan Duncan (freshman-business) was also at Delta Sigma fraternity, 508 Locust Lane, last weekend but was not as surprised to see wristbands.

"I remember signing in at fraternities at the beginning of last semester," Duncan said, "but I didn't notice it as much as the semester went on."

Matthew Castonguay (freshman-finance), a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, 500 E. Prospect Ave., had experience with a similar system and does not believe it will work here.

"I went to the University of Pennsylvania one weekend, and they use wristbands and card at the door, but people just take wristbands from their friends and tape it on their own," he said.

If a house is found in violation of the policy, the fraternity will receive sanctions based on the level of their offense, said Brian Bertges, IFC executive vice president.

The IFC is also planning to institute a program with the Community Help Center and the State College Police Department in which fraternity members will be taught risk management, including training on how to check identification cards. They will also be trained to recognize the five signs of intoxication and refuse entry to those who are already intoxicated.

State College Police Chief Tom King said the department's role in the program will be to create a line of communication with the IFC to help curb underage drinking.

"It's a good step in the right direction for the fraternity system," he said.

IFC President Andy Hackett said safety is a main concern of the council this semester.

"We put the tools in the hands of the chapters, so they can function more responsibly," he said.

Chapter presidents and risk management chairs will be among the first to be trained.

"We want to use the same program that trains bartenders and modify it to work for fraternities," Bertges said. "We'll try it at one house first and see how the training affects the operations of that one fraternity."

Sagot said he hopes the program will be instituted by next semester.

"If the IFC educates fraternities on how to prevent underage drinking and then enforces our policies, fraternity houses and the entire greek community will be a safer place," Sagot said.