Fraternities on college campuses across America are seeing a growing trend: the adoption of a BYOB policy for social functions.

"That's what the majority of most of the greek communities on colleges campuses are doing," said Jared Brown, assistant director of fraternity and sorority life.

Brown said he has not heard that the greek community at Penn State is officially considering a BYOB policy, but said he thinks it's worth looking into.

"It reduces liability, it makes it a lot safer, and things like that," Brown said. "Will Penn State get to that? I don't know. Hopefully, that would be a dream, because it would create a safer environment and reduce liability to our chapters."

Jeff Ewing, former risk reduction chair for Sigma Nu fraternity, 340 N. Burrowes Road, said he doubted the university would adopt a BYOB-type policy.

"I honestly doubt that would ever happen to begin with," Ewing said. "There will be too many people against it."

Ewing added a BYOB policy would affect recruitment.

"It would definitely hurt rush," Ewing said. "I'm not saying they only go for the alcohol, though."

Other fraternity members also said recruitment would be affected by the implementation of a BYOB policy locally.

"I think it's outrageous," said Pete Patel, member of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, 240 E. Prospect Ave. "That would pretty much kill rush, I think."

Patel said he would not agree with the establishment of a BYOB policy for fraternities. "I don't understand why that would be happening. I don't agree with it," he said. "They just want to catch little kids with alcohol."

Ewing said the policy would make students carry alcohol on the street and on campus, causing a potentially dangerous situation.

Adam Friedman, spring 2004 recruitment chair for Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, 321 E. Fairmount Ave., said the number of interested recruits would initially drop if the BYOB policy was instituted at Penn State.

"Obviously it would decrease the numbers for the guys," Friedman said.

He said that with Interfraternity Council planning, BYOB could work at Penn State if recruitment policies could become less dependent on a party atmosphere.

"It could eventually help us, but if they kept rush the way it is now, it would only hurt it," Friedman said.

Justin Laurie, recruitment chair for Kappa Sigma fraternity, 255 Highland Ave., said that although institution of a BYOB policy could hurt other fraternities, it would not affect his fraternity's recruitment abilities.

"With my fraternity, through our national organization, we're not allowed to party for rush," he said. "We're allowed to party, but it can't be a rush event."

Brown said any policy that would potentially make the greek community safer for its members is worth researching.

He also said the purpose of fraternities is not to offer everyone a place to party.

"I look at it this way," Brown said. "The greek community's main purpose of being here is not to be the bars of the campus. That's not what the main purpose is."