Two councils within the Penn State greek community have instituted yet another policy restricting the way social functions are run and the clientele that is allowed to attend.

The new policy, which makes open parties a thing of the past, requires all guests to be on a list and states that chapters will be permitted to register only three social events per week.

Social monitors will be used to enforce the new social policy and ensure that there are no kegs or underage drinkers. According to Steve Hulick, IFC vice president of standards, there are no loopholes in this policy.

"For the first time ever, I think they're actually going to follow the policy," Hulick said.

This comment alone sums up the general feeling toward policy changes within the greek community. No one expects them to last.

In the last three years, there have been regulations regarding wristbands, greek ID cards, rape-free zone signs, sexual assault training and a "Return to Glory" campaign. All good ideas -- but none that have had any real lasting value.

Two weeks go by, a few rules get fudged here and there, and the policy is nothing more than a filed piece of paper.

In addition, the policy banning open fraternity and sorority parties severely affects only one sector of the Penn State community: the freshman.

At Penn State, typical social hierarchy is as follows: Seniors crowd the bars, juniors and sophomores dominate the apartment party scene and freshmen are left trekking to frat row every weekend.

Without any other options, freshmen who are not "on the list" may seek other ways to drink on weekends, which may in turn increase drinking in the dorms.

This is not to say the greek community should keep open parties just to give freshmen a place to spend a Friday or Saturday night.

Instead, the solution may be outside the greek community and beyond just another set of regulations.

Unfortunately, as history indicates, we cannot rely on the greek community to regulate and improve the amount of underage drinking debauchery at Penn State.

Instead, the student body should realize, the longer we go without acting like adults, the longer we will deal with regulations that treat us like children.