With Saturday marking the end of the two-week period during which the Interfraternity Council (IFC) had asked fraternities to not hold social functions, the university and IFC are continuing to look for ways to make Penn State safer.
In a statement released Sunday night, the IFC said its executives were pleased with the response to their request. The statement was released by IFC President Luke Pierce, Vice President for Communications Zach Meli (senior-economics) and Penn State Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Roy Baker.
The IFC said "limited information is available about social event activity" at fraternities during the two-week moratorium. That information will be available early this week, according to the statement.
The statement also called upon fraternities to be leaders in addressing drinking problems. Pierce wrote in an e-mail that in order to do so, IFC executives and chapter presidents "must engage in a productive dialogue with the stakeholders of the Fraternity community."
"IFC will collaborate with our members, alumni, National organizations and headquarters, the Borough and University for a critical conversation about education and social policies," Pierce wrote. "We will take advantage of this opportunity to make a positive and lasting change in the Penn State community."
Vice President for Student Affairs Damon Sims wrote in an e-mail that meetings are currently taking place or being planned concerning the drinking culture at Penn State.
Sims wrote that the Penn State Board of Trustees' Campus Environment Committee, the Campus-Community Partnership on Dangerous Drinking and fraternity alumni leaders are only a few of the organizations involved in the charge to change the culture.
"All of us have something to contribute toward improving upon the current ways," Sims wrote. "Penn State is really no different than most large universities in this regard, but most large universities have a serious problem with student drinking, and ours is one."
University Park Undergraduate Association President Gavin Keirans (senior-business management) wrote in an e-mail that it will take a joint effort to bring change.
"It needs to be a collective approach by the students, administration, the Borough, and any other interested party," Keirans wrote. "The Greek community is a large part of this effort, and can really be the pioneers of change at Penn State. The culture of excess is not uncommon at universities nationwide, that being said if we truly wanted to make an impact on our local level, we could."
Sims wrote that everyone can play a part in finding a solution to the drinking culture at Penn State.
"No one action will create the change we seek, but collectively, by way of many actions pursued in concert, change can happen," he wrote.
Panhellenic Council President Mairys Joaquin did not return a call for comment by press time Sunday.
-- Collegian Staff Writer Kevin Cirilli contributed to this report.
