In the Oct. 5 article "IFC looks to ensure change," Interfraternity Council President Luke Pierce wrote, "IFC will collaborate with our members, alumni, National organizations and headquarters, the Borough and University for a critical conversation about education and social policies ... We will take advantage of this opportunity to make a positive and lasting change in the Penn State community."
Let's hope so. But, in 2005, Drew Conly, IFC executive vice president, said "We're hoping to put a dent in the statistics ... I don't think we'll be able to completely solve the problem at Penn State, but we're hoping to prevent a few dangerous incidents before they start."
Since that time, however, liquor law violations at University Park have more than doubled, and DUIs have almost tripled.
In 1999, Jim Lehrer's Newshour spoke of "big changes ... underway at the 88 fraternities and sororities catering to students at the State College campus" and quoted Jami Totten, head of the Panhellenic Council: "On a national level, a lot of organizations are going to become substance-free, which means they'll be moving their parties out of their fraternity houses and moving to third party vendors. That way there will be somebody else taking on a lot of liability, somebody else will be checking IDs, putting on wristbands, there will be cash bars, there will be a lot more control of what goes on."
Since that time, however, drunkenness offenses and alcohol sales have doubled, liquor law violations have risen 480 percent and DUIs have risen 567 percent.
As Mr. Pierce notes, it takes a broad and lasting collaboration to make a positive and lasting change. I wish him better luck than his predecessors had.
Dennis Shea
professor and department head, health policy and administration
