A “miscommunication” between the IFC executive board and a fraternity president sparked a Total Frat Move post, which stated Penn State IFC is considering banning daylong parties, Interfraternity Council Executive Vice President Lorenzo Massaro said.
But daylong parties at fraternities were already temporarily banned last semester — a decision made by the past IFC executive board in response to concerns expressed by the State College Borough, IFC Vice President of Communications Jordan Rolon said.
This semester’s IFC executive board is currently working with the State College Police to create a compromise and to make sure members of the community and university are safe, Rolon (junior-recreation, park and tourism management) said.
Massaro (senior-crime, law and justice) said one of the fraternity presidents misunderstood recent amendments to the bylaws regarding daytime socials. That president then told his chapter, and the miscommunication occurred, he said.
Rolon said the cancellation rumors of all daylongs are sprouting from greek members’ confusion between daylongs and daytime socials. Daytime socials are not banned, Rolon said. The unofficial daylong definition is “an outdoor social event that a fraternity is holding,” Rolon said, while daytime socials are held indoors.
According to the IFC bylaws listed online, outdoor events are allowed to be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., though there is no mention of “daylongs.” But, the bylaws read, “alcohol may not be served for a period of greater than four consecutive (4) hours.”
But Rolon said the bylaws online were never changed to reflect the temporary ban on daylongs put in place last semester, though they have been amended and distributed among the fraternities.
Justin Laskowski (junior-philosophy), IFC vice president for community outreach, added that though the presidents of Penn State fraternities could bring a proposal for a policy change to the floor, the executive board is not looking to revise the policy.
The Total Frat Move post, released Wednesday, called for members of the greek community to anonymously sign a petition on change.org.
A Petition to Maintain the Rightful Standard of Greek Life has the goal of reaching 1,000 supporters, and as of press time Thursday, there were 940 signees.
The description of the petition reads: “[Daylongs] are a cemented part of the Penn State culture and a staple of the springtime. Let the kids have some beers.”
The post asserted the IFC and the director of greek life have no just standing on the ban, according to the website.
A user with the name Ashley Schaeffer BMW submitted the post.
Director of Greek Life Roy Baker could not be reached for comment by press time Thursday.
