FRATERNITIES AT UT TACKLE DRINKING CONCERNS

It would be barred at social events or chapter could face sanctions.

Fraternities at the University of Texas are preparing to say so long to shots, as they weigh a vote on a ban of hard liquor at their parties and mixers.

The Daily Texan reported the Texas Interfraternity Council, which began looking at the policy change in the spring, planned to vote Wednesday on the policy at its general assembly meeting.

Under the policy, hard alcohol would be banned from all social events or the chapter could face sanctions by the council’s judicial board.

“This is going to be a seismic shift in a lot of chapters because hard liquor can be one of the signature events at some of these bigger parties,” council President Peter Driscoll told The Daily Texan. “Hopefully, it will be absorbed, and it won’t be a big deal next semester.”

Hard liquor already has been banned in Texas State University fraternity houses. In February, the San Marcos school announced stricter standards for fraternities and sororities after the death of Matthew McKinley Ellis, a 20-yearold pledge who had a blood alcohol level of 0.38, more than four times the legal limit for driving.

Under the new Texas State rules, alcoholic beverages in fraternity houses are permitted only in private living quarters for residents above the legal drinking age and must be below 15 percent alcohol by volume.

A ban intending to clamp down on hard liquor at house parties in the wake of pledge deaths last year has been ordered for most fraternities in the United States and Canada, unless the drinks are served by someone with a liquor license.

All international and national fraternities of the North-American Interfraternity Conference have a year to prohibit drinks with an alcohol content of 15 percent or more from fraternity chapters and events, unless it is served by licensed third-party vendors, the group said in early September.

The rule was adopted Aug. 27 in a “near-unanimous vote” and must be implemented by next Sept. 1, conference spokeswoman Heather Kirk said in a news release. The group has more than 6,100 chapters on 800 campuses.