Fraternities to hold parties on same nights

University of Richmond fraternities will be hosting more lodge events on the same nights this semester in an effort to cut costs.

The main expense for fraternity events is security, which consists of University Police Department officers patrolling the lodges.

"People may or may not realize that frats pay for [lodge] security," said Alison B. Keller, director of Greek life and associate director of student activities.

University police officers are paid overtime for overnight patrolling of the lodges, police Capt. Beth Simonds said. Typically, the police department staffs two officers to patrol the lodges during events.

Security costs are split among the fraternities hosting lodge events on a given night. Therefore, the more lodge events on the same night, the less each fraternity has to pay in security costs, Keller said.

The administration did not implement a new rule, Keller said. Instead, members of Greek life and student activities recommended that fraternities coordinate events.

"Coordinating events involves more planning, but it's for the better," said Chris Mihok, president of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.

Aside from Pig Roast and Halloween, this is the first time all of the fraternities have coordinated lodge events, he said.

"It's unprecedented," Keller said. "We have never, in 25 years, seen men coordinate a schedule. They've been incredibly supportive to make it work."

Keller said she did not foresee any new problems - specifically, out-of-control drinking - with more lodges open on the same night.

Overconsumption of alcohol is always a concern, said Steve Bisese, vice president for student development.

The bigger issue is pre-partying and drinking before the lodges, Bisese said.

"What is of concern is the number of women - first- and second-year - who are significantly pre-partying with liquor," Keller said. "That's not to say that there aren't male situations that occur. But from consumption issues, we see more with women."

Fraternity risk management has done a good job turning away visibly intoxicated students from entering the lodges, Keller said.

"There are great risk procedures among frats," Mihok said. "All have at least seven to 10 sober guys who check IDs and take it all seriously."

But, if there are more people at the lodges, there will be more potential problems, Bisese said.

"The lodges have been open the last two weekends and the concern is that we've received more calls for transports to the hospital," said Patrick Benner, associate dean for residence life.

At least three students were taken to the hospital during each of the first two weekends when lodges were open, Benner said.

The first weekend that the lodges were open, Sept. 11-13, was busy for the police department, Simonds said. Of the 13 alcohol-related arrests, citations or referrals to the dean, nine were made near fraternity row, she said.

Police did not report any arrests on fraternity row during the second weekend, Sept. 21-22, Simonds said.

Simonds said that the first few weekends when lodges were open tended to be the busiest.

"The fall semester usually mellows out as the year gets going," Benner said.

Contact staff writer Nick Mider at nick.mider@richmond.edu