Fraternities to use UR I.D. cards for lodge sign in

Fraternities are changing the lodge sign-in process from using guest lists at the door to having guests swipe in using UR identification cards, a switch that has been on hold since the beginning of fall 2014 semester due to lack of Wi-Fi at the lodges.

Because at-door guest lists have not been effective in keeping track of who is at which lodge, Meg Pevarski, assistant director of Greek life, explored the option of having students use UR IDs to swipe in and out of lodges. After trying various options for signing in, including signing up on OrgSync and in-person signup sheets, Pevarski and others found that students aren’t taking them seriously and don’t understand the purpose behind them.

Many times students will put down fake names on the guest list, such as “Fred Flintstone” and “John F. Kennedy,” which is a liability for the fraternities that need to know who is entering and leaving the lodges due to insurance reasons 

In order to understand the change, Pervarski said one must understand the fraternities' risk management policies from an insurance and liabilities standpoint. All Greek organizations on campus have different rules and regulations they must follow dealing with risk management and events, especially those involving alcohol.

“One of the beautiful things about Richmond is that it is a small campus and that there is the opportunity for people to socialize together at the lodges," Pevarski said. "However, it comes at a huge liability to the men because they can’t just have open parties.”

The delay in implementation has been due to the lodges not having Wi-Fi, and a central issue -- who is responsible and who will fund Wi-Fi at the lodges -- remains unsolved.

Fraternities will be able to swipe people in and out of parties and then later upload the information, but wireless internet access would make for a more efficient process.

The information of who enters which lodges and when will only be used in order to confirm a student’s location and time period at the location when allegations are made against a fraternity or if a situation involving lodges needs investigation Pevarski said.

This change will also help deal with the issue of people who aren’t UR students or invited guests of UR students entering the lodges. Pevarski said there have been issues with local high school students or community members causing issues at lodges, which is difficult for the fraternities because it’s hard to figure out who the people were and how to hold them accountable for their actions.

Fraternities are aware that changing to swiping into the lodges may cause difficulties for students because if they forget their I.D. they will be unable to attend lodges. The benefits, nevertheless, far outweigh the costs.

“Switching to swiping [will] definitely make the process of signing into lodges more streamlined and efficient,”  Jon Blanchard, sophomore and Theta Chi risk manager, said. “It [will] also reduce the number of individuals who sign in under fake names, which [will] improve safety considerably.”

This change will be implemented at the first lodges during the weekend of Sep.12, with or without Wi-Fi.

Contact news assistant Helaine Ridilla at helaine.ridilla@richmond.edu.