To better ensure the health and safety of its members and guests, the Michigan State University Interfraternity Council has banned hard alcohol from all chapter facilities and events. The IFC encompasses 29 Greek-letter chapters and approximately 2,500 members.
Unless served by a licensed third-party vendor at an off-site location, any beverage containing above 15 percent alcohol by volume will not be allowed at any house or chapter event. This new policy, which went into effect Oct. 10, is in accordance with the North American Interfraternity Conference, which voted to eliminate hard alcohol from its chapters by September 2019.
“I am proud of our students for their leadership on this important issue and for taking proactive steps to limit high-risk behavior,” said Guillermo Flores, assistant director for fraternity and sorority life. “Voting a year ahead of the national deadline to remove hard alcohol from our local chapters shows their dedication to improving member behavior and success.”
Total fraternity and sorority membership at MSU is around 4,600. The Panhellenic Council, representing MSU sororities, already bans alcohol at chapter facilities or events. The IFC action does not cover chapters represented by the Multicultural Greek Council, representing Latinx, Asian, progressive and multicultural/multiethnic Greek-letter organizations on campus, or the National Pan-Hellenic Council, which is composed of the nine largest historically African-American Greek-letter organizations.
“The departure from hard alcohol at fraternity events marks a significant change in the culture at Michigan State,” said IFC President Trevor Coval. “We firmly believe this change will strengthen our community and demonstrates our ability to self-govern and take proactive measures to ensure fraternity and sorority life thrives for years to come.”
For more information on MSU’s fraternity and sorority life, please visit greeklife.msu.edu.