2008 Woodie Awards
RSSSenate gets Greek social policy briefing
By Danielle Gorman
Issue date: 11/6/07 Section: News
Chris Mulvihill, dean of student conduct, addressed concerns about the increasingly strict social policy on campus and clarified the current procedure, at the Student Senate meeting last Tuesday.
"I think we've had the ability to enforce policy more this year," Mulvihill said. "My office has had the ability to handle more cases that we might have let slip last year."
Eight Greek houses are on social probation and nine are on disciplinary probation, Mulvihill said. Disciplinary probation is an indication that a group may face termination or dissolution, while social probation limits a group's ability to register events with alcohol.
Social probation lasts for an entire semester, during which the group is required to complete education on social policy or Pennsylvania state alcohol laws, Mulvihill said. The number of social events a chapter may register is dependent on its two-year conduct record, the severity of the incident and how many events the chapter typically registers.
Previously, social probation lasted for a shorter period and the chapter was prohibited from hosting any event, Mulvihill said. The hope is that a chapter's ability to register events while on social probation will encourage groups to register all parties.
Of the eight houses on social probation, all were found guilty of hosting unregistered parties or playing drinking games, Mulvihill said. The code of conduct holds the burden of proof at a preponderance of evidence, or that the group is more likely than not responsible for a violation. Students may present their cases at disciplinary hearings and may later go through an appeals committee.
"The three students on the appeals committee haven't found the sanctions unduly harsh," Mulvihill said, "and two of these students are fraternity members."
In an effort to promote policy awareness, the Senate continued discussion about the formation of a Student Senate police advisory board.
The board will seek to build a common ground between students and the Lehigh University Police Department and serve as an intermediary for students to express concerns about policy and safety.
"I think we've had the ability to enforce policy more this year," Mulvihill said. "My office has had the ability to handle more cases that we might have let slip last year."
Eight Greek houses are on social probation and nine are on disciplinary probation, Mulvihill said. Disciplinary probation is an indication that a group may face termination or dissolution, while social probation limits a group's ability to register events with alcohol.
Social probation lasts for an entire semester, during which the group is required to complete education on social policy or Pennsylvania state alcohol laws, Mulvihill said. The number of social events a chapter may register is dependent on its two-year conduct record, the severity of the incident and how many events the chapter typically registers.
Previously, social probation lasted for a shorter period and the chapter was prohibited from hosting any event, Mulvihill said. The hope is that a chapter's ability to register events while on social probation will encourage groups to register all parties.
Of the eight houses on social probation, all were found guilty of hosting unregistered parties or playing drinking games, Mulvihill said. The code of conduct holds the burden of proof at a preponderance of evidence, or that the group is more likely than not responsible for a violation. Students may present their cases at disciplinary hearings and may later go through an appeals committee.
"The three students on the appeals committee haven't found the sanctions unduly harsh," Mulvihill said, "and two of these students are fraternity members."
In an effort to promote policy awareness, the Senate continued discussion about the formation of a Student Senate police advisory board.
The board will seek to build a common ground between students and the Lehigh University Police Department and serve as an intermediary for students to express concerns about policy and safety.
